WITH THE FAMILY GROWN, WE’LL HAVE CHRISTMAS DAY ON OUR OWN

JWITH our grown-up children building their own nests and busily populating them with new tiny chicks, Christmas gets more complicated every year.

No longer do we gather round the dining table on Christmas Day. There are other grandparents to visit before the offspring can join you over the turkey and plum pudding.

And no one has a clue what they’re doing until the last minute.

Our long-booked New Year’s Day lunch at our favourite Cornish hotel started off with a table for ten plus assorted tinies, and is now down to just four of us plus the newest sprog of all. Boxing Day is now the big family reunion at our house.

Richard and I, alone on Christmas Day for the first time ever (sob), are going out to have our lunch at a local pub. I’m sure everyone else will be surrounded by family and we’ll look like Billy No-Mates in the corner.