Our true meaning of Christmas

When my 10 year old son was making his Christmas list, I asked him if he could remember what he got as his main present last year. Or even the year before that.

There was a long silence. "No, not really," he admitted.

"So what do you remember?" I asked.

• He stirs the puddings (one to eat, one to keep), makes a wish and drops the Euro in (my Mum always used a sixpence)
• He cuts out the stars to top the mince pies and acts as Chief Icing Sugar Sprinkler. We make bird feed with the left over suet and take it to the park
• We make Christingles; the smell of the cloves as they pierce and stud the flesh of the orange is pure Christmas to me
• We no longer decorate the tree when he’s in bed but now we all do it as a family on a Sunday afternoon whilst listening to Winter Wonderland on a loop.The best bit is when the old decorations come out their eggbox nexts and we reminisce about each one; the lopsided fairy with the gold bouffant hair, the lump of glue and glitter proudly brought home from nursery one year, and a cardboard reindeer. We buy one new one each year to add to the collection
• He's in charge of decorating the Christmas cake once it’s been marzipanned. Any lumps and bumps are covered by roughed up icing to look like snow

I used to rush round the shops and buy him a present to give to his Dad and one for his sister but now I take him shopping and let him choose with his saved up pocket money

And whilst we are out we buy an extra gift for a child in need and drop them off at a centre or put them in the post. There are hundreds of these schemes around the country run by The Salvation Army, the NSPCC or your local council. Perhaps it will be for a child who has had to flee with their mother to a refuge escaping from domestic violence or perhaps for a child who is ill in hospital. You can also write to a child - perhaps a simple card or letter using Postpals.co.uk.

 I no longer think that Christmas has to be perfect or out of the pages of a magazine. The true meaning of Christmas for me has revealed itself to be in the comforts of traditions old and new - and a lopsided gingerbread house made with love.