Two enormous wrought iron gates guarded the two entrances to the White House. I pushed open the one to the right of the gravel drive and made my way to the front door.

Once inside I made my way to the drawing room, where I found my Uncle P. I noticed that the wallpaper had been replaced specially for Christmas. Would we keep the green and red themed paper up all year, I wondered? I asked where everyone else was. Cousins R and A were on their way. My sister J was in the kitchen.

At the back of the house J was struggling to cook Christmas lunch for twenty in the most primitive and cramped conditions.