This year, at my suggestion, Santa did his drop off to our family home at 4.00pm on Christmas Eve, in advance of the family leaving to attend the first Mass of Christmas and then out for the evening with friends.

In all other years, this tradition has unfolded after the Mass and evening out with friends at the point at which we are ready for going to bed.

My wife seemed sad. I sensed it in her demeanor and I asked her what was the matter.

“We normally do this later and somehow it does not feel right” she said. I held her.

I reminded her of our reasoning, for the changing of tradition which has its origins in trying to diffuse the tensions and unrealistic expectations of adult children who have grown past the age of magic, but still cling on to the hope of its return.

I think in changing the tradition, the magic is given a chance to return, because the old ways of doing things and their association with a time which is lost, can be given new life and refreshment through changing the timing and adjusting the dimension of things.

When we arrived at our home much later on Christmas Eve, we entered the living room where the magic was already waiting.

Gone was the tiredness, and gone was the over bearing expectation, and in its place was beauty and calm.

We had a small sherry and toasted Santa, before donning our caps and our kerchiefs for a long winter nap.

My next blog will be: Being Calm

William Defoe