For Christmas Fat Sister and King Russell gave me two wooden boxes each with six drawers. When I first unwrapped them I looked quizzically at my sibling. I knew the drawers had belonged to my mum until a few weeks earlier when, unwanted, she’d passed them on. Fat Sister quickly said “We haven’t just given you the free boxes we got from mum.”

And they definitely hadn’t, because inside every one of the twelve drawers was a gift, wrapped in sparkly red paper. Each had a different month written on it and I opened December 2015 straightaway, obediently leaving the others untouched.

It’s an incredible gift, and makes the beginning of each month really exciting. Yesterday morning I welcomed the start of March by opening my monthly present – a pair of colourful jellybean socks and weather-system pants.

Not only am I enjoying my monthly present, but I’m also appreciating marking the passing of time in such a positive way. Each gift is a thoughtful gesture of love punctuating the year.

Thank you Fat Sister and King Russell for such a wonderful long-game gift.