Seasonal Greetings

The movement to abolish the religious significance of Christmas gathers momentum.

My anxiety started at the end of November when I went looking for Advent Calendars for the wife and daughter. Sainsburys had them. Well sort of. But they are no longer called Advent Calenders - they are “seasonal” calendars - and behind each of the twenty-five doors there is a Malteser. References to Baby Jesus are not for Seasonal Calendars.

The National Trust is also a little bit wary about the religious aspect. Not for them the words “Happy Christmas”. All their cards have a “Seasons Greetings” message lest we offend people of other denominations. I know that the Red Cross bans all mention of Christmas in their charity shops, but I’m a bit mystified by it all. If someone of another denomination sent me a “Happy Ber-jal-ii” card or whatever, I’d be very pleased and treat the gesture as a compliment rather than an insult. I think I’d be a bit confused however if a card arrived in mid-June or whenever announcing mysteriously “Seasons Greetings”.

Maybe it’s all a plot by Clinton Cards to streamline their stock range by selling just one “Seasons Greetings” card all year round – suitable for Mothers Day, Fathers Day, St Valentines Day, Easter, Christmas and Birthdays.

And a Thought for the Poor and Needy …

The daughter brought back from Chicago a short video clip to remind me that Britain is not the only country to strive for correctness. It showed a group of young coloured teenagers playing (brilliantly) on sort-of-oil-can drums on a crowded sidewalk. The police came and chased them off (begging on the streets is illegal) to the shame and dismay of all passers-by who were both pleased with the high-quality percussion performance, and also happy to see the lads doing something constructive (and not overtly criminal) to improve their lot. Why, the question was asked, had the police not moved in against the Salvation Army collectors on the opposite side of the street? Were they, too, not begging and using musical instruments to reinforce their message?


And a Compliment to the Chef …

Slices from a well-chosen and precisely cooked Sussex Bronze (twenty-pounder), the inevitable sprouts*, parsnips and excellently roast potatoes, carrots and bread sauce, gravy and sausage, cranberry sauce and stuffing, all piled high on a single plate, and then second helpings, and then pudding (without pudding wine), then cheese (with pudding wine and port), then more and more. Well done to my sister (who to her chagrin has never previously featured in this blog) for preparing that lot, and for gathering a complete set of brothers, a parent, a betrothed, a sister-in-law, to say nothing of her own children all of us cheerful and well-behaved and peaceful (apart from the after-repast snoring in front of Harry Potter). No mean feat and sincere and public thanks for the huge effort.

*Too much Patrick O’Brien I’m afraid. I tried “ubiquitous” sprouts, then “froward” sprouts, then … well, I think we don’t want to go there, do we?