Each patient receives a Christmas cracker and a gift; this is usually a wash bag or sock (Getty Images) I will be spending Christmas Day in an NHS hospital ward in west London. I’m here with my 91-year-old father and my two children, seven-year-old Lola and five-year-old Liberty. Like many other people in hospital who… Read More »
Tracey Davies at the Carrefour supermarket in Calais – Julian Simmonds/The Daily Telegraph In my house, it wasn’t the opening of the advent calendar, the stirring of the Christmas pudding, or the hanging of the mistletoe that marked the start of the festive season. No. Christmas always started with the family’s boozy escape to France.… Read More »
Fairytale Christmas illuminations in the old town of Colmar, Alsace – serts/iStockphoto The English Christmas and its attributes are wonderful. They need to be embraced with delight: ornaments, hi-res knits, unexpected cousins, trees, children, carols, Baileys at 10am, turkey forever, mince pies and an important date with the monarch. I won’t hear a word against… Read More »