Every year in my village there’s a lantern parade and Christmas tree lights switch-on. It’s a really nice event and I love taking the kids. It feels like the start of the Christmas season. Lots of kids with home made lanterns, carol singing, and a brief appearance from the big man himself.

In order to make it out to the lantern parade after work and collecting the boys from after school club, we just about have time to get home, get changed and back out again up to the village with our lanterns. Luckily, there was just enough time for the boys to have fish and chips before the parade.

There’s one table and a few chairs in our local chippy and it was occupied when we arrived, so I found myself in the unenvious position of having to hold the boys’ fish and chips whilst they got stuck in with their forks. What a lovely aroma – hot fish and chips on a wintery evening. And of course, I couldn’t eat any of them!

They have no idea how lucky they are.