York is a shopper’s paradise.

Waking up discussing glottal stops and plosives with the other half will probably become normal in 2018. It’s nice to start the day with a little learning though!

Some years it’s more about giving, other years it’s more about receiving. But every year it’s about having a good old catch up and fun time with friends and family.

Travelling on separate planes for cost reasons seems like a good idea, but it never quite works out that way. Also Christmas Eve is the best day for customer service – everyone is infected with Christmas cheer. Going to sleep at the end of an exhausting day of travelling with the one you love makes everything worth it.

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Sometimes that bottle of rosé you got in stays in the fridge. Sometimes you do so much planning, you set the bar too high for everyone else. Sometimes you set yourself up for disappointment. Sometimes you catch a glimpse of what others see and it’s frustrating. But sometimes it doesn’t matter and it all works out OK anyway.

Doughnut holes are made of the same thing as the hole in your toilet seat, but nobody ever publicizes that.

Megan Coughlin

The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.

Oscar Wilde

Despite what stubborn Brexiteers say, the EU does force some change for the better – the new Payment Services Directive coming in January for example, will open up banking and give a lot of UK consumers a better deal once it is fully implemented. It will also drag Maltese banking into the 21st century, I hope!

Christmas smells quite good actually!

Christmas shopping is tricky in Malta. You either need unlimited time and parking, or some forward thinking, a laptop and an internet of gifts. Oh, and money. Damn, knew I forgot something.