THE pressure is definitely on this year. We've got most of the family over for Christmas Day and, being the modern man that I am, I'll be doing the cooking. No big deal there, I hear you cry...

THE pressure is definitely on this year. We've got most of the family over for Christmas Day and, being the modern man that I am, I'll be doing the cooking. No big deal there, I hear you cry. Why should the lady of the house be forced to slave over a hot stove on Christmas morning while the men sit and play with all the new toys they've wrestled from the children? Under normal circumstances I would agree, but this time I'm worried, very worried, for several reasons: a) my in-laws are great cooks and put on amazing Christmas spreads - I know because we normally devour them; b) my wife is expecting our first baby in January so she's not going to have the energy to rescue me when it all goes wrong and c) I'm an absolutely useless cook. Any tips or advice for the big day would be gratefully received. Please click here and post your ideas on the Sussex Life forum.On a less desperate note, it's been an exciting few weeks for everyone here at Sussex Life as we put together this special Christmas issue. The beauty of working on a monthly publication is that you get to extend Christmas. We began working on it way back in October, before Halloween or Bonfire night and probably even before Woolies or WH Smiths began stacking the shelves with Santa hats. There's plenty inside to help make sure your Christmas goes brilliantly, whether it's festive recipes (must look over page 217 again), last minute gift ideas (page 113) winter walks across the county (page 60) and there's a great guide to how your town is celebrating the season beginning on page 108.There's something quite special about a Christmas Carol concert and Sussex is blessed with some of the finest. Philip Franks, best known for getting to kiss Catherine Zeta Jones in The Darling Buds of May, is directing Chichester's concerts this year and Ashley Bird spoke to him during the preparations. Ashley also caught up with choirmaster Alan Thurlow, Mark Andrew of the Sussex Symphony Orchestra and soprano, composer and producer Juliette Pochin, who's appearing at Brighton Dome. You'll find it all beginning on page 100.Merry Christmas from everyone here at Sussex Life and wish me luck for that Christmas dinner I'll be preparing. I'll let you know how it goes in my blog.

Enjoy your Sussex Life.

Jonathan

DECEMBERS'S ISSUE OF SUSSEX LIFE IS AVAILABLE TO VIEW ONLINE IN THE SUSSEX LIFE DIGITAL ARCHIVE