Ah, an election year. A marvelous time to pack up, set sail and drop anchor near some South Sea island, perhaps. Take a long vacation. Until, say, mid-November.

Advent is an opportunity to examine one’s conscience – all the penance services and confession sessions are an excellent reminder of inevitable human failing – and even bathed in the beauty of the Christmas season, we are all aware (especially if we have small children!) of the potential pitfalls of the holidays.