“THIS will probably be my last Christmas,” Nana J would say every year, just as we all sat down to the turkey.

Far from putting a dampener on the proceedings, this would be the prompt for my mum, Nana R, to start comparing notes on her health niggles.

The annual conversation by the oldies at the end of table was second only to their chat about people who have died in the past year.

While the rest of us usually groaned at the maudlin topics, we missed it this Christmas.

Nana J had a stroke some months ago and is now in a nursing home.

But on Christmas morning, my middle son, who is learning the bagpipes, visited her to play some tunes.

This small gesture of kindness towards his great-grandmother will be my enduring memory of this festive season.

When I’m pulling my hair out after he’s been winding up his brothers, I’ll remember this moment and the photos of the OAPs wiping away their tears.

And that’s one of my New Year resolutions – to remember the good moments.

It’s been a year dominated by many lows – Brexit, Donald Trump, global warming – including the news of a dear friend battling illness. So it makes sense to hold on to the small blessings and think about the good times.

The memorable long and boozy last lunch with my friend before illness took hold.

To enjoy the prospect of laughter-filled Skype calls

with family in Australia, rather than fret at the distance between us all. The completed 10k with my jogging partner rather than the less-thanimpressive time we took. To relish rare moments of solitude and quiet rather than fill every moment with action. A Scottish celebrity who has enjoyed major success this year revealed to me what she thought was the secret of her success – self-belief. OK, she also has a costly life coach whose job it is to reinforce the good vibes. But many of us could benefit from some of this tried and tested method. It’s based on positive affirmation – think of good things and you’ll attract them. So, I may not have taken up yoga or mastered mindfulness but I don’t need an expert to tell me to appreciate my friends and family, to eat well and stay fit. In 2019, I’m going to squeeze every drop out of life.

It makes sense to hold on to small blessings and think about the good times