Tuesday 23rd December: IC in place of Michael Gillon who has to go to a funeral. The route is my estate and there as loads of children as well as the usual party at the top of Lonsdale. We stop here for a load of Santa visits, as well as wine and mince pies.

We run out of time and have to miss out Harrington, Noel and the bottom of Braunston Road, but we do finish at 18 Glebe Way with more mulled wine and mince pies courtesy of Lorna.

My main impression this year is the number of "friends" that have come out to help get Santa round his routes. Some are potential members, others just keen to help us where they can.

Bart Taylor-Harris, Ian Canadine, David Couldwell, Keith Humphrey, Bob Wallace, Tim & Maggie Ellwood-Wade, Graham Charity, Adrian Rawlings, Anna Constable, and on Christmas Eve, a couple of friends of David Thompson's, sons of Mike Cropper and Paul Mills.