When that time of year comes around again and the weather starts to get colder as the winter season arrives, your thoughts may well once again turn to that wonderful festive time of year - Christmas. But what are the ingredients that make a great family Christmas? what is fundamental to ensure that the family has a great time.

The first thing you could consider is whether or not you are going to stay at home or head off on vacation. Do you want a nice festive traditional time in the snow, or would you prefer to enjoy Chirstmas day lying on a sun lounger by a pool overlooking a beautiful blue sea and white sand?

If you are staying at home you need to think about how many guests you are having if you are the host, or where you are going to go if you have been offered some invites. Christmas is all about seeing family and friends and having big gatherings can be a great amount of fun but a lot of work. Just remember to offer a helping hand if you find that it is you enjoying the fruits of someone else’s labour.

One of the common themes of Christmas is the giving and receiving of gifts, and most important to consider are any young children that you might have running about your ankles all day.

For the kids particularly its important to get something they will really enjoy. For babies perhaps some baby bath toys for them to play with or some cars transformers for the younger kids to play with. Try not to get anything too boring like a black helmet for your kid with a bike. You want to be looking to get things that are fun and can be played with, not anything too practical.

Of course one of the main parts of the day is the main dinner, which is often the highlight of many a family Christmas. You can never go wrong with a traditional feast although some alternative options might be more suited to you. Following the dinner up with some festive carols and television with a bit of mulled wine is a great way to top off the day.

However you choose to enjoy your own Christmas, the most important thing to remember is what it all represents and to enjoy the time you can with the people closest to you.