Gather around

It's holiday time! Welcome to the party, Xbox 360 style. Which, I think we all can agree this past 12 months, really means living your moment any way you like.

So you truly can find your own personal space to explore new worlds and emerge enchanted, as with Fable II. Or you can draw as many people as possible around you to share the spirit of family and friends with the likes of sing-along marvel Lips. A weekend afternoon can be spent video-chatting with loved ones, wherever they are, sharing photos and listening to your latest favourite tunes. All you need is an Xbox LIVE Vision camera, which you can hunt down separately but my advice is to get yours along with one of my surprise hits of the year You're in the Movies.

This is only Xbox 360's third holiday in pride of place at Castle Boyd. In such a short time the console has become a regular contributor to our entertainment routine. In fact so much so that this year I'm expecting the family to request Xbox time over and above watching holiday television. Still, if we're all exhausted after You're in the Movies we can always watch a DVD or listen to music… on the Xbox of course.

Lazy festive mornings I intend to spend browsing Xbox LIVE Marketplace to find what else is new, and I've learned to expect something different almost daily by now. There's no doubt in my mind that we can turn to LIVE Arcade for quality gaming ‘on tap'. Oh, and for sure I'll be checking My Xbox over the break to stay in touch with my work pals and the lads on my football team.

2008 has been a special and unique year for everyone who owns an Xbox 360. I'm tempted to list the highlights from my own point of view. But I don't want to spoil the magic and your perspective of what Xbox 360 represents for your household.

Have the happiest of holidays everyone.

Graeme Boyd, Xbox.com Community Manager, Gamertag: AceyBongos