I am writing this on a desk stacked with recipe books and previous Christmas issues of magazines of many nations. I have Post-it Notes. I have pencils. I have hot chocolate. The Christmas movie channel has taken over from Radio 4 as my daily cook-along companion of choice. I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes, Christmas is all around me and I couldn’t be more excited. And in the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve been like this since September.
I have a very serious case of SOD: Seasonal Overexcited Disorder. My first married Christmas, I threw a drinks party on Christmas Eve. I hosted lunch for 12 on Christmas Day and afternoon tea on Boxing Day. I had committed to The Best Christmas Ever in the way Bear Grylls might to leading an expedition up Everest. Never look down and never give up.