This is a very different Christmas for us. The Tunis house is in the process of being packed up and put into boxes large and small for dispatch across the seas. We don’t have a tree, decorations, a big Christmas dinner with family and friends to entertain. In some ways, it’s not much like Christmas – except that it is.

We have a few presents. Instead of a Christmas tree there’s a Christmas brass tagine (it’s roughly the same shape! and we are, after all, in the Maghreb) and there are red and green candles.

And a tandoori turkey leg is marinating, ready to go into the oven when it’s time to take a break from packing.

Merry Christmas