At the end of a pretty turbulent and upsetting year, with the future still a total blur (to the extent that we don’t know if we can print our books in Germany if Brexit happens and therefore if we will be able to continue publishing at all – since no British printer is capable of printing our books) we thought a soothing and beautiful but essentially domestic picture was needed as the last one of the year. Something like this painting, (Eggs on a Table by Dora Carrington c. 1924), set beside this week’s other four paintings from the Liss Llewellyn exhibition, used to represent the very best of Britain: four domestic scenes and among them a Jewish refugee who looks forlorn but nevertheless we know he was taken in tenderly and warmly by the English. All these wonderful values seem to be submerged by the terrible political infighting which we have to gaze on with horror every day. Do read these letters in the Guardian yesterday and the day before: they say it all eg. ‘The poignant letters from our friends in Europe (19 December) brought tears to my eyes – tears of sadness that we might leave Europe, and of utter frustration at the lunacy of Brexit, the huge cost and opportunity lost of the last two wasted years of negotiation, the malign over-influence of the ERG, and the stubbornness of May and Corbyn. Please, someone tell me what I can do.’ If only there was an answer. However, despite all this, we naturally wish everyone a very, very Merry Christmas. The shop re-opens on January 2nd. All fingers crossed that it will be a Happy New Year. And thank you to every single reader of the Post for your support during the year.