We've put up the Christmas tree, but the halls aren't decked with boughs of holly. Turns out, holly -- and Christmas lilies and mistletoe -- are dangerous for dogs.

I have an artificial Christmas tree, but it's got very realistic needles and pine cones on it and it looks quite authentic. When I was a little girl, I always used to feel sorry for our poor little Christmas tree. First, it got chopped down. Then after Christmas was over, it got thrown out with the garbage. It just seemed really sad to me. I'd actually cry when my parents took the tree down, which annoyed them. My father said I was hypersensitive. My mother said I was over-imaginative. My brother said I was nuts.

This year, I'm planning a Boxing Day Party. (Boxing Day is an English holiday, celebrated the day after Christmas. English servants had to work on Christmas Day, so they were given their Christmas "boxes" -- and the day off -- on December 26th. Hence, Boxing Day)

Meanwhile, I still haven't done my Christmas cards!