I watched a man free-fall to Earth from Space, I saw Scotland kiss good-bye to another World Cup – I watched, albeit through my hands – the X Factor results show and I tuned in to that moving episode of Downton Abbey.

I also watched the First Minister and the Prime Minister shake hands to a packed press room to confirm to one and all that in less than 100 weeks' time we will all have the opportunity to vote whether or not Scotland is to become an independent country.

As I say, quite a week. However, none of this seemed to matter to me after the phone call I received on Tuesday afternoon. As a wee girl I had lots of dreams and hopes for my future.

I wanted to look like Kylie Minogue in her 'I Should Be So Lucky' video, I wanted to marry Morten Harket from A-ha and I wanted just once for my Bluebird A La Carte kitchen to cook real food instead of the mud pies my four-year-old self would force on my parents under the pretence they were chocolate delights.

And more than anything I wanted it to be Christmas all year round so I could go to George Square every night and see the lights and maybe one day even live there right next to the manger.

So when I got the call on Tuesday asking if I would, along with my fellow cast members from this year's Pavilion Wizard of Never Woz Panto, turn on the George Square Christmas lights on November 15, I absolutely jumped at the chance.

Christmas has always been a major deal in the McManus household.

My mum would start every festive season with the announcement: "If your father doesn't emulsion this living room from top to floor there'll be no tree going up.

Of course, this would result in us five wee McManus girls chasing our daddy around the house, begging him to stay up all night to paint so we could get the tree up as early as possible, which bless him he always did.

We would help mum clean the house from top to bottom in preparation for Santa coming as she didn't want "a showing up" when he popped down the chimney to find a messy living room.

My sisters and I would practise relentlessly our exit strategy on Christmas morning from our bedroom, down the stairs and into the winter wonderland the big man in red had hopefully delivered the night before.

But before any of this happened we always, as a family, all went along to George Square to watch the Christmas lights switch-on.

I remember being almost breathless with excitement in the moments leading up to that massive button being pressed because as soon as those thousands of twinkling lights went on I knew it was truly Christmas time. When I think back to all those memories it makes me well up knowing that this year it will be me having the honour and privilege of pressing that big button and that the wee girl who stood breathless in the freezing cold all those years ago will be bursting with festive pride.

I want to wish all those competing in this year's MOD in Dunoon the very best of luck, especially to all of my friends in the Govan Gaelic Choir. I'm sorry I can't be there with you but I know you will be wonderful! 'Gu math a thèid leibh uile!