The lights have started twinkling, little children are getting excited, and up and down the land we are being urged to “feed the world” and that “Santa Clause is coming to town”. Can you feel it yet? That sneaky snaky feeling of dread and inadequacy. Yup, that’s the one. It’s the idea that the decorations […]
What’s on my mind this week…
How Santa is destroying Christmas for our kids…
I dithered about allowing Boy Three to go to his after school club’s Christmas Party – and here’s why… Claus for concern pic: Kevin Dooley via Flickr It’s supposed to be magical. Children waiting for the kindly, bearded chap to deliver their heart’s desire into an old sock on Christmas Eve. Then they ooh and […]
Show me the Monets
The shame… “Oh no, madam. The Monets are at Kelvingrove, we’ve got Manets, and Degas and lots of other stuff. But if it’s Monets you want, you’ll need to go elsewhere,” the lady with the badge at the Burrell Collection said gently. But her kindness didn’t soften it, Boy Three’s face fell. We were crushed. […]
Christmas reflections: the empty grotto
It suddenly struck me yesterday. In Sainsbury’s in Braehead, since you ask. The Thing that had been worrying me this Christmas, and probably many previous ones too. I was in browsing the bog roll as Boy One was at the Saturday Sweep – the regular have-a-go curling session. It’s a new venture (curling not toilet […]