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…
It’s only just December and already I’m in the grip of the seasonal sweat. It’s what happens when your already busy life gets an addition clutch of festive events for every person you live with and, strangely, it’s down to you to make them all happen. Ho ho ho hum. Add to that that everyone […]
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 […]
Behold! The Christmas jumper is back
They are back. As well as all the usual seasonal unnecessariness, shops are currently flogging festive jumpers. You know the ones, they were almost mythical at first. Not ever seen on real people… in public. Colin Firth wore one but only as a device to show that the wearer was prepared to sacrifice style for […]
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. […]