Getting ready for Christmas

Have gotten a few cards this year, more than last year, which is nice. I remembered to sent a card to my brother in Australia in plenty of time for it to get there. I had better give him a call just to say hi, I suppose, it has been a very long time since I last spoke with him.
We are having Tom's mother over for Christmas, I had not intended to cook this year but it has fallen to me to do so. We were going to eat out at a restaurant until Tom saw how much it would cost, well they have to pay staff extra money for working on Christmas. He decided that it was too much so I am cooking. What a bloody hassle, I really do not want to. His brother is not coming round as he has fallen out with me, so Tom tells me. Seems he heard me say that I was not going to give £20 for a voucher for his long lost daughter. He had phoned Tom and asked for a donation, Tom had said he wanted £20 and yes I said no to Tom, his brother over heard that but...but he was not aware of a argument that Tom and I had had just before he had phoned. My no was a continuance of that argument. Anyway Tom himself had made the decision not to give the £20 on the basis that his niece was a stranger to him and meant nothing to him. Usual situation boy gets girl pregnant and girl denies access and years later child gets in touch.
Result is one less person to cook for.