My ex wife and I have had an understanding which we've both honoured - ever other year we take our turn spending Christmas Day with the children, and Boxing day on the in-between year. In essence, it means I treat Boxing Day as Christmas Day every other year. There have been rare occasions when we've all four got together on Christmas Day.

It doesn't look like continuing, though, as my son (19) is now likely to be working over Christmas, and my daughter (23) is 'spreading her wings'...

Having said all that, why do we have this fixation about Christams Day? What about the rest of the year?

I know what you mean, Carol, about 'It is a consolation, Bernard, although I guess it shouldn't be' - people always try to make you feel better by saying 'There's plenty of other people in the same situation'. It doesn't help, only makes you feel worse until you actually talk to a 'fellow sufferer'. Somehow that helps...