The joys of a tiny Christmas'

There are many small pleasures to be enjoyed when there are just one, two or a few of you celebrating the festive season, writes author India Knight

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About halfway through last December, I bumped into an acquaintance on the train, and so obviously I asked them what they were doing for Christmas.

They sort of winced and said, 'Nothing much, very quiet, just the two of us at home, in a way that was almost apologetic. What they went on to describe-roast ham rather than turkey, a two-day list of films they were planning to watch, a walk they were going to take in Norfolk to see pink-footed geese, a specific M&S trifle sounded like heaven.

I don't like it that people's lovely Tiny Christmases can get downgraded in their own minds by the imagery of what Christmas is supposed to look like-extravagantly well populated, lavishly over-catered, with rosycheeked children/grandchildren gambollingin matching pyjamas, course after course of feasting, and mountains of presents.