Unfortunately, in moving around various pieces of furniture to create some space for the tree I uncovered a mound of dust.

The housework fairy has clearly not been as diligent in carrying out her duties as she might have been.

So what should have been a simple hour's job to get the tree out of the loft and fully decorated turned into a day-long spring clean. But at least we are now spick and span for the visitors that may descend on us over the holiday.

Festooning the house seemed an easier task this year because I have not gone quite as crazy with the baubles as in previous years. Now the boys are older, they don't seem to want as much fuss so we have stuck with just the tree and a garland across the beam above the inglenook.

We went through our usual ritual of putting on some Christmassy music and making sure that certain items went on the tree in the right order.

While I have ditched the tartan bows and gone instead for some attractive glass balls and cones, there are still old favourites, such as the teddy bear and little wooden rocking horses, soldiers and clowns that were presents when the boys were small and which each have their allotted branches on the tree.

With the inside decorations sorted out, we turned out attention to the outside lights and once again our gallant neighbour scaled his ladder to put up our white icicles along the roof edge.

Without him, we probably wouldn't have outside lights at all as my husband is allergic to ladders since he fell off one several years ago.

Our understated outside decorations have always been a source of disappointment for our youngest who would dearly love a giant-sized penguin or Homer Simpson Father Christmas in the front garden – the height of cool as far as he is concerned.

While I am more than happy to be amazed by the displays outside other people's houses, I think one string of icicle lights is quite enough for the Redgrave mansion as one not only has to maintain a sense of proportion about Christmas but also keep a watchful eye on the electricity bills.