25th December 2013
Reading Time: 5 minutes
I usually struggle finding someone whose name beginning with the letter X for ABC Wednesday, but on today of all days who else could I write about but Father Xmas, even if I have taken liberties with his second name.
Actually, the Father Xmas I have in mind is not the Coca Cola swilling, red-coated fellow in his speed of light sleigh, but rather the English Father Xmas who has quite different origins to St Nicholas and Santa Claus. Read more ›››
24th November 2005
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Well it’s started. Christmas I mean. Or rather Christmas in the supermarket if I’m being precise.
I don’t mean the stacked displays of Christmas puds, advent calendars, greetings cards, crackers, tonic water on special offer until 31 December (two for a quid at Morrisons), fairy lights, mini cakes coated in icing with marzipan lurking underneath or even novelty decorations. Read more ›››
1st December 2004
Reading Time: < 1
There is an article on the BBC website today about a psychiatrist who has concluded that Father Christmas helps children learn the difference between right and wrong. There’s no pulling the wool of their eyes is there? She does make one very good point though:
“The imagination which created Father Christmas is being destroyed by a society which holds rationality above anything else. Read more ›››