Ancient memories of frost-tinged excitement - inherited from our Pagan forebears back when modern religion was but a twinkle in a politician's eye - mingle with my personal nostalgia of childhood excitement.
I love the ritual of Christmas, the tradition, the feeling that the country is excited as one. I love the thinking of others, the sharing, the giving, the joining of family. The time off work.
I love it's difference in comparison to the rest of the year - the sense that the nation has been working up to this for 12 months, and now we're going to have a party. I love the fact that, as such, the television companies feel they have to pull out all the stops. And the organ-players.
I love everything except it's religious conoctations (although some of it does again make me dewy-eyed with childhood nostalgia, such as the thought of clopping two coconut shells together as accompaniment to Little Donkey in a candle-lit church), but I'd sound like a right plonker if I started wishing everyone a Merry Yule, so I'll stick with the common vernacular thankyouverymuch. I don't want to get all Neopagan on your ass.
But as well as the Winter Solstice festivities, which celebrate the passing shortened days and the revitalisation of the sun (or something), this time of year marks a very special birth.
Mine.
Oh, and VSX sub-editor Stu as well.
Which all helps to make December Number One in Starbuck's Top Twelve Month Chart Rundown. Yip yip yip.
oops!! sorry - happy birthday stu!! is yours 22nd then starbuck? i went to a birthday cocktail party tonight (sat 17th) for a friend who has his b'day on 22nd. hic.. i'm off to sleep now :)
Christmas. Overeating, overdrinking, overdosing on tv, bloatedness, nodding off in front of the tv, more overeating, more overdrinking, more bloatedness, more sleep.
