It was a rare event at Flaig Mansions, Christmas dinner was cooked to perfection (almost) a joint effort with me and Mrs Me which mainly involves me, in claiming all the credit and Mrs Me doing the veg, laying the table and tidying up. Unusually I had cooked the gammon and stuffed the turkey without the usual melodrama and was by nine Christmas evening in front of the telly with everything prepared including wrapping Mrs Me presents and writing a card.
As a non Christian I celebrate the event with as much good will as most (I lost my religion about the age of nine watching documentaries on the first war and the holocaust), its the one time of year I find the hypocrisy of the church tolerable, if not welcome as listening to Christmas carols brings back warm nostalgic feelings of past Christmases and those no longer here.
I’m not entirely without a belief, since I do believe in the spirit embodied in the Hollywood image of Santa Claus, the beneficent well meaning old git, who does what’s necessary to deliver the goods on Christmas Eve. Illogical I know and proof that I may not be entirely rational but here’s my reasoning in a nutshell unlike deities like god who lays down loads of rules and regulations, Father Christmas always delivers so long as you’ve been good and not naughty.
Anyway moving a long, Christmas is all about having a good time and so far I’ve had a pretty good break, Christmas dinner went well for the second year running we had smoked salmon and prawns as a starter, missed the Queens speech as per usual and no er intense moments.
I tend to spend as much time in doors as possible this time of year, a reaction to being out in all weathers most of the working day, I no longer seem to be able to concentrate on reading books, so television and mucking about on the computer are my main preoccupations currently I’m trying to find a simple way to transfer movies from disc to portable devices.
Television this Christmas seems to have reached an all-time low, items that failed to hit the spot, have been Catherine Tate, the Royle family, Gavin & Stacey, even Eastenders failed to lift my spirits despite the seasonal joy which centred on the murder of Archie Mitchell and will now drag out in to a long winded who done it, me I couldn’t give a toss.
Some highlights for me have been the result of watching DVD’s Slumdog Millionaire brilliant! Series 1 of the Wire best ever TV serial, one disappointment amongst the gems “Inglorious Bastards” I always watch Quentin Tarrentino films in the expectation that one day he’ll repeat the magic of Pulp Fiction, its not going to happen.
Some unexpected moments on the box were Harry Hill’s TV burp I rarely watch his regular take on TV but find myself enjoying the show its relatively undemanding unlike Charile Brooker’s rather bitter Screenwipe still maybe I’m in a weakened state but at one point I found myself watching Ant and Dec’s Christmas show and quite enjoying it till I had the thought, that the set they were using, was not dissimilar, to that which used to appear on Noel Edmond’s House Party.
It may be me but I’ve always found Noel Edmond’s persona irritating in the extreme, but none more so than in his role as presenter of Deal or no deal whether its the format of the show, mind numbing and for me about the worst thing on tele even with the Christmas make over Noel Hell! and happy new year.
Happy New Year Tony to you and your family.
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