In August, two months before our planned choir tour to Italy, the recent round of severe earthquakes began. However, when weighing the (low) risk against the pleasure of sharing music and love with people going through a traumatic time, and hanging out in a beautiful country with wonderful choir members, the decision to go was easily made. We were greeted with great warmth and produced some of the best, most consistently connected and moving singing that I have ever been part of. One of the concerts had to be shifted from Acquasante Terme to another local village due to earthquake damage. The hosts presented many gifts, the most emotive of which were T shirts which read ‘La Calamita Non Distrugge L’identita Acquasanta Terme’. It seemed that the whole village turned out to feed us. The experience of giving and receiving so much love was amazing and humbling, as was the experience of receiving so much food. Never, even at Xmas, have I eaten so well. So as you stuff your hodge in the coming festivities, think of all the love that it represents. Trust me, there is always space for more than you think.

This week’s Laughter Yoga: Are YOU ready for Xmas?