My wife spent the first three years of our married life driving to and fro to visit family in various far-flung parts of the UK. It was often cold, conditions on the roads icy and treacherous, and delays were a regular feature. It sucked the joy out of the holiday. Then, in 2002, we decided to stop doing it. We haven't looked back, and Christmas suddenly became wonderful again. It is so, so nice to go nowhere in winter.

If anyone wants to visit us at Christmas, we tell family they are welcome to do so. But we refuse to go anywhere. Funnily enough, they never come to see us, as we are also pretty far flung here in southwest England (yes, I know Americans wouldn't think twice about driving the length of the UK, but I doubt any of you have had to deal with the M25 in rush hour traffic).