This morning found us making a Christmas hat before school, Little One's homework, ready to wear to the school Christmas lunch tomorrow. We have made Crackers, too, ready for our own Christmas Day Feast.I went to Hawkins Bazaar and bought assorted small items, things that will be kept, to fill the snappy little tubes. So often the contents of bought crackers are immediately discarded, making one wonder who on earth took the time and effort to create such tat.

In my very first flat I went to Harrods and spent a fortune on exquisite decorations, but that was in the materialistic Eighties, before I turned to more spiritual ways of being. I am trying to restore to my home the christmas spirit, where family and fun are more important than the present pile. It is having a mixed effect on the kids, though. The three little ones and I spent Saturday evening making orange pomanders, only for my son to come in and complain that we'd "ruined the oranges!" At that stage, I was more concerned about the state of my fingers: pushing cloves into oranges is harder than I thought.

This afternoon the school choir are going to an old folks' home to sing carols, something they have not done for many years. My daughter Av is a little scared of going, but I have assured her it will be lovely.When I was in my teens a group of us performed a panto at the convent nursing home, and we had a wonderful reception. In that one, I played the witch, a stark contrast to my other panto experience, when I was Prince Peter in a version of Snow White. At that stage I wanted to be an actress, but circumstances did not allow me that.

Today, however, my eldest daughter has her first audition for drama school. She has gone to London with a friend, for the audition in the morning and an afternoon in Camden. The sun is shining here on the coast; I hope it is shining in the city as well, blessing her on her special day.

With my entire brood, I encourage them to dream big dreams and aim to make them real. Anything is possible, with faith and God's will, after all.