Notably, the mention of Santa in his presence causes him to fix his gaze on the speaker no sooner than the word is out of their mouth!

For me, this is just the best present imaginable – I love Christmas, and certainly after this past year where so many I care about how lost those they love it seems even more important than usual to take time out to cherish my family and friends.

I cannot wait to take time off work over the Christmas period to just soak up the joy of seeing my little boy excited and starting to experience the wonder and magic of Christmas.

I’m Christian, so for me the season has a very deep and important meaning far beyond just the mountains of presents (I may have gotten a tad carried away this year), food and decorations.

I want to keep the magic alive, for my boy, my niece, and for all the children we’ll see over the next few weeks (and yes, I include in that all the grown up children who still have a quick glance up to the sky on Christmas night… you know who you are ).

There was once at time when we feared our little hero would never understand Christmas, and yet here he is, almost 6 years old, eyes sparkling as we read him the Christmas story.

Next week I’ve managed to book a precious day off work to go and see him in his Christmas play at school, and I am infinitely more excited about this prospect than he is!

We don’t have many traditions in our family for Christmas, at least not yet.

I think we may have to develop a few.. so far most of our traditions seem to involve falling over tinsel that the cats have removed from the tree, or wrestling a bauble out of the dogs mouth before the toerag munches it to oblivion (shatter-proof does not equate to Merlin-proof).

This year family are coming to ours so Sam will have all his necessary bits and bobs easily to hand, even his hoist has been decorated in honour of the festive season.

Alongside all the excitement though I have a very deep heartache, as this will be the first year that my Dad won’t be with us… he’s still here, but not well enough to travel and is increasingly struggling with any change in routine etc as the dementia continues its relentless course.

It’s one of my big wishes for this Christmas, that he’ll be well enough for me to visit him with Sam at some point between Christmas and New year – he may not know who I am any more, but I know who he is.

As does Sam.

Christmas is all about love when you strip away all the tinsel and sparkle, so from my family to yours, Merry Christmas and may 2017 be wonderful