In just a few short weeks, the Downton Abbey Christmas Special lands on ITV1. Never mind that most are in a panic at the moment when they hear there are only 16 days until Christmas. The glass is half full of water folks are also accessing their collective mind palace and calculating that there are only 16 days until a new Downton special.
 

 
With full knowledge that U.S. Downton fans have not had the good fortune to see season 4 as of yet (except those that magically found it on the Internets moments after its UK broadcast this Fall), we’ll limit the amount of information for the moment. What we can say is that it is, again, the summer season at Downton. Unlike last years Christmas special which saw the Crawley clan head north to Scotland, this year it is Rose’s ‘coming out’ so she is to be presented at Buckingham Palace. Only at Downton. The family and servants are at Grantham House, their London residence, preparing for the busy social program.

What will be worth waiting for for those unfortunate Downton fans Stateside who have to wait until Sunday, February 23, 2014 (as it will air as the final episode of series 4) on PBS, is the return of Martha Levinson (Shirley MacLaine) as she makes the journey from New York with her playboy son (and Cora’s brother) Harold (Paul Giamatti), fresh from his recent brush with the law. According to reports, this is just the tip of the iceberg of what is getting ready to unfold for the Crawleys.

Oh to hear what the Dowager Countess must be thinking at this very moment…