A Very British Christmas: Your Festive Survival Guide by Rob Temple

​The book is described as a ‘survival guide’ so not only does it cover the oddities of seasonal behaviours and norms but how to deal with them. It is organised into chapters about Christmas cards, the office party, shopping, gifts, Christmas decorations, dinner guests, the dinner, Boxing Day, New Year and going back to work. Within a section on festive activities, such as visiting a Christmas market, there are alternatives to the food and drink offered that you can prepare at home – with much less hassle and a fraction of the cost. If being bothered by people telling you to dance at the Christmas office party, there is a technique to deter them that the author took from a documentary about bears. And yes, it does work.

​Other good tips include what to offer Father Christmas (and reindeer) when they visit on Christmas eve, where to hide Christmas gifts, the type of gifts to avoid, the pros and cons of the different types of wrapping paper and how to serve a British cheese board. Plus, avoiding annoying words like ‘Crimbo’.

There are a few bits of history thrown in about Christmas, British television programmes such as ‘Only Fool and Horses’ and ‘Wallace and Gromit’ and popular toys. Common and well-used phrases that I’ve heard all my life and actually still use, are translated into their true meaning. Despite this, I still continue to use them.

This is a modern, fast and easy read and awfully realistic. While this is a nostalgic dig at the British character and traditions it is also witty, daft and sometimes rather funny. Some of the tips are actually useful too. Best of all though, is the way this book just takes my mind off the whole pantomime that is Christmas and helps me laugh at myself.

Merry Christmas!