First: Merry Christmas! Or, at least, as merry a Christmas as circumstances will allow. Our thoughts go, in particular, to everyone who’s alone and doesn’t want to be, and/or those who have lost loved ones and friends in 2020.

The hamper pictured above is courtesy of Orchard View Farm – one of many local food and drink suppliers who have ploughed on valiantly through the many stages and varieties of restrictions which have come and gone this year.

This working farm, three miles north of Princes Risborough, is home to various rare breeds, such as some very sociable large black pigs and Jacob sheep. The onsite butchery produces pork and lamb, as well as selling local produce such as beef from Thame.

The contents of the hamper – much of it from other local suppliers – will be shared among the staff of a local care home. Goodness knows they’ve had a tough year as well and deserve many thanks.

A difficult winter still lies ahead, but we hope 2021 will be an improvement on 2020 (a low bar, we agree). If the pandemic encourages more of us to buy local, then that at least will be something good. There are plenty of excellent local businesses supplying food and drink in our area. Let’s hope they all make it through to better times.

The same goes for our publishers Bradt – who, like the rest of the travel publishing industries, have faced enormous challenges this year. Happily, fingers crossed that they’re through the worst and will be powering on into 2021 and beyond.

For now, though, we wish everyone Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and safe New Year. Now where’s that cake? Oh, yes…