I really do love the putting up and decorating of the tree, the time and interactions spent with loved ones while doing so, followed by the feasts of Christmas delicacies and getting caught up in the reverie of Christmases past.
 

There is one snowy and romantic Christmas in recent memory that stands out. (My husband) Adrian and I were stranded with many others at the Milan Central Train Station a couple of winters back, when scheduled trains were delayed as a freak cold snap had frozen the tracks. Despite the chaos and uncertainty, it was just wonderful how we managed to keep our spirits up – with eggnog and hastily assembled sandwiches.
 
 

When we finally reached Venice, against the fading light in one of the most romantic cities in the world, fresh snowflakes began to fall! We subsequently went for dinner at a rustic neighbourhood joint and had one of our most memorable evenings together as we reflected and reminisced late into the night.
 
 

A Christmas ornament that best represents me would be a snowflake, because every snowflake is one-of-a-kind and beautiful in its own way, yet never solitary in nature. It is rare to catch sight of all facets of a snowflake at once, and while it is cool to touch, it also melts rather easily.

All I want for Christmas is happiness and good health for my family and friends. It may sound clichéd, but 2012 has been eventful and I hope that we can not only count our blessings of another year gone by, but also cherish each day as it comes, and the people around us.