Leaving aside the ‘religious festival crowbarred onto a pagan celebration’ argument for a moment, it seems to me that Christmas falls at the wrong time for us Northern Hemisphere people. The Aussies and Kiwis have got this one down right for sure. There is of course the option of surfing on Christmas day, spending time at the beach, eating bbq and sunbathing etc.

More than that, they do not have the shortest day falling mere days before the biggest celebration in the family calendar. They are not sliding about on the ice with 5 laden grocery bags full of sprouts and parsnips and other such “festive fare” (use of quotes deliberate). They can wrap all their presents in hours and hours of lovely daylight. Sat in the light of the twinkling tannenbaum is all very nice but does mean a New Year’s trip to Specsavers should one try to do anything as taxing as sign gift tags.

This is probably just grumbling on my part that, once again, we are a scant few days from Christmas and I categorically am not ready but here I am bemoaning the need for more hours in the day, upon the winter solstice. The irony is not lost on me.