I’ve just been chatting to a friend and colleague with young children who feels much the same about it, too.  But she responds to the pressure in the same way as I do and she will set off with two excited children to make pre-arranged visits to friends and relatives in her neighbourhood before taking them home again when they are cold, over-tired and cranky. 

At least I can stay home in the warm and dry and simply welcome the scary-cute gang with a few fun things before waving them goodnight and forgetting all about it for another year.