Tomorrow, my husband and I are off to Germany to spend a week with his family. We shall be celebrating Christmas early with them and also visiting the huge Christmas market which is set on the medieaSprig of Hollyval Dom Platz at the heart of the old city. Visiting a genuine German Christmas market has always been a dream of mine since I was a little girl… now, at last, it is about to come true!

So I shall be out of touch for a little while but you can depend on it that I shall have lots to say – and lots of stories to recount – when I return home.

For all my American friends and readers, I wish you a wonderful and very happy Thanks Giving Day.

For everyone else, have a marvellous time with your pre-Christmas planning and the slow ‘building of the magic’! It will be the first Sunday of Advent this coming weekend – enjoy it all and don’t forget to sing some carols – alternative or otherwise!