This Saturday I am looking forward to spending my first Christmas with my wife. Last year we spend some time together but this is the first time we will do be totally together. I imagine there is something extra special about waking up with your wife on Christmas day.

One thing that I am really looking forward to is establishing our own traditions. Every family has them; when they open the presents, down to what type of food they eat for dinner. I am also aware of the need to not hold too tightly to the traditions of my own family as, although they were valid and good, I now have my own family and there is now a clean slate before us.

One tradition I know I want to establish in my home is that of non-commercialism and non-materialism. Christmas is more and more becoming about marketing instead of mangers. Politicians and “PC” activists even want to take the Christ out of Christmas altogether. I recognise that this is probably not Jesus’ birthday, but if we are to celebrate it then I want to do it right. To coin an old cliché, I want to keep the Main Thing the main thing.