’Tis the season to be jolly! I love Christmas and always have. I have fond memories of waking up to a pillowcase-full of presents at the foot of my bed, gorging on chocolate money and segments of Terry’s Chocolate Orange (all before breakfast on Christmas Day, too. And no, I no longer do that as my intestines can’t take it!). My favourite years were when the extended family all congregated at my grandparents’ large house in Felixstowe, Suffolk, where after lunch we’d play charades and card games, sing carols and play instruments (I come from an amateur dramatics-loving family!). And one year, we all received a mini present box attached to the end of a ribbon from inside a faux Christmas cake my grandad had painstakingly made from cardboard and tissue paper, with a segment for each family member. Honestly, it looked like a real cake. I now have it and it’s a little worse for wear (see below) but I can’t bear to part with it.
But not all of us find Christmas merry and bright. Not only are world events making it difficult for some to find peace, but, on an individual level, coming together with family can cause friction. We’ve got two features this issue looking at why you don’t always need to have a big gathering, but also how to make it more harmonious if you do (p24 and p140). I sincerely h
