WHAT is all the fuss about? I suppose some would call me a killjoy, but I’ve never liked New Year and fail to see why the date alone is a reason to celebrate.

To me it just another day, and if anything it heralds a sense of dread, with the beginning of another 12 months to slog through.

Last year was a mix of ups and downs, but thankfully we had no major tragedy. Who knows what this year holds?

But instead of starting off on the wrong foot, and facing it with the usual air of pessimism, I have decided that I am going to greet it with a smile and think of all the reasons to be cheerful about 2015.

I admit it wasn’t that easy to put a list together, but I’ve managed it:

Days out

No matter what is going on in our lives, we have always made an effort to go out as a family, whether to the Yorkshire coast, moors, dales or to towns and cities we haven’t visited before.

With one daughter living away from home, complete family days are limited, but our youngest daughter still agrees to come (the top bribes being shopping and lunch) and my husband and I have even been known to go out together.

Friday (and/or Saturday) nights in front of the TV with a curry and a bottle of wine

Reading interviews with celebrities, it is surprising how many list this as their favourite leisure activity. There are few things better than lounging on the sofa with a glass in hand.

It would be all the more enjoyable if there was anything half decent on television, but for some unknown reason watchable stuff is usually aired on week nights or Sundays when you have to get up for work the next day, leaving weekends clear for reality TV and chat shows. The curry has to be home-made - my husband is a dab hand.

House repairs

We have lived in our home for a decade and haven’t been able to afford to do a thing to it.

I don’t like living with someone else’s taste, because everyone who visits assumes I love gold glazing bars in my windows, a bathroom that makes Kim Kardashian’s look bland and wardrobes that resemble cold storage units.

We have now decided that enough is enough and, whether or not we can afford it, this year we MUST put our own stamp on it.

We have already made plans to replace the shower, which has its own ecosystem. I’m looking forward to living in a house I actually like.

Holidays

Always the highlight of the year. We don’t know where we’re going yet, but it is something to look forward to.

Lottery win

Well I can always hope.