Final wrapping of presents, house tidied, pizzas made for tea, trifle made for tomorrow, crossword completed. Now in bed wondering if Beth is ever going to fall asleep. She is quite excited.

Tomorrow will be our first Christmas with just the three of us; in the past we’ve always been away at family, or had visitors. Looking forward to just being with Kate and Beth tomorrow. I foresee good food, and lots of playing with new toys.

It was our work Christmas party in Dundee last Friday. I missed it, as I was down in London. I suppose I could have gone to the London office Christmas party if I’d wanted to as it was on the same day, but I dined with my parents instead. The work Christmas parties aren’t my cup of tea — noisy, loud music, lots of drink, and heading off to a club at the end of the evening.

Instead I appreciate our team Christmas meal, which we organise ourselves. This evening our team dined at the Pizza Express in St Andrews; our team’s first meal south of the Tay. We started the tradition two years ago with a team Christmas lunch at Braes on Perth Road, and thought it was such a good idea that we’ve had a team lunch or tea every month since. So this was our twenty-fifth monthly team meal; I think I’ve been to twenty-three of them.

We’re also organising a work children’s Christmas party, which will be held on site in Dundee on the Saturday before Christmas. This is our first year of it; I hope it goes well. Seeing colleagues with their children will be fun. Beth is looking forward to it.

We had a project team Christmas lunch today, at Braes on the Perth Road. Good food and good company. I’m still wearing the paper hat that came out of my cracker at lunchtime.

Tomorrow evening we have the work Christmas night out; we’ve got a cocktail-making workshop as the entertainment, followed by a buffet, and an overnight stay at the Landmark Hotel. Wondering whether a combination of a kilt with my work polo shirt would make suitable cocktail-mixing apparel.

Join Kate, Beth, Andrew, and me for our annual Christmas carvery party lunch, to say “thank you” to our friends for another great year. We’ll be serving a traditional Christmas roast — the perfect way to get in the mood for Christmas.

Sunday 19 December, noon to 4pm. RSVP

Every year for Christmas my best present is always a tin of condensed milk. When I was a child, my father, brother, and I, each received an annual tin; I can't remember whether Polly ever developed the taste for it. The tin would be opened on Christmas Day, and then kept in the fridge and consumed with a teaspoon over the coming days. Sheer joy. For me, the taste of Christmas is the taste of condensed milk.

I'd be happy to forego all other puddings, to never eat chocolate again, and for ice cream to disappear from the supermarket shelves, as long as I had an annual tin of condensed milk.

Join kateaw, qidane and me for our annual Christmas carvery party lunch, to say “thank you” to our friends for another great year. We’ll be serving a traditional Christmas roast — the perfect way to get in the mood for Christmas.

Sunday 20 December, noon to 4pm. RSVP

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