Glittering success or a wash-out - with the ladies

With the pressures - and pleasures - of Christmas now past, perhaps it's time to learn some constructive lessons for future celebrations.

- by Roy Edmonds

After all, Valentine's Day is fast approaching.This column is being composed at my wife's suggestion and, as regular readers know, that's She Who Knows. Fortunately, she was delighted There have been shameful times, long in our past, when I wasn't so successful. Bottles of alcohol-for example - didn't really float her boat, however decoratively wrapped and ribboned.

In early years together, She Who once finished unwrapping my manly Christmas offerings and, fixing me with a disappointed stare, admitted, “I'm rather underwhelmed.” Oh dear, not a good start to the big day!