I was at a talk by one of the top guys from David Austin Roses.  He said that he pruned his roses during the Christmas holidays.  I have left it a little longer and have just finished the job.  Every year I have a tussle with myself as how severely I prune them.  I check the books and look at the diagrams and still I cannot believe that if I cut them back that hard I will live to regret it.  I don't of course I only regret not cutting them back harder!  Getting that close to plants this time of year never ceases to amaze me as to how much movement there is despite being so cold at the moment.  Spring is just around the corner and there are signs of it all around the garden.  I found myself humming the Christmas song "It the most wonderful time of the year" you see to me that is not so much then as now!