As the last minute panic kicks in I thought I'd take a break to offer the compliments of the season to all Writelinkers and all the best for 2012. It looks like being a bumper year for writing opportunities with the Diamond Jubilee and Olympics in the summer but for those of us wrong-footed by David's request for items for the Christmas Writelinkers mag now is the time to take the photos.

Unless you want N&D to suffer turkey at midsummer or be asked to create fake snow as TV productions need to do as they film in August, taking photos now will be a great aide memoir and maybe even be used to illustrate your work. Actually, if you leave writing about Christmas until August you are probably too late for 2012 and will have to look to the following year. Most magazines work well ahead for such events and I was once asked to resubmit a Christmas tip to a magazine in the following June as they had already planned their Christmas edition. This was in September. A tip, that is, not an article or story, so they really do plan well ahead. In fact, David's request in October was easier to respond to as at least there was some evidence around in the retail and events sectors to help create the mood.

So along with all those embarrassing family photos don't forget to record the tree, the decorations (in the home and out and about if possible) and anything else you think may act as a prompt or illustration. I started this year taking photos of making the cake and the pudding and I have tried to have the camera with me whenever out and about in case I come across anything. Last year I was really annoyed I had left the camera behind when we visited a town that had lovely ice sculptures of a snowman and a penguin. (Although used as part of the light's switch on the night before they were still looking good next day due to the extreme weather we had at the time.) I've even got the rest of the family on the look-out for suitable pics. A trip to the zoo earlier this week by a family member bagged a great shot of a reindeer!