LUKE MARSDEN: Thank goodness we can get together for Christmas

It looks like some of us might get closer to a traditional Christmas dinner than we might have thought

I can’t write his exact response in this column. although he did say he was glad I could come round and wash up.

Never in my dad’s lifetime, or mine, have we ever been in a position were a government is legislating how many people can put on party hats and tell each other awful jokes on December 25.

Let’s be honest: many people (including myself) were going to have a compliance issue on baby Jesus’s birthday. We’ve been ripped apart from our loved ones most of this year but at the primary time for family, we were facing the prospect of having to stay away. I wasn’t going to do it and I doubt many would.

In a year’s time we won’t be looking back at winter 2020 with any fond memories but (fingers crossed!) we’ll be facing a much healthier and happier Christmas in 2021 with hopefully unlimited numbers of aunts and uncles telling risky stories around the dining table.

This week our friends across the pond have celebrated Thanksgiving and President Trump pardoned a turkey. I texted my American friends to wish them happy Thanksgiving and hope they devoured as much pumpkin pie as possible. Their annual festivities were very different this year but they “bought extra food” to compensate!

A silver lining to all of this is that companies need to shift a lot of their excess Black Friday stock and fast.

I got an absolute bargain from Amazon on 42 Ferrero Rocher and at the current rate it will equal nearly nine each on December 25.

I’m sure my dad will see that as the true perk of me visiting.

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