Merry Christmas, one and all

Having a good day? I'm not sure whether it's still Christmas Day in New Zealand, but Emma texted to say she'd just done a 15,000 ft. skydive. I'm having a more relaxed day - I've gone back to bed after a fine breakfast and a frenzy of present opening. Rather sadly, I've even read a student's draft essay…

Presents: my New Zealand sister sent me some good lefty polemical journalism (Pilger et al.), and I also received Mary Berry's Baking Bible and a collection of World War 2 propaganda cartoons from my brother and his wife ('he has a wife, you know'). Waiting for me was a parcel from America containing the XKCD book too - wonderful nerd humour. Socks, photo frames, a new dressing gown and other goodies feature heavily too, as do the Morph bookends from my sister Maura. Wonderfully, mother has arranged a subscription to the London Review of Books too. It's more than just book reviews - politics, culture and the strangest lonely hearts column in the world. Maybe I'll send in an entry.

As to presents given: mother like the idea of her two rare variety apple trees (to be delivered when the ground's a bit softer). Dad appreciated a 30 yr old sherry and a fine dessert wine, and I believe the others were pleased with what I gave them. Except for one sister, who now has three copies of the same Wii game… I'll get her something else. She did like the 'Racing Grannies' wind-up toys though. Not sure my grandmothers will!

Oh yes, almost forgot - there's meant to be some kind of spiritual/religious element to this orgy of consumerism. I attended Midnight Mass last night. No, I haven't returned to the fold, but I do appreciate avoiding the arguments which would inevitably follow if I refused. There was some good music, and the priest managed not to say anything reactionary about Palestine. This year.

Festive gifts

Thanks to all the friends who've showered me in gifts. Laura gave me a Marmite teapot, but unfortunately, it was cracked - I'll get a replacement soon. It's very cool.

(Overseas readers: Marmite is a wonderful delicacy. Import some today). Don't listen to the naysayers who'll inevitably pop up in the comments section. They probably read the Daily Mail.

Thanks to Polly also. I have a bit of a confession on that score. She gave me a Build Your Own Gingerbread House kit. Slabs of gingerbread, icing mix, stick-on biscuits and all sorts of things. I didn't build it. I sat at my desk, guzzling gingerbread like Homer in The Land of Chocolate. It was a low point, and I'm sorry.

Help! Inspiration lacking!

My third sister gets married next week. I hate wedding presents, they're all utterly unimaginative. I don't want to mark one of the greatest days in someone's life by giving them a toaster. What do you suggest? She's cool in a Belle and Sebastian way, and he's just finished a PhD in theoretical geometry mathematics or something like that, and they're in their mid-twenties.