Merry Christmas

I know it's only Christmas eve, but I have had to adopt my husband's Scandinavian traditions, which means we will be celebrating Christmas tonight.

My elder son got to set the menu this year, while it was my younger son's turn to do the table decor. My husband will do the roast beast in the kettle barbecue outside (yes - in the winter!) so that I can have all the space in the oven for veg and yorkshire pudding. Everything that can be pre-prepared has been, and I have only one gift left to make (which is giving me no end of a hard time!).

I'll sign off now and see you after the festivities.

I'll drink a toast to you: may this Christmas be a time of glad tidings for us all.

Maybe the year hasn't gone quite as you would have liked (mine certainly hasn't!). Maybe you haven't achieved all you had hoped (me neither). Maybe there have been a few really dark moments along the way (join the club!). Maybe Santa won't bring you exactly what you hoped for.

But look at the faces around the table, or those that you meet in church on Christmas morning; listen to the voices on the phone or out in the street and remember - it isn't about the technology, it isn't even about the learning - it's about the people.

Merry Christmas to you. Thanks for being with me this year.