IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE...

ur annual countdown to Yule was accompanied by a nagging worry this year. With my recent injury, the simple act of climbing into the loft to retrieve all the festive decorations looked deeply doubtful. That tradition—the festive preparation I look forward to most—seemed genuinely out of reach.

Thankfully, we got a helping hand: Rags's boyfriend stepped in, and the entire festive haul was safely brought downstairs. Success! On the chilly afternoon of 30th November, the tree finally went up.

For the last few years, we've happily been early decorators, usually trimming up mid-November. After all, Yule is the most important celebration in our calendar, and who wouldn't want to make that precious feeling last as long as possible?