What Christmas Means To Us - Part 1

Friends :

A timid knock at the door. The Christmas Wreath jingles as the lady of the house flings the portal wide. "Is Philip coming out to play, Mrs Walton?" Sheepishly, three rag-a-muffins wilt under her stern gaze. "I suppose so, if you all promise to be good!"

Cue fits of seasonal guffaws. Mike, Philip and Alan have called to take me to the pub. Promising to be home for the start of "Carols from Kings", we stride off down the street, shouting season's greetings to neighbours.

The pub is warm and filled with people like us - friends celebrating prior to going back to their families. Throughout a couple of hours when no-one seems to pause for breath, my phone buzzes and beeps with e-mail, Twitter and Facebook messages of Good Will. Blip and Flickr will have to wait until I get home, as those postings deserve more than a quick glance.

Friends - a key ingredient.