Well, 2024 was certainly a year. Losing both my parents within months of each other is what I’ll forever remember the year for, but they both raised me in a way that even out of such darkness came light. I’ve a newfound appreciation for my closest friends, who have very much become my chosen family this year. A couple of months ago I could also hear my mum’s voice in my head telling me not to let Christmas suffer because they’re not here. They wouldn’t have wanted that.

As such, this most horrible of years has ended with a holiday season surrounded by that chosen family of mine, who filled my Christmas with love, happiness, laughing kids (hi Ollie and Lily) and plenty of festive feelings. To all of you who sat around that table with me and toasted my dad over a cuppa, I can’t thank you enough. I love you all and you’ve really made the end of this year something joyful, which in itself is nothing short of a Christmas miracle.

Due to the year it’s been, the project I hinted at this day last year never came to fruition, but that’s something I’m looking forward to in 2025 now. Also, the number of visitors the blog has had this year has grown four times as much as I wanted it to, so thank you to all of my regular readers and those who have joined us this year. As I look forward to the 12 months ahead Frank Cross’ (as played by Bill Murray) monologue from the end of one of my favourite Christmas movies, Scrooged comes to mind*. After 2024, I think that’s the way to see life in 2025.

CHRiSTMAS 2024

(* If you’ve never seen it, think of the end of A Christmas Carol but dialled up to 11.)