A Christmas shopping trip turns into a chance to catch up on pony gossip for Tessa Waugh , who is on the back foot as far as present buying is concerned but replete with tales of happy new homes

Reading Laura Mauro’s “Japanese Toilet Ghosts” [FT459:30-35], reminded me of a less well known fear in the Western world, which –according to the modern rabbinical Internet resource site TheTorah.com

Going hunting without your own hunter is an increasingly popular choice for a range of reasons, finds Lucy Higginson

The nuances of modern perfumery now allow a single drop to evoke an entire landscape. Amie Elizabeth White explores the native houses hitting the right notes

In celebration of the author’s 250th year, Bethany Stone delves into the small but significant role of horses in Jane Austen’s fiction

While Tessa Waugh can never predict whether she’ll turn into a misanthrope or hostess with the mostest at her home meet, the day is a roaring success – with sausage rolls, sunshine and smiles