1000-piece puzzles, ping-pong, scrabble. Lit candles and hearth fires and fairy lights. Feasts and, in-between, mince pies and hot alcohol-spiked drinks. Gather these festive armaments against the darkness of winter. Deck the house and pub with sprigs and wreaths of ivy and holly, last verdure of the year. Banter, laugh, eat all day, so that dark thoughts lie still. What if you can�t afford to heat your house? What if you have to wait in line for a parcel of food? What if you�re all alone? It�s a terrible, wonderful time of the year.

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