Q. My bachelor brother, now in his late forties, always
spent Christmas at our father's, who died earlier this year. I was horrified to hear my brother say that he didn't want friends inviting him for Christmas, and that he has decided to contact my favourite aunt. She is in her mid-eighties, can walk only with a frame, and has no patience with him. Cooking his Christmas dinner is not an option for her. He is unconvivial, petulant and impervious to hints. Can you suggest a kind but copper-bottomed response for her to make when the phone call comes?
Name and address withheld A. Why doesn't she pre-empt the request by telephoning your brother to announce that, owing to her generalised incapacity, she is thinking of spending Christmas at a hotel? Would he like to join her there? There is no reason why, should he take up her offer, the two of them should not thoroughly enjoy the experience, since your aunt can adapt her sleeping requirements so as to underlap with most of his waking hours.
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