ALISON ripped open the packaging and looked quizzically at the advent calendar on the countertop. It was November 28. In two days’ time, it would be the first day of Advent, a time usually filled with

CAROLS are playing softly, their melodies floating into the kitchen where Miranda is standing at the hob, gently stirring mulled wine. From the bubbling pot, the smell of cinnamon and clove wafts thro

THE chimes of Big Ben, fireworks lighting up the night sky, and the popping of Champagne corks are just some of the things we, in the UK, associate with New Year’s Eve. But how does the rest of the wo

Christmas advertising has become an arms race, as British retailers vie to win the nation’s heart over the crucial festive season. Stuart McGurk reports

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ONE of the loveliest times in the year is the celebration of Christmas. In the church, the most popular Christmas services are those which are held on Christmas Eve. Many of those who go along are not