Twelfth Night

So today is the official end of Christmas.

I don't like the modern run-up to Christmas that sees the Day as a climax and then we all rush back to work (or the sales) as soon as Boxing Day is over - or even on Boxing day, though (in the UK at least) it's supposed to be a holiday. I like to start the decorations and excitement a few days before Christmas and then to celebrate properly until Twelfth Night.

It's not really possible these days. There are other people and their holidays to consider, but, all-in-all, we've managed to make our Christmas pretty well what we wanted. We usually try to go away at Christmas time, and this year was no exception. Some people don't like the idea of not being at home at Christmas, but it suits us. My wife and son both ski, so, when we can, the three of us go away together. This year, it was to Tignes, where we had a lovely time with traditional log fires and a lovely tree to come home to after a day on the slopes. The couple looking after us, Paul and Lorraine, were older than the average chalet hosts and spectacularly good cooks. The food was outstanding in both quality and quantity. I don't think I have ever eaten so much in a week before, or enjoyed it more.

We sneaked in a day in Paris (back to Les Invalides, rapidly becoming my favourite museum in the world) and then back to London, with just enough time to recover before New Year's Eve and greeting 2015 dancing with friends.

We rounded off the holiday with a day spent learning how to master scuba kit, ready to go diving with our son. He dives for his job and is determined to introduce us to the pleasures of underwater exploration but, gosh, the course was exhausting.

So here we are, tired but happy. Really, I need a holiday to recover, but instead I have to put my head down and get on with the revisions to the next Burke story. Burke's adventures at Napoleon's final battle should be ready for the 200th anniversary of Waterloo in June.

And, Christmas being over, I've taken the Christmas banner off the top of the page. I hope you like the new one.

2015 looks like being another great year. I wish all my readers the best for it.