The big idea: is being ‘good enough’ better than perfection?

Before making another new year resolution it’s worth asking if change is what you need

By sleeping when everyone else is awake I cured my insomnia

Turning normal sleeping cycles upside down helped this bestselling writer recover her energy

Sunday with Ben Miller: ‘I’m always recognised at the dump’

The comedian on trips to the tip, double doodles and why there’s never an argument over the telly remote

Gyles Brandreth: ‘Never look back. You might fall down the stairs’

The writer and broadcaster, 75, on keeping busy, meeting TS Eliot and the Queen, and why his wife thinks he’s ridiculous

The pet I’ll never forget: Mrs Hinch on her alpacas, ‘who fill my garden with happiness’

We chose Raymond, Roy and Rodney as babies. They are gentle, curious personalities – who sometimes strut into the house in pursuit of spare raisins

The pet I’ll never forget: Jeanette Winterson on Silver, ‘the brightest cat I have ever had’

I know what it means to leave your mother too soon – and Silver came to me at just five weeks old. It was the start of an unbreakable bond

Carol Vorderman: ‘I honestly believe we can reduce the Tories to 70 MPs’

The former Countdown host on how her love of puzzles and quizzes led to her Perfect 10 podcast, her hopes for 2024, and her unlikely mission to oust the Tories

Sunday with James O’Brien: ‘I like doing “dad” things like mowing the lawn’

The radio presenter on Marmite croissants and the magic of boat yards

The big idea: should we go to more parties?

Talking to strangers can be intimidating, but the social whirl has science on its side

The big 2023 quiz of the year

Barbie was on the big screen, Taylor Swift on the airwaves… How well do you remember the year that was?

The Guardian view on A Christmas Carol: a tale of redemption for an irredeemable age

Editorial: Charles Dickens’ fable created an imagery of urban poverty that haunts us today, but don’t think Scrooge’s about-turn is a recipe for social justice

Alison Lester: ‘This is what I want to do. I want to be in charge of the whole thing’

The prolific children’s book author walks along her magic beach and reflects on the moment she had her life’s calling

Celebrity pet I’ll never forget: Fatty, the curry-loving cat who adopted me, by Val McDermid

I opened my front door to find a beautiful black-and-white cat on the doormat. I had no choice – Fatty was moving in

You be the judge: should my boyfriend start clearing out his piles of books?

Rupert wants more bookshelves to house his growing collection, but Ari thinks a clearout is due. You decide who is on the right page

A moment that changed me: I stopped speaking at 19 – and found my artistic voice

I was mute for two years because I couldn’t convey my emotions. It helped me discover a new way to express myself