All I want for Christmas is…

Socks, chocs and a time machine so we can ‘do over’ 2016 – our authors don’t ask for much!

Adele Parks, author of The Stranger in my Home 

All I want for Christmas is a time machine, I’d really like to ‘do over’ 2016. However, in the absence of that possibility I will settle for global peace, the discovery of a cure for cancer and Alzheimer’s or the equal distribution of the earth’s resources across our global population. No? Ok then, well I’d like a fire pit for the garden, so we can snuggle around it and toast marshmallows whilst sipping hot chocolate, counting our blessings and doing our best.

Chrissie Manby, author of A Fairy Tale for Christmas

A big gold envelope containing tickets to a five star resort somewhere sunny. Failing that, a box of white chocolate Lindor makes up for a lot of life’s disappointments.

Hannah Doyle, author of The Year of Saying Yes

There’s actually nothing I’d like to find under the Christmas tree this year. Wait, let me explain! I’m not one of those “I love giving gifts more than receiving them” types. Please, I blooming love unwrapping a pressie or two! And I haven’t got designs on being the next Miss Great Britain either, with world peace being my only desire. Though that would be lovely. (The world peace bit. Ain’t no way I’m prancing about in swimwear for a pretty lady competition right now – I’ve just consumed all the mince pies).  This year, all I really want for Christmas is to cosy up with my brand new family because my twin boys arrived this winter and 2016 will be my first as a mama! And though the little lads are way too young to know what’s going on (case in point… they still confuse their own hands for my boobs during feeds) that wont stop me going into festive overdrive. I’m talking cute baby outfits, personalised stockings, wintery walks to see the Christmas lights AND MORE. What more could I ask for? Except for maybe ten hours’ sleep, a spa break, that velvet jacket I saw on Instagram…

Lili Hayward, author of The Cat of Yule Cottage 

Honestly, I love being given socks. I never buy them for myself and so by the time Christmas rolls around, they all have holes in! Apart from that, anything old, weird and wonderful. My partner gave me a 1940s working typewriter once; it’s a beautiful thing. I once wrote a letter to HMRC on it when my printer was broken. I’m sure they saw the word “author” and rolled their eyes.

Catch up on more festive fun…

Annabelle Thorpe and Sheila O’Flanagan share their favourite Christmas traditions 

Sarah Knight gives a lesson in how not to give a f**k this Christmas 

Louise O’Neill, Tracy Rees and Louise Lee discuss what books they’ll be giving this year