And with another 18 hours yet to go the turkey shows no sign of defrosting, I have a mountain of presents to wrap and only four rolls of paper and one roll of scotch tape. That’s the last time I allow a man to decide how much gift paper we will need!

The kids have already made inroads into the crisps and nibblies I had placed aside for Xmas lunch, some of the Xmas lights have stopped working and I tripped over the cord of the optic fibre Xmas tree yesterday which pulled out the wire and now it no longer ‘glows’…

I broke my promise to myself not to buy too much food this time round, as two sons have left home this year, and yet I have enough food to feed the third world and limited oven space (and people) to cook and eat it…

I also vowed not to splash out on alcohol this year and yet two bottles of Vins de Pays Blanc are chilling away in the fridge as I speak. I also vowed I would treat myself to an Orovo detox after Xmas in order to justify the wine and all the food I will consume over next 48 hours – the turkey (when it defrosts) will be a lovely roast tomorrow, a curry on Boxing Day and possibly a stir-fry on Saturday.

Meanwhile my family in Australia are soon to wake up to warm sunshine and prepare for an outdoor Xmas lunch around the pool. My brother-in-law will light the BBQ (fire restrictions allowing of course), my sister will lay the table with salads, seafood, cold meats and fruit salads and a pavlova you cannot jump over. The flies will bother everyone, the heat will cause the beer to affect everyone before it should and Mum will need an afternoon nap. My son William (spending the day with them) will consume a whole box of chocolates before breakfast and then feel sick and no-one will make to the 9.30am Mass…again.

Here, it is cold and overcast and the kids are worried about Santa and the weather; they have already changed into their pj’s and put out their Xmas pillow slips (xmas stockings dont do the job…); they have prepared Santa’s snack and are waiting for the sky to fall dark so they can watch for his sleigh.

I see their faces and feel their excitement – I love this time of year.