I've not done any preparations yet, bar buying some cards! It'll be an unorthodox Christmas this year, because for the fourth time in my life and the first for 28 years, I will not be spending it in the UK! I'm going to France with my sister and her partner to visit our parents - making it our first Christmas with them for six years after they moved out there 5 years ago. We've both managed to get time off work and are going there on Sat 22nd and back on Thurs 27th.

Mum has told us not to bring presents with us due to weight limits etc. on travelling and that they will not give us any for the same reason. I expect they'll give us money as they have done since they moved there, and we'll have a chance to get things like flowers, booze and so on when we get there. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to take them out for a meal.

The nice thing about it is that it gives us a chance to get away from the crass, commercial feel of Christmas and spend quality time with family, which is surely what it should be all about?

I'll still put up my decorations next weekend - this weekend feels too early still. And I'll get started on writing the cards soon, and that should be me done!

Do wise, I may be going to the rail industry one this Wednesday (though I won't know for sure until tomorrow or even Tuesday!) but I'm looking forward more to our office do the following Wednesday - exactly one week before Christmas!