I had my first Trinny & Susannah event on Saturday   - the duff xmas present swap. Felt especially pleased as there was a Guardian feature on swap events that very morning, so felt unusually of the moment.  It was no work to organise.   I got youngest son to design the invitations – another tip for T&S.   Also made mince pies as it was the last day of Xmas.  That was some work as I had to take them to my friend’s house to cook as our oven has been irreparable for the last year. Things brought were*       Marble cheese slicer *       Faux Italian trattoria style presentation plate *       Irish coffee presentation set *       Mulled wine set *       Cranberry shot set *       Clothes which weren’t the owner’s colours *       How to be a better parent books – it’s too late for me now The first five items remained unwanted.  Take note-  do not to buy those things for any middle aged, reasonably well educated women in future.  I came away with an ice blue skinny v-neck jumper, a variety of men’s eau de toilette and some lily of the valley soap.  Also two oblong garlic bread dishes (they will be going right back) and served the mulled wine from the kit . People who came were women, mostly my book group plus some other primary school parents.  One man came, but he sat in the kitchen with husband.  It’s always nice to learn something new about other people.  One woman whose current occupation is a mystery – she tells me what she does and I am no wiser – revealed that she trained to be a teacher.  However, she was put off by the experience of her much larger friend who was locked in a cupboard. As it was  the twelfth day of Christmas I tried  to eat all the mince pies before the end of the day – but didn’t quite make it – a last burst of hedonism before I have to return to The Guardian eatright diet.