We hope you know this already, but drugs can be dangerous – some more than others.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has looked at the drug-related deaths that happened between 2011 and 2016, the most recent year data is available, to rank the 10 deadliest drugs being used in the United States.

This isn’t the first time the CDC has released such a list – they announce the deadliest drugs each year.

But it is the first time in four years that heroin hasn’t topped the list.

Instead, fentanyl has been ranked the deadliest drug in the U.S.

Drug overdoses from fentanyl have risen pretty rapidly in the last decade. In 2011, fentanyl accounted for 4% of drug overdoses, while in 2016 it accounted for 28.8%

Take a look at the rankings of the ten deadliest drugs below.

1. Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate that’s similar to morphine, but up to 100 times stronger. It’s traditionally used to treat patients experiencing severe pain.

Outside of hospitals it’s sold as a powder, in tablets, or mixed in with heroin. When taken fentanyl binds to the body’s opioid receptors, creating an increase in dopamine levels, which produces a state of intense euphoria.

It can also cause drowsiness, nausea, confusion, constipation, unconsciousness, coma, and death.

The drug’s potency means there’s a high risk of overdose, especially when mixed with other drugs such as cocaine.

2. Heroin

Heroin is another opiate, but it’s usually sold as a white or brown powder. It’s made from morphine.

People who take heroin feel happy, relaxed, and sleepy.

It’s very easy to overdose from heroin as it’s so strong, and remains the deadliest drug in the UK.

The drug can slow your breathing, causing the taker to slip into a coma or die. Because it sedates you, it’s difficult to cough which can cause the taker to choke on their own vomit.

There are also risks related to injecting heroin, such as infection, damaging veins, and the spread of viruses.

3. Cocaine

Cocaine accounted for 17.8% of drug-related deaths in 2016.

People who take cocaine usually feel happy, excited, more awake, chatty, and confidence. They might also feel anxious, panicky, and paranoid, and cocaine can make you feel sick and give you diarrhea.

The drug is risky because is raises your blood pressure, which can lead to a fit or a heart attack. It can also make people take risks they wouldn’t usually.

4. Methamphetamine

The official name for crystal meth, methamphetamine is part of the amphetamine family of drugs, meaning it makes you feel ultra alert and exhilarated.

You might also feel paranoid, aggressive, or agitated.

Meth can be swallowed, snorted, smoked, or injected. It has a severe comedown.

The drug increases the heart rate and blood pressure, raising the risk of heart attack, and can also cause strokes, lung damage, kidney damage, coma, and death in the case of an overdose.

There’s evidence that long-term methamphetamine use can cause brain damage. It can also induce psychosis.

5. Alprazolam

Alpraqzolam is a type of benzodiazepine that’s often used to treat anxiety and panic disorders in the U.S. It’s a prescription drug that can genuinely help those struggling, but it can also be abused.

Benzodiazepines are essentially tranquilisers, inducing calmness, relaxation, and sleep.

They’re extremely risky when combined with other depressant drugs such as heroin or alcohol, as the nervous system can become so relaxed you lose consciousness and die.

Addiction to benzos is common, and can cause withdrawal symptoms such as tremors, nausea, vomiting, fits, and depression.

Injecting benzos is extremely dangerous and can be fatal, as the process can collapse veins, leading to deadly infection.

6. Oxycodone

Oxycodone is another opiate that’s used to treat severe pain. It was the deadliest drug back in 2011, but now other opiates have overtaken it.

When prescribed by a doctor in small doses for a short period of time, oxycodone can be safe, but it’s increasingly being abused outside of hospital settings.

7. Methadone

Methadone, also known as physeptone, mixture, and linctus, is a medication that’s used to treat addiction to opiates such as heroin. It helps to relieve withdrawal symptoms and can block the effects of opiates.

It has the same effects of heroin but on a much lower scale, so will be prescribed to those trying to give up heroin. Over time the dose of methadone is reduced, allowing the person to go clean.

The issue arises when people take methadone without supervision from a doctor. Getting hold of methadone illegally can mean you’re buying drugs that have been tampered with or cut with something else, which could cause serious side effects.

Overdose is also possible, and can lead to death.

8. Morphine

Morphine is another opiate used to treat pain. When prescribed by a doctor it can be helpful, but the problem is that it many who are prescribed morphine end up misusing it or developing a dependence on the drug.

When taking morphine outside of a prescription, risks include constipation, itching, nausea, lethargy, dizziness, and suppression of breathing.

Combined with other drugs or taken in too high an amount can cause kidney failure, liver failure, and respiratory arrest.

9. Hydrocodone

Best known as Vicodin, hydrocodone is another opiate used to treat pain.

10. Diazepam

Another type of benzodiazepene, the primary risk of taking diazepam is combining it with other depressive drugs, which can cause coma and death. It’s often known as Valium.

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Let us begin by saying that there is no perfect penis.

Or any perfect body part, for that matter.

Comparing our bits only leads to misery and disappointment. Striving for perfection is fruitless, especially when the perfect vulva, penis, boobs, whatever, doesn’t actually exist.

What’s a better idea: Enjoying our individual beauty. Nice, right?

But that doesn’t stop us from enjoying categorising our appearance.

There’s something strangely comforting about knowing that our body parts fit into a certain type, if only because it proves we’re not the only ones who look the way we do.

We know that there are five types of vulva, five types of bum, and eight types of nipples.

Now we have learned that there are, apparently, seven types of penis.

That’s according to Darren Breen, the managing director of iMEDicare LTD. His company sees around 400 to 600 patients – and thus, penises – a month, so he knows all about the appearance of peen.

He told MailOnline that there are seven main shapes of penis he sees.

The Pencil

Long and thin with uniform girth along the shaft.

The Pepper

Shorter than the average but unusually thick.

The Cone

The Cone gets narrower towards the tip of the penis. This can sometimes be down to phimosis, a tightening of the foreskin, so if you have this type of penis and your foreskin is so tight it can’t be pushed back, chat to your GP.

The Banana

If your penis has a curve to the left or right, you’ve got The Banana.

A natural, slight curve isn’t an issue (and can be a lot of fun sex-wise), but if you notice an extreme curve or one that develops after injury, chat to a GP.

Some curves are down to peyronie’s disease, which is when scar tissue causes the penis to bend. This can lead to erectile dysfunction or pain during sex.

The Hammer

The Hammer starts narrower at the base then has an especially wide head. It’s a bit like a mushroom.

The Sausage

This one’s the most common – it’s of average thickness and length, and remains the same thickness all the way up the shaft.

A standard sausage.

The Cucumber

The same as The Sausage, but with an above average girth, so it’s thick all the way along.

Remember: none of these penises are better than the other. This type of categorisation is just for fun.

If you are insecure about the size and shape of your penis, it’s worth talking to a medical expert. It’s worth noting that the majority of patients who seek surgery for penis enlargement have entirely normal penile length, so a lot of times insecurity is down to cultural expectations and comparisons to porn rather than an actual physical issue.

Your penis is great, whatever its size or shape. Enjoy it.

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There are literally tonnes of Christmas markets in Cologne – so many, in fact, that no one seems to know exactly how many there are when I ask.

While officials in the tourist office told me there are five major markets, the reality is there’s probably over 20 spread throughout this German city, otherwise famous for its towering Gothic cathedral, but let’s face it, I’m here to gawp at their triumphant efforts in Christmas market curation.

The more bartenders, waiters and hotel receptionists I speak to, the more markets I hear about. Some sound historic and traditional, while others are more hipster, with an independent spirit.

‘Forget the main drag, it’s about the alternative market in Ehrenfeld,’ one local I speak to, called Sven, tells me. But I’m keen on judging all the markets for myself, from the cutesy to the downright ginormous.

Like football teams, it becomes apparent that locals each have their own favourite Christmas market. Being a newbie to the city, I started not with others’ recommendations, but with the most famous market, found below the Cologne cathedral.

I met Birgit Grothues from the Cathedral Christmas Market, who told me there are some 70,000 lights on the magnificent central tree and 1,000 decorations.

‘It’s quite a challenge,’ Birgit told me, relieved that the tree looks resplendent for another year.

We drank an early afternoon mulled wine as we strolled past apple strudel sellers, traders of the local Kolsch beer which is unique to Cologne and all manner of handmade crafts, including brightly coloured wooden children’s toys which I’m told herald from former Eastern Germany.

Later, I returned for live musical performances under the tree by moonlight. There were streams of fairy lights above my head, and beyond that, the towering cathedral was sensationally lit.

For 3 Euros I bought a mulled wine, although I paid an extra 2 Euros for the ceramic mug (you can return it for a refund if you like, this is the same at all major markets).

I followed the crowd for two minutes to arrive at Cologne’s biggest Christmas market, known as Alter Markt or the Market of the Gnomes after a cute and popular German folklore tale about gnomes who helped humans out with their busy work schedules.

I was impressed by the phenomenal commitment to the gnome theme at this staggeringly large market. It’d be easy to get lost, in fact. Impressive sights included gnomes riding ski lifts above my head, welcoming me (in statue form) as I arrived, and smiling up at me as I glugged gluhwein from my cute ceramic cup.

The following night, I marched my visiting friends here. They were eager to return, as the gnome market also boasts actual attractions, other than the shopping, eating and drinking.

Here we skated on an unusually shaped, ambitiously-sized ice skating rink with a bridge above it, full of couples taking romantic selfies, and played some sort of traditional German game where we slid weights along ice, while Kolsch flowed from the bar.

‘It’s the depth of products available that is most impressive,’ Rodney Ranz, founder of the Alter Markt, told me. He introduced me to a Polish trader, here for the last decade, who painstakingly crafts wooden ornaments, a man who carves his own knives and some ladies selling traditional German Stollen.

I later heard a loud banging and a crowd appeared. Some traders were working with metal, crafting horseshoes out of red-hot iron in front of a fascinated crowd of all ages.

A few metres away and a brass band played before a group of choir singers took to the stage; a few minutes walk away, a man wearing a hat decorated with elves gently played pop hits on a piano.

There must have been thousands spread throughout the city, at the myriad markets – the crowds were already picking up and this was a Monday night.

Rodney pointed above our heads as we walked and explained that the two giant trees cloaking the market with decorations had been decorated with ornaments designed by disadvantaged children.

I was pleased to hear that proceeds from nearly all of the markets go back into social enterprise schemes, and to local charities and support groups – some of whom are given free strands at the markets to spread their messages to wide audiences.

The other major markets are the Angel’s Market at NeuMarkt, the Stadtgarten Market and the St Nicholas market at Rudolfplatz, which I loved for its cute stalls shaped like mini houses.

Near the Angel’s Market, right over the road, is the Heavenue, an LGBTQ+ market, but some locals I speak to say the queer scene in Cologne find it tacky and unrepresentative.

Whatever your impression, it’s much smaller and hardly anything like as highly decorated as the others I’ve mentioned – there’s only a handful of food and drinks stalls and the performance stage only has programming for a couple of days a week.

Yet, if you’re looking for a safe space, it’s good to know the market exists. That said, Germany is generally an openly tolerant place for queer people anyway.

Catch the train out to the neighbouring hipster district of Ehrenfeld and you’ll come across another worthwhile market.

The Ehrenfeld Christmas market is much smaller but feels friendly and well curated. One lady I speak to sells LGBT+ themed magnets with cute imagery, another sells bricks from a recently destroyed prolific underground nightclub in Cologne and another sells key holders made out of old wine corks.

It’s hosted on the grounds of the stylish Bumann & Sohn bar, where I enjoyed a crisp Reisling (I’d had enough mulled wine by this point and fancied something else relatively local).

How I explored the markets

What I loved most was how exploring the Cologne Christmas markets felt almost like a pub crawl.

Each market has its own distinct type of mulled wine (try the white mulled, it’s killer) so work your way between the markets trying a drink at each one. The central markets are all walkable, you’ll only need to use public transportation to reach Ehrenfeld.

Open from late morning through to 10pm for the bars (around 8pm for the stalls) the markets also suit evening drinks with friends or more family-focussed days out.

The sheer commitment to the themes and decoration, plus the non-commercial feel of the markets and the sheer scope of them, sprawled throughout the city, is an experience unmatched anywhere in the UK.

What else should you see and do in Cologne?

Cologne is a historic city, with an impressive central cathedral. I popped in for 20 minutes after visiting the cathedral market during daytime hours.

Otherwise, there’s a thriving art and design scene in Cologne. Visit the Museum Ludwig a short walk from the cathedral as an entry point, which has everything from Picassos to Warhols and a truly excellent restaurant boasting contemporary German and international cuisine.

Later one night, my friends and I visited the Belgian Quarter for drinks, where – for once – Kolsch is usurped by a taste for experimental cocktails and you’re a short walk from the area’s clubs and later-running nightlife.

Cologne’s contemporary restaurant scene also requires your attention. My pals and I also splashed out on a visit to one of the most popular restaurants in Cologne called Sorgenfrei, run by a cute husband and wife team who own a bottle shop down the road.

The restaurant serves bold and innovative dishes, with playful twists, such as an egg dish served with a hollandaise sauce spin-off served in an actual egg within a cardboard egg tray.

Also unmissable are the traditional German brewhouses, where the region’s Kolsch beer is brewed. Each brewhouse serves the local cuisine (try the pork knuckle, but share between two if not super hungry as portions are mammoth) alongside their own interpretation of Kolsch beer, brewed in-house. Try Malzmühle, where Bill Clinton ate when he came to Cologne in the late Nineties. Nowadays, his face is proudly on the beer mats.

Cologne is also famous for its Chocolate Museum; with its famous chocolate fountain it takes guests through the chocolate making process and (take it from me) smells excellent from beginning to end. You’re in a real chocolate factory, I’ll have you know. There’s also a great adjoining cafe with savory food and sweet treats, direct from the factory.

There’s also another Christmas market, the Harbour Market, outside the museum, by the historic dockyards overlooking the Rhine river, where I supped on a rather fancy gluhwein, mixed with rum and set on fire.

Plan your visit

I stayed at the stylish city centre Hotel Chelsea, which straddles the city’s cool nightlife districts and the queer district. There are cosy, well-designed rooms and an adjoined restaurant where I had a lovely red wine nightcap one night.

When my friends left me for home, I moved to the Lindner Hotel City Plaza, where I had a comfortable room a 15-minute walk from the cathedral.

Cologne’s Christmas markets run from late November until around the 23 December annually. 

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As a society, we tend to talk about sex workers, rather than with or to them.

We rarely do what’s even more important: listen to sex workers about what’s best for them.

A study has been released this week by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Disease showing what many sex workers have been trying their hardest to say for years: that criminalising anyone in the sex work industry – client or worker – makes for increased violence and danger.

Those in countries with criminalisation are three times more likely to experience sexual or physical violence from a client and twice as likely to have HIV or another sexually transmitted infection, compared to those who live in countries where sex work is not illegal.

These are shocking disparities, and it is shocking to think that so much harm is being done.

What is it that we get out of criminalisation? Why is it worth all of this excess violence?

To some, only the chance to express our moral disgust at a practice we don’t want to accept exists. But many argue that moralising should not take precedence over the actual lived experience of vulnerable women.

Release of this study is timely, as a book by sex worker activists Molly Smith and Juno Mac was launched last month. Revolting Prostitutes, published by Verso, outlines the case for full decriminalisation.

Most importantly for many feminist readers who have felt some understandable alarm at the idea of selling female sexuality, the book explains that you don’t have to like the sex work industry to support safe conditions for its workers.

We spoke with Molly Smith to find out a little more about the book and her take on the new study.

‘Juno and I both felt like the debate is sometimes stuck in this weird zone where people think you have to defend the sex industry in order to defend sex worker rights,’ Molly tells Metro.co.uk.

‘We wanted to communicate to other feminist women, in particular, that it’s okay not to like the existence of the sex industry (we don’t!), but “solutions” based on police an criminalisation don’t help people who sell sex – these “solutions” harm us and they harm the most vulnerable people the worst.’

For a long time the sex worker rights movement was categorised as privileged women saying they love what they do – think glossy Secret Diary of A Call Girl era, all red-soled heels and strawberries in a hotel room.

That’s why it’s so important to hear Molly and Juno say that you don’t have to like, enjoy, or support sex work to want it to be as safe as possible.

We have to re-draw the lines in this argument and stop understanding it as a debate between intellectual prudes and sensual sex-crazed high class escorts.

Sex workers are workers, and have as varied a relationship to their work as any other class of worker. Some will like it, sure, and some will hate every minute of it. This is also true of people who work in retail, or any other sector. At the end of the day, how much a worker likes their job isn’t relevant to how safe they should get to be there.

For many government officials and anti-sex work feminists, the ‘Nordic model’, in which the person buying sex is criminalised but the sex worker is not, is a kind of compassionate middle ground. It’s a way to say ‘we oppose sex work but we don’t want to hurt the vulnerable woman’.

But this study shows what sex work activists have been saying for years; the Nordic model is not fit for purpose, not if you truly care about how safe women are. Activists who oppose the Nordic model have been accused of doing so because they sympathise with their clients.

But it’s clear now that it enables a culture of heightened abuse against the women themselves. Decriminalisation is not about preserving the rights of the John, it’s about reducing the number of women beaten, raped and extorted.

How does it endanger the sex worker? Essentially, it’s about being forced into the shadows, at the expense of proper precautions. In this situation, a woman does not have the luxury of speaking with a client at their leisure, ensuring that they feel comfortable, will be paid, and not harmed. They may be forced into making split-second decisions or risk not making any money that night.

Sex workers in Canada, where buying sex was criminalised in 2014, report being hurried into cars by a client eager to avoid being noticed, then being assaulted at knife point.

‘If you understand that people are selling sex in order to get money, it becomes obvious that if policymakers want to reduce prostitution, they need to meet the material needs of sex workers and people who might become sex workers – and you don’t achieve that through policing,’ explains Molly.

‘People have often really soaked up the view that sex workers are abject and abberrant and broken – and not acting rationally; not acting from any relatable need like the need for an income. And that misunderstanding – the way that people lose sight of the obvious fact that people are selling sex in order to get money – is a big part of what drives support for policies that harm sex workers, because we’re seen as so different and chaotic, unable to discern our own best interests – so we supposedly need a police officer to help us with that.’

Many people who act to oppose sex work, whether they are conservative politicians or anti-sex work feminists, see all sex work as an unacceptable act. They approach it as an ideological evil to be erased, rather than a situation to be managed in favour of the best interests of the worker. To them, the collateral damage of this additional violence being meted out is part and parcel of the larger violence which characterises all sex work.

‘In the view of those who advocate for these laws,’ says Molly, ‘It’s doesn’t make sense to say “This law pushes sex workers into ways of working that are less safe”, because it’s all violence to them.

‘Whereas to sex workers, of course, the difference really matters! It really hugely matters to us whether the law forces us to work in ways which make us more vulnerable to violence.’

Regardless of what your moral stance is on sex work, your ideology does not deserve to be privileged over the material, actual safety of these people for no good reason, and this study shows that we are doing just that.

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A warning to all: Now winter’s here, dust mites might be hanging out in your bed, your sofa, your car seats, and even your desk chair.

Winter brings with it a mass of dust mites, as the little bugs multiply more rapidly as the temperature drops.

Dust mites only have a life expectancy between four to six weeks, but within that time each one can lay up top 80 eggs.

When we crank up our heating, dust mites are attracted indoors, where they like to burrow into warm spots.

So, there might be tiny spider-like bugs that feed on human skin in our beds, our sofas, and anywhere else warm and cosy.

Not only is that a generally gross thing to think about, but it could also have consequences for our health.

A chemical in dust mites’ faeces can cause irritation, asthma, eczema, sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes, itching, and even allergic rhinitis, a painful inflammation of the inside of the nose.

So if you keep sneezing, it might not be the office bug – you might have dust mites in your home or workplace, especially if you’ve turned on the heating.

Cool.

Now for the good news: There are steps you can take to rid your home of dust mites and protect yourself from the effects of their poo.

Even better, one step requires zero effort.

Ranjen Gohri, home safety expert from 24|7 Home Rescue, says that leaving your bed un-made could put off dust mites.

‘Dust mites love warmth and humidity, which is why they thrive in winter when homes are heated,’ explains Ranjen.

‘And your bed is a real haven for them. A typical bed might have up to 1.5 million mites living inside it.

‘To survive they take on water from their humid surroundings – ie, your mattress, sheets and duvet.

‘But if you remove that moisture by throwing off your sheets and leaving your bed unmade every morning – exposing your bed to cold air – the mites will simply dehydrate and die.

‘It’s then a case of washing bedding weekly in hot temperatures while frequently dusting and vacuuming, too.’

Don’t make your bed in the morning. Got it.

Other things you can do to battle a mite infestation are to keep the humidity in your home down, vacuum regularly to suck up eggs, and turn off the heating when it’s not needed.

Oh, and chuck out old pillows and wash your bedding regularly.

‘If you are susceptible to allergies, you need to throw away your old pillows, too,’ says Ranjen.

‘If you’ve had a pillow for two or more years – one third of its weight could be down to dust mite droppings.’

Ew.

He adds: ‘Remember that cold temperatures kill mites. If your child is struggling with an allergy, try putting his or her favourite soft toy in the freezer overnight once a week to prevent dust mite exposure.’

Don’t forget other places that are warm and cosy. Dust mites can also infest your office and your car.

‘You might vacuum your house regularly, but chances are your car gets hoovered less often than your living room carpet,’ says Ranjen.

‘That means your vehicle could be a real breeding ground for these allergy-causing critters and you should step-up the cleaning regime if you’re struggling with symptoms.’

Make sure your office is being cleaned regularly, too – especially if you notice you’re feeling itchy and sneezy every time you sit at your desk.

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Photographer Jimmy Nelson has spent decades travelling the world, meeting and photographing the world’s last indigenous people.

His work hopes to document some of humanity’s most remote communities in danger of being lost forever.

‘If we let the cultural identity of the indigenous people disappear now, it will be lost forever,’ says Jimmy.

‘It’s literally a case of blink, and they’re gone.

‘And if this happens, we will lose one of the most valuable assets we have – our rich human cultural diversity and heritage.

‘The depth and wealth of our humanity will shrink. This must not happen.

‘Our collective cultural identity is too valuable to be destroyed by homogenisation.

‘We must unify and fight to support indigenous cultures and take personal pride in the myriad of their cultural traditions that are still to be found on the planet today.’

The Tufi tribe in New Guinea

The Wodaabe tribe in Chad

Tibetans in Tibet

The Scarchop tribe in Bhutan

The Sadhus tribe in India

The Ni tribe in Vanuatu

The Mundari tribe in South Sudan

The Q’ero tribe in Peru

The Muchimba tribe in Angola

The Mir tribe in India

The Marquesas tribe in French Polynesia

The Kazakh tribe in Mongolia

The Huli Tribe in Papua New Guinea

The Iatmul tribe in Papua New Guinea

The Maasai tribe in Tanzania

The Dolgans in Siberia

The Chichimeca tribe in Mexico

Boxing Day is an unusual day in the calendar, when families argue, leftovers are tucked into a new toys are played with, but the name itself is the most unusual thing about it.

Everyone is well aware of Boxing Day, but not so many have stopped to think why it is taken on the slightly odd name.

Why is Boxing Day called Boxing Day and not just St Stephen's Day?

The day is also known as Saint Stephen’s Day, but few people refer to it by its saint’s day title.

The name has nothing to do with the sport of boxing, so what exactly is it all about? We have a look at the theories behind the day’s moniker.

Why is Boxing Day called Boxing Day?

There is no real set answer as to why Boxing Day is so-called, but there are many different theories behind it.

A popular explanation is that boxes to collect money for the poor were placed in churches on Christmas day and opened the next day.

These boxes were opened to honour St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, whose feast day falls on 26 December.

Another theory is that ‘Boxing Day’ got its name due to workers and servants and their relationship with their employers.

It was a day to show compassion and employers would treat their workers to a ‘Christmas Box’.

Workers were allowed time off on Boxing Day to visit their own families with Christmas boxes full of leftover food.

Servants would usually work on Christmas day so this was their day off to celebrate the Christian holiday.

The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give ‘Christmas Boxes’ to their families.

Others suggest Boxing Day is to do with ships, as when setting sail, there would be a sealed box containing money on board for good luck.

Were the trip deemed to be a success, the box was given to a priest and the contents then given to the poor.

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My job is really all about magic. I don’t mean ‘rabbit-out-of-a-hat’ magic – I mean the magic of giving a child a memory he or she will cherish forever.

The key to a magical visit to Santa is to ensure the children are the real stars of the show. You must always be even more excited to see them than they are to see him.

Occasionally, a child may confide in you, or try to test you. I’ve been told by children, ‘We don’t have a chimney!’ and asked, ‘Are you the real Santa?’.

You have to be ready with all the answers and sensitive in how you respond, but in the main it is simply ensuring that you live up to how magical you are in their imaginations.

Shy children are a real challenge. You often see kids who are really excited at the thought of meeting Father Christmas, but then they get overwhelmed by the reality of it.

This is actually quite common. You just have to be sensitive and gauge the situation.

More often than not, when they do warm up and feel comfortable it can make for some of the most rewarding encounters you get.

You must never be lost for words. If a child is nervous, then you have to make if feel as if a conversation is happening – even if it is a little one-sided!

Always be on your toes – and that is one of the most wonderful things about it.

I get asked which is my favourite reindeer fairly regularly – and my response is always that I love them equally, please don’t make me choose!

Of course Rudolph is the most famous, but people mustn’t forget that there are eight others too. As Santa, you have to be able to name all of them quick as you like (Donner, Dasher, Cupid, Vixen, Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Blitzen…and Rudolph)

It’s always fun when people ask for funny things.

A little boy asked me for bacon the other day! And I did once receive a visit from a grown man dressed as a chicken.

He entered the grotto and said ‘Welcome to Flapland.’ You get all sorts in this job!

Christmas has always been my favourite time of year.

I remember as a child being truly excited at the thought of Santa coming to deliver my presents on Christmas Eve, and now I get to share the same excitement with all the kids that come to visit Camden Market Grotto.

Being an actor who loves Christmas, when I heard about the Ministry of Fun’s Santa School – the only genuine training school for Santas in the UK – it seemed the perfect fit.

My first experience of being Santa was a decade ago and I still get a real thrill from donning the red suit.

There’s a real community of us Santas who have graduated from the Santa School. They’re all kind, jolly and lovable fellows.

When we all get together, it’s quite loud! We take our responsibility to bring magic to the children of the world very seriously.

There is no place for whinging or moaning when you’re Santa.

The work does tend to dry up somewhat after Boxing Day; the great man needs a rest at some point!

That said, I have been known to take on some bookings in the summer months. My earliest booking this year was in June.

Forget Lear, this is the greatest acting role; what could possibly be more rewarding and fun than spreading magic for the children of the world?

You get to wear a great costume, work in the most wonderful surroundings and spend day after day making children smile. What could be better than that?

This year, Doug has been able to unwind at the end of a long day in the Grotto at the Cockburn’s Private Members’ Club for working Santas, where bonafide Father Christmases can unwind and indulge in a free glass of Special Reserve Port.

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Gingerbread houses might be perfect for that festive Instagram snap but they aren’t always easy to put together.

Imagine trying to construct one made of over 1000 pieces though.

This 50kg gingerbread model of Heathrow airport was unveiled to get passengers in a festive mood when they travel this Christmas.

Created by Great British Bake Off 2016 winner Candice Brown and food artist Michele Wibowo, the construction features edible runaways and planes.

It took over 200 hours and was made with more than 20kg of flour, 30kg of sugar, 20kg of butter and thousands of detailed decorations.

Candice Brown, Great British Bake Off Winner 2016 said: ‘There is something very special about the smell of gingerbread at Christmas.

‘Gingerbread is a classic recipe that is consistently popular across Europe and making a gingerbread house is a tradition I love to share and keep going.

‘I’m excited to see traveller reactions to this spectacular gingerbread creation.’

Michelle Wibowo, food artist said: ‘Heathrow approached me to bake and build my own interpretation of Europe’s largest airport and it was a pleasure to create such an ambitious structure.

‘The construction alone took me over 200 hours and the end result looks, and smells, truly spectacular.’

Ross Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Heathrow, added: ‘Gingerbread is a real festive favourite.

‘We are expecting 1m passengers in the week leading up to Christmas alone, and hope our gingerbread airport will give them a memorable moment on their journey to loved ones.

‘We hope it spreads a bit of festive joy to our passengers.’

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Alice Holman has more than 500 Littlest Pet Shop dolls and another 100 My Little Ponies and obsessed young fans of the toys watch her play with them on YouTube in their millions.

After launching her channel while working as a barista at a play centre five years ago, the channel boomed and Alice was able give up her job just a year later when aged just 20.

Now 22, Alice rents a flat in North London, with her boyfriend and lives off the profits of her channel, which has racked up more than 230,000 subscribers and almost 60million views.

Alice said: ‘Being able to turn a hobby into a job is a dream for most of us and I feel so blessed to have achieved that by the time I was 20.

‘My first job was a minimum wage barista in a play centre. After a year of working there my channel snowballed and I was able to focus on it full time.

‘I didn’t attend university due to money, I wouldn’t want to get stuck in any debt issues down the line.

‘I didn’t feel like university was for me, being a creative subject person most of my skills can be self tough or through smaller classes.

‘I created my channel to practise my skills and have an outlet for my film making.

‘I was always too shy to work with others or pay physical actors so I created my actors using plastic animal toys. I was also interested in voice acting at the time so I got to do both.

‘I honestly wouldn’t have thought I could have been successful filming with plastic animals but here I am now.’

Filmed in the style of TV sitcoms, Alice spends anything from an hour to a few days dreaming up the scripts for her shows.

A portion of her giant collection sits in a glass cabinet by Alice’s bed in the London flat she shares with her boyfriend, while the rest is back at her parents’ house in East Sussex.

Alice said: ‘My boyfriend is supportive of me and sees my job as any normal job because it is. He’s happy that I have something I’m passionate about.

‘My family are not bothered by it at all, to them it is just my job. They are not envious but rather supportive instead.’

Alice has splashed around £1,000 on her collection and, while there are plenty across the globe, she is one of only three Littlest Pet Shop/My Little Pony YouTubers in the UK.

Alice said: ‘I have spent around over £1,000 during my five years of collecting littlest pet shop toys.

‘They were discontinued by Hasbro so they’re worth more now days. I usually purchase them in bundles to save costs and sell off any doubles.

‘The most I’ve spent on a single per is £66 but It was a good deal since shes worth about £90 normally.

‘There are more expensive pets worth £200-300 but I don’t think ill buy them unless I can find a good bargain.

‘These toys were only produced from 2006 to 2011 so they can be pretty hard to find and are expensive on eBay.

‘The most expensive is the ‘Comic Con Cat’ – there are often fake versions made in China to scam people.’

Despite her success, Alice still has more plans for growth with her channel and hopes to meet you fans more in future.

Alice said: ‘In the future I would love to travel more and meet my viewers and thank them in person.

‘As for my channel I would love to branch off and have other projects on the side revolving around travel and lifestyle.

‘Of course I notice fans that comment on my videos and the wonderful fan art.

‘I also used to have a PO box where they could mail in art and letter for ‘Fan Mail Time’ videos. I had to close that unfortunately because I moved but it was lovely whilst it lasted.

‘I recently visited ‘UK Pony Con’ In Nottingham. It was my first time travelling up north so I was very nervous.

‘Myself and two fellow Toy YouTubers filled the room with children and parents when we hosted a Q&A panel.

‘We weren’t expecting it but it was such an amazing experience.

‘It was so nice putting faces to usernames and they even asked for our signatures. It took us all but a bit of a surprise but was a wonderful weekend.

‘As most of my audience are minors I like to keep a little distance but I am super grateful and see myself as more of a role model for the younger viewers.’

Follow her YouTube channel AliceLPS and find her on Instagram @AliceLPSTV.

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Pigs in blankets are one of the best bits of Christmas.

This year, we’ve seen everything from giant pigs to flavoured tea but one ice cream parlour has taken the trend ever further.

Fabio’s Gelato has added the sausages wrapped in bacon to their ice cream.

Owners Fabio, 34, and wife Hannah Vicenti, 33 have been running the business for four years and have already made over 400 unique flavours so far.

The couple say the pigs in blankets recipe, which includes sausage, bacon, vanilla ice cream and maple syrup, was originally inspired by their Christmas Brussels Sprouts recipe.

Fabio, from Hitchen, Herts., said: ‘The pigs in blankets recipe tastes like a breakfast.

‘You get sweet from the ice cream and then get a smokey taste from the bacon and then you get the sweet again from the syrup taste.

‘It’s like when you get Bacon and maple syrup on pancakes but it is just colder.’

Other Christmas recipes include mince pie, ginger bread, and chocolate orange.

He adds: ‘People are so intrigued by the mince pie one, even people who don’t like mince pies like the ice cream flavour because it isn’t dry’.

The ice cream parlour, in Hitchen, Herts., has managed to create a reputation for not being your ‘regular’ ice cream parlour.

The parlour has previously offered guests ice cream in flavours of McDonald’s Big Mac meal, Chocolate and Marmite, Guinness, Kopparberg cider and blue cheese.

Fabio said: ‘We like to cause a reaction – and we do try and make them taste nice and make it edible.

‘It pushes your brain into another area where you think it is going to taste not very nice but it surprises you.

‘Like we made a chocolate and Marmite flavour and we have had to bring that back by popular demand because people just loved it so much.

‘The wacky flavours come and go very quickly here – they are limited edition but if there is demand for it, we can bring it back.

‘We have so many recipes, our goal from day one was to offer 20 different flavours at one time’.

One scoop of the ice cream will cost customers £2.70 but Fabio says guests have a chance to taste the recipe before they buy.

Fabio adds: ‘We didn’t want to just be a regular ice cream place that offers just six flavours because we knew people would get bored.’

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Christmas is just days away and we’re excited.

The tree is up, your shopping is almost done and your diet is about 70% mince pies.

But if you want to get really festive, don’t forget your pet – now is the perfect time to dress them up in your favourite Christmas attire.

And if you need some inspiration Photobox has unveiled images of the most adorable and hilarious pets celebrating the festive season.

Pet owners were encouraged by Photobox to share their festive fish tank, Christmas canines and merry moggies to be in with the chance of their furry friend being crowned

The images included Indigo, a dalmatian dressed to the nines in tinsel and festive spectacles; Neil the rabbit wearing his best Santa hat and Oliver, a cheeky Christmas elf.

The winning image was of Mikey-Geoff, a tortoise donning a knitted shell-cosy in the shape of a Santa hat.

Rory Scott, Head of PR and Communications at Photobox, comments: ‘We know the nation loves its pets and many of us have an affinity with dressing them up in clothing to take photographs.

‘Our Pawsome gallery captures just that.

From rabbits and tortoises in Santa hats, cats hiding in Christmas trees and horses wrapped in tinsel – we received lots of adorable entries showing how the nation and its pets get into the festive spirit.’

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This is the moment a woman proposed to her partner in a plastic supermarket tunnel that has become a leading tourist ‘attraction’ after a social media campaign.

The thoroughfare was originally put up near a Sainsbury’s to keep shoppers dry as they walked to and from their car.

But it became an unlikely hit and quickly rose to become the Cornwall’s top rated attraction on TripAdvisor.

Recently, it was given a festive makeover with 10,000 twinkling lights – and now one woman decided it was the perfect place to propose to her partner.

Celina Stone popped the question to her girlfriend, Jade Euden, both 21, in the festive tunnel – and arranged for a photographer to capture the magical moment.

She described the tunnel as ‘such a cool place to propose’, adding that she was considering her proposal for some time before the tunnel got its festive makeover.

She said: ‘At first she asked what I was doing, and then I showed her the ring, and her face lit up and she couldn’t believe it.

‘I asked her if it was a yes and she nodded – I think she was still a bit shocked.

‘And then everyone surrounding us started clapping after I put the ring on her finger and gave her a hug.’

The pair, from Launceston, Cornwall, have been in a relationship for about 18 months.

Bude’s tunnel, a 70m (230ft) structure, rose to fame after it racked up hundreds of comments on TripAdvisor with the majority rating it ‘excellent’.

People have travelled from all over the country to have their pictures taken in the walkway, and some even compared it to the Sistine Chapel and the ruins of Pompeii.

Earlier this month the tunnel was given a festive makeover with nearly 30,000 pixels of light and more than 6.5 miles of cabling – making it one of the longest light tunnels in Europe.

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A man obsessed with the 1930s has given his home a retro Christmas makeover from the bygone era but stays well clear of tinsel – because it’s too modern.

Aaron Whiteside, 36, has decked out his modest three-bed semi with early mercury glass baubles, ceiling garlands and even Humpty Dumpyy concertina lanterns.

The enthusiast – who has painstakingly transformed his house into a pre-war era home – says the decorations are reflective of what was popular from 1930s, 40s and 50s.

The romantic collection of nostalgic decorations reveal there wasn’t a beard bauble in sight as people from years gone by celebrated the festive season.

Aaron has spent around £50 on the decorations which have mostly been donated including fold-out paper ceiling garlands previously belonging to a landlady at a pub.

His yuletide trinkets – which include Chinese lantern bulbs, icicle bulbs and Father Christmas bulbs – are stored in two boxes that are kept in the loft until the season starts.

When it begins, he spends a whole week decorating the downstairs of his house in Blackpool, Lancs., from top to bottom.

He said: ‘I’ve just collected them through the years, several people have given me some decorations they didn’t want anymore.

‘The other lanterns in the backroom are really early ones, they have got Humpy Dumpy and the Cat And The Fiddle on.

‘As you can imagine, these were put up for Christmas in the pub, the guy who gave me them cannot remember a time when they were never up.

‘I’ve got a Christmas tree and it has original baubles on it. I think they were called mercury glass baubles. The lights, because of safety, are a reproduction common light bulb but not LEDs.’

Aaron explained he is not a fan of tinsel and thinks all the old decorations are much more effective than modern day baubles and trinkets.

Aaron said: ‘When you have the fire going all the different colours shoot on to the ceiling and it looks stunning. They are a lot more romantic I would say.

‘I’m definitely not a fan of tinsel.

‘The 1950s Chinese lanterns hang down from the picture rail. They were donated to me by a friend.

‘It takes me about half a day to fold them all back up again, but luckily they have got string in them which pulls them back together.

‘They all get packed up and go in the loft in cardboard boxes with bubble wrap until the next year.’

Aaron has dreamed of living in a bygone era home complete with authentic gadgets and furniture from the era ever since he was a five-year-old boy.

He is the proud owner of a modest three-bedroom semi – built in 1937 – looks like the rest of the suburban street from the outside but is a time capsule inside.

Everything inside is reminiscent of 1930s, including the rare wallpaper, coal fires and electric cooker which was one of the first of its kind.

Aaron recalls browsing junk shops aged five, picking up an old radiogram, hoover, mincers and gas lamps during trips with his grandmother’s sister.

He bought his current home for £87,000 in 2007 after it had stood empty for nearly a decade.

The enthusiast has worked tirelessly to transform the house – installing German wallpaper which was buried in a time capsule in the 1930s and cost Aaron £100 a roll.

He sleeps in a vintage bed, has a GEC cooker, doesn’t own a television or fridge and still uses a laundry mangle.

Not content with just looking like it’s in the 1930s, the house also runs like a pre-war one would have, heated by four coal fires and without double glazing windows.

Aaron, who has no children, loves 1930s vocalists including Judy Garland, Jessie Matthews and Billie Holiday and even watches silent films.

When at home, he wears vintage clothes, sports a slick back undercut hairstyle and bearded finish and eats a 1930s diet – including cooking foods in beef dripping.

Aaron’s labour of love has spilled out into different decades in certain aspects of his life.

He drives a black Oxford Morris 1952, parts of the kitchen borders on the 1950s in terms of the red and cream finish.

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These puzzles take a little while to get your head around.

Although the pieces fit together perfectly, they are actually two separate pictures pieced together.

Artist Tim Klein, from Vancouver, Washington, U.S. discovered that sometimes manufacturers use the same die-cut pattern for different puzzles, making the pieces interchangeable.

He explained: ‘ I sometimes find that I can combine portions from two or more puzzles from the same publisher, to make a surreal picture that the publisher never imagined.

‘I take great pleasure in “discovering” such bizarre images lying latent, sometimes for decades, within the cardboard boxes of ordinary mass-produced puzzles.

‘As I shift the pieces back and forth, trying different combinations, I feel like an archaeologist reconstructing some curious, shattered artifact.’

Over the years, he’s combined all sorts of images to create the surreal artworks, which he then offers for sale.

King of the Road

Tim explains: ‘ This is constructed from two puzzles published in the 1970s.

‘Since the French word for truck is camion, this montage’s title en français is Toutancamion.’

Iron Horse

The Mercy-Go-Round (Sunshine and Shadow)

‘I made this montage by combining a puzzle showing a church with a puzzle showing a carnival ride,’ Tim explained.

‘I’ve been a bit surprised at the wide range of reactions it gets.

‘Some people find it humorous, others find it affirming or joyful, and others see it as blasphemous or insulting.’

Surrogate

Tim said this piece is made from the pieces of two small “greeting card’ puzzles from the 1980s.

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There’s only one thing cuter than a sausage dog – a sausage dog in a Christmas outfit.

And if you were in Hyde Park today, you might have seen an incredible 500 festive Dachshunds.

If you weren’t lucky enough to spot them, don’t worry, we have the best Christmas canine outfits.

The event is the latest in a series of monthly sausage dog walks.

Organiser Ana Rodriguez, 30, said: ‘We have a Christmas special or a Halloween special.

‘This one, we expect, is going to be the biggest.

‘It is a growing group.’

She added: ‘It is a good way to socialise the dogs with the same breed and to meet more dog owners.

‘They love to play with their own breed and I think it is really good for them.’

Thomas Brand, 32, who brought his dog Teddy, said: ‘We love how many people are here. Everyone seems really happy and Teddy really loves it.’

Let’s take a look at the best outfits.

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We all know we need to cut down on the amount of plastic we use but brands don’t always make it easy.

Just opening your makeup bag, you find everything in plastic packaging that you just have to throw away when it’s done.

Well, now Lush have a solution.

It is selling lipstick, kept fresh with a peelable wax seal, that you can insert into old lipstick packaging when it’s finished

The latest in the Lush makeup range which aims to reduce the packaging on your cosmetics, the range comes in 40 brand new shades.

All the lipsticks are completely vegan and the brand promised that there will be even more shades coming soon.

And if you don’t have an empty case, don’t worry. All the shades are also available in a case, which you can refill again and again.

The refills cost £8.50 each and the lipsticks in recycled packaging will be sold £13.50.

The makeup is available from their London Oxford Street and Birmingham stores, as well as online.

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For thousands of students across the UK, December is filled with nothing but deadlines and exams.

But for one group of graduates, it’s finally time to put everything they’ve learnt to the test.

The Ministry of Fun Santa School class of 2018 have been trained to perfection, learning everything from the perfect ho ho ho to what to do when a child shouts ‘That’s not my dad’.

For almost 20 years, school headmaster James Lovell has been finding and training Santa impersonators.

The idea started in 1996 when James was working as an elf at a department store.

‘That was before there was the internet to book time in advance. People just came and queued up,’ he tells Metro.co.uk.

‘There was a sign at the end that said “You have two hours to wait” and it was my job to make that time fly by.

‘By the time some of them got to the front of the queue, they were feeling more magical than ever. I decided there was something in using what I had picked up to make sure every child has a lovely experience.’

In 1999, the first school was launched.

James and his team start auditioning Santas from January, kitting them out and then training them with a day long workshop.

Companies then come to the Ministry of Fun to hire one of their expertly trained Father Christmases.

James explains: ‘When you are wearing the red and white suit of Father Christmas, you need to look amazing and you have a huge responsibility that any child coming to see you believes they are seeing the real Father Christmas. A terrible Father Christmas can ruin a childhood.

‘We try to stop the dodgy Santas. There are some pretty shoddy ones out there. I saw someone last year wearing a pair of trainers with a beard practically hanging around his waist, smoking a cigarette.

‘Of course, we always stress that the real Santa does exist but we train people for those rare occasions where he can’t be two places at once.’

Most of their Santas are professional actors who take on the role for the festive period but this is a very different type of performance.

James adds: ‘It’s an audience that is literally a foot and a half away from you. You are never under such scrutiny normally. Confidence is everything. You have to know what you are saying.

‘The first thing is when the child walks in and you say “Hello, what’s your name?” You’re Father Christmas. You should know their name. They wrote you a letter. You might need reminding by your elf but you always know the name of every child.

‘The second worse question you can ask is “What do you want for Christmas?” There are clever ways we teach of getting around that. You don’t want the child to think Father Christmas has forgotten about them.

‘You can joke and say “I know what was at the top of your list. A jar of pickled onions!” and they usually laugh and say no and you can keep teasing until they tell you.

‘You should never promise a child something but say “We can see what we’ll do but whatever it is, it will come with all the love in the world”.

‘When you get to the end of the conversation, you never want the child to think they are being thrown out of your grotto and you are going to see someone else now. You want the child to feel like the most important child in the world. You tell them something such as you are going to feed the reindeer.’

The day involves sessions on the perfect ho ho ho (let the noise fill your body, in case you are wondering), learning all nine reindeer names and perfecting the outfits, which are owned by the Ministry of Fun and cost up to £2000 for each Santa.

But the most important aspect is knowing what to say when children ask difficult questions so James and his team of elf try to role play as many scenarios as possible.

James says: ‘On average, you have three minutes with each child. Sometimes it’s up to 10 and sometimes it’s down to one and a half. You need to fill that with as much magic as possible.

‘You’ll get nice children, a naughty children who never stop talking or a shy children, which can be a bit like a monologue but you still have to make it magical.

‘That’s why the role play we do is really important and we have elves pretending to be children, asking all the difficult questions.

‘You might be told they don’t have a real chimney so Santa has a magic key at the ready. You could be asked if you are the real Santa. You have to always be ready with something to talk about.

‘Never assume that the grown ups that have come with the child are their mum and dad. I was once met with a “That’s not my dad” when I said that very early on in my career.

‘There are sad questions too like “I want mummy to come home” or “I want to get better” or “I want my little brother to get better”. You need to be ready to register what is being said, share sympathy but also remain positive and happy because that’s Father Christmas’s job.

‘You would say something like “I am sorry you’re having a hard time but listen, I am Father Christmas and I am going to make sure you have the best Christmas ever.”’

So if you want a change of career and you think you’ve got what it takes, they are always happy to hear from new performers.

‘We give everyone a fair shot but you can tell pretty quickly if someone will make a good Santa. We usually say men over 35 are better as they have a bit more stature. Most importantly, you need to look like Father Christmas,’ James adds.

And if you aren’t quite suited for Father Christmas, there’s an elf school too.

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Last week I was asked by my supervisor at work whether I’d be putting my name down for secret Santa.

I politely declined the offer. It wasn’t exactly an expensive secret Santa – in fact it was only a fiver.

But I thought, ‘No. Christmas is already pressured enough. Why should I have to spend money on my colleagues too?’

I can already hear your thoughts. ‘Wow, what a stingy b***h. It’s only a fiver.’

‘You’re such a Scrooge, lighten up’ – these were some of my sister’s delightful phrases.

But recently my opinion on presents at Christmas has taken a turn. Firstly, I’ll point out it’s not because I don’t like Christmas, as I actually love Christmas.

In my view, Christmas is the period of unrealistic expectation. It’s supposedly meant to be the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ and ‘the hap-happiest season of all’, but for many it equates to stress and debt.

And I’m sorry (not sorry), but presents are largely to blame.

Last year National Debtline revealed nearly one in seven Britons (14%) worried about money every day in the run up to Christmas. Presents and turkey dinners topple many people into debt.

Now let’s re-think that again logically.

You buy presents for friends and family for one day out of 365 days of the year and it’s probably not even their birthday.

They are appreciated for that one day and are then pushed out of sight and mind … Why are people putting themselves into debt for that? Seriously, it’s not worth it!

I’m not saying if you buy presents you’re a materialistic monster in any way shape or form.

The effort, stress and money involved in finding the ‘perfect’ Christmas gift, and achieving the ‘perfect’ Christmas, are usually long term efforts but the outcomes are always short-lived.

Currently I haven’t bought a single present and I’ve told everyone I don’t want any myself. If I do crumble and give into societal expectations I’ll only be buying one very small present each, but I’d really rather not.

When I was younger, primary school friends would come into class and boast about how many presents they’d got: 50, 100, even 200 (alright, you liar).

Then there are those who didn’t even get a quarter of that and are scared to speak up about the reality of their Christmas.

Or, they lie, fall into the trap and start chanting along with the other kids. I know because I was one of the chanters.

That is not the kids’ fault. Many claim it’s the parents’ fault but arguably even they are just trying to live up to society’s overblown expectations that if you buy lots of presents, decorate the tree just so and cook a three-course turkey dinner then you’re guaranteed to have the perfect Christmas.

It was while talking with a Pagan that I changed my whole perspective on presents and Christmas.

She spoke about the ‘wheel of the year’ – the seasonal celebrations they follow – with ‘Yule’ being the celebration in December.

At this time Pagans believe we should all be shutting down and hibernating for the winter. Instead, we do the total opposite: we work long hours and give ourselves unnecessary stress.

Christmas should be a time to take things easy after working throughout the year, where we come together and enjoy spending quality time with one another instead.

I’m not saying if you buy presents you’re a materialistic monster in any way shape or form.

My sister will happily admit presents are her favourite thing about Christmas and that’s absolutely ok. Who doesn’t like receiving presents?

My point is that you shouldn’t feel like you have to give them. Society makes you think you have to, shops make you think you have to, but you don’t. More importantly you shouldn’t be judged by others for your choice.

It’s like when the Grinch steals all the presents from Whoville. The town’s Christmas isn’t ruined – instead they all stand around the Christmas tree singing, content with one another, and even The Grinch realises Christmas doesn’t ‘come from a store’.

If we put less pressure on buying presents we’d realise we already have the most important gifts in life: family, friends and love.

If I had a choice between spending time with my family, or simply having presents at Christmas, I know which one I’d choose, and that hardly makes me Scrooge.

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Jen Barclay loves dropping by to see her grandad.

And she was so touched by his reaction every time she knocked on the door, she started recording what he said.

Jen, from Scotland, published the complication of reactions on her Twitter page and everyone loved it.

The short clip shows how 87-year-old Robert greeted his granddaughter on 17 separate occasions when she arrived at his house in Methil, Fife.

People on Twitter loved his pet name for her ‘Honeybun’ and how he joked that she needed a password to enter.

Jen was inundated with messages about how cute their relationship was and from people sharing stories of their own grandparents.

Robert was such a hit, Jen has decided to set up his own Instagram page to tell everyone about ‘the greatest man ever’.

We can’t wait to see more of their adventures

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