Now that winter has officially set in (my dad's had his birthday - the 12th - and I can't ever remember there being anything remotely summery after that), and the rains have come, I can settle into my cosy house and get well and truly autumnal. The central heating has been set on its slightly faulty timer (as we're going to discover should Stevie or I have to get up at different times of the morning in the months to come), and I'm even contemplating putting the double glazing panes back on the sitting room windows. The problem with this is that it involves cleaning them as well, and can I be arsed?

However, this year's been a bit unusual so far. Usually, as September draws to a close I start experiencing an intangible yet powerful sense of change. It's very closely linked with the feeling I get when nostalgia is around me, so I think it's something to do with my childhood, and autumn representing the time I was most aware of my life and surroundings. Or something, it sounds poncey I know, but it's a profound sensation for me, and its positive vibe (man) is one of the few plus things about the year's descent to a cold, wet miserable end. And this year it hasn't really happened.

On the other side of the coin, suddenly everything seems Christmassy! I've already decided that it's my job to motivate my family this December into actually doing things around the festive period. Largely due to frail, ill old people, the last few Christmases have been sombre, underwhelming affairs, and as neither I nor my brother have children yet, it's going to be a while before the glow of toddler-influenced joy makes a yuletide visit to Southfields.

So, I need hints as to what I can try and organise for friends and family over the coming couple of months. Lots of festive cheer and the like. I like Christmas. It's for life, you know.