1. Bringing the Christmas tree in from the garden.

2. Eating a mince pie for breakfast (and not feeling guilty).

3. Ritz Crackers (the plain ones not the cheese ones).

4. The smell of cloves and cinnamon.

5. Carols playing on the radio.

6. Wrapping paper.

7. Decorating the Christmas tree.

8. Hunting for sellotape.

9. Brussel sprouts (they always taste almost good on Christmas day).

10. Wrapping presents while watching trash TV (if no. 8 has been successful).

11. Making Christmas cards.

12. The smell of a newly opened box of chocolates.

13. Trying to make last year’s Christmas lights work while doing no. 7.

14. The smell of an empty box of chocolates (I’m sure I didn’t really eat them all THAT quickly).

15. The Christmas Radio Times.

16. Planning what I’m going to watch on TV and then forgetting to watch it.

17. Buying new Christmas lights after trying no. 13 for an hour or two.

18. Lighting candles.

19. Reading my Christmas books (this year’s are Dan Price’s The Moonlight Chronicles (thank you, you know who you are) and a set of short stories by Katherine Mansfield).

20. Picking pine needles out of my socks and the carpet.

21. Making plans for the New Year.

22. Going for a Christmas day walk.

23. Cranberry sauce.

24. Bread sauce.

25. Wearing a jumper I wouldn’t dream of wearing at any other time of the year.