Archive for the ‘Christmas’ Category

A Most Curious Christmas by Katherine Black: A Review.

Blackheath, during the approach to Christmas, is blighted by the murder of Caspar Campbell, a friend of the Morrigan household.

The Morrigan family home, Greenway, is due to host its first family Christmas for many years. The celebrations include the return to the family home of May Corrigan’s identical twin sister, Cass, on the insistence of Minty. Minty is May and Cass’s somewhat unconventional ninety-six-year-old mother.

Fletcher, May’s friend, is the other member of the household, apart from May’s mini Dachshunds, Bess and George. Fletcher is writing, directing and producing the village pantomime, Peter Pan.

 The star of the show, a fading, predatory actor, Clarke Woolf, is playing Widow Twankey and causing Fletcher problems trying to manage Woolf’s attempted philandering.

The run-up to Christmas brings the sharing of family secrets, while May is trying to navigate her way through an acrimonious divorce.

This is a great book. I read it very quickly, putting aside things I shouldn’t have put aside to find out how the story ends. It certainly turns out to be a most curious Christmas.

Not the normal Father Christmas Experience

Father Christmas

Every year I dress as Father Christmas and visit the children’s Christmas Party at a local nursery school.  Usually I hand out presents to the children who are dressed in their Christmas finery, the boys in Superman suits, Spiderman suits, in Father Christmas or Rudolph Jumpers and in one or two cases dinosaur suits. The girls mostly wear princess and party frocks or dresses with Rudolph or Santa on the front, without exception; boys and girls, all wear enormous smiles. After I have given out the presents and before my accompanying elf leads me to the next classrooms the children sing me a song or two, usually “When Santa got stuck up the Chimney” or “Jingle Bells.” I love it and so do the children.

This year has been a little different, I changed into my Father Christmas outfit at my daughter’s and she drove me to the school, I did get some excited attention from grown up ladies waiting on the kerb for us to pass.

I went around the school waving to the children through the classroom windows, ho hoing and shouting Merry Christmas as loud as I could. The boys and girls were wearing their Christmas finery and enormous smiles as usual but although I was sung to and the children enjoyed themselves it wasn’t the same, for either them or me.

Father Christmas would be my second career choice after multi billionaire playboy, to be able to give happiness is probably the greatest gift we have. Even if I can only manage it for a few hours a year I gratefully grab the opportunity.

I hope things will be back to normal next year.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

A bit of Christmas Magic

father Christmas

Father Christmas

Yesterday I was doing a job I do most years, the best job in the world; Father Christmas. The response by very young children all under 5, varies there are those that are too frightened to approach this funny old man without the help of a teacher or one of the assistants. Others that dash up snatch their present and dash back to their seat, with a mumbled thank you. The girls delighting in showing you their princess dresses or frocks with Rudolf or Santa on the front. Boys proud of their Christmas jumpers, some with pictures of dinosaurs, snowmen, Santa or super heroes. I get to laugh a heck of a lot.

Each class finishes by singing me a song, usually either Jingle Bells or When Santa got Stuck up a Chimney. However the most touching event was watching a little girl her lower legs in braces and a medicine pump (I assume that’s what it was) under her top anxious to walk over to receive her present from Santa. Her carer was helping her by holding the little girl stand, her feet were turning in, as she walked but she made it, that picture will remain with me, the look of triumph on her face. I hope it has given her Christmas the magic it has given mine.

Merry Christmas everyone, Ho Ho Ho.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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