And it was about as enjoyable as being forced to sit through the neighbours' slide show of their holiday snaps - here's one of us on the beach, here's one of us on the beach with the dog and here's one of the tide coming in.

BBC: Blair ducks the hard questions

It became the number one "Most Desired Gift" on Amazon.com during last year's holiday season and, eventually, a Harvard Business School case study.

FORBES: Magazine Article

It's a fresh, relaxed ensemble that one could wear with flat sandals on a tropical holiday shedding the jacket and rolling up the shirt sleeves for after-dinner dancing and rum punches.

WSJ: Power Party Suits

But the final holiday coup was attending the Imperial Ball on New Year's Eve, one of the finest remnants of court tradition.

FORBES: Travel

Halloween in the United States is an increasingly odd holiday, no longer child's play, but on this evening I was thinking about another holiday, this one official, that is coming up this week: Veterans Day.

CNN: What Americans owe to those who serve

One doctor, Dr Anthea Kelsey, saw some patients behind Dr Brennan's back when he was on holiday.

BBC: Doctor 'kept cancer women waiting'

Forty-one percent of U.S. adults use the majority of their vacation budgets on obligation trips such as weddings, holiday gatherings and reunions, according to a July Hotwire survey.

CNN: Is obligation gobbling up your vacation?