Not Yo-Yo Ma

With 9 weeks until the C word and a list as long as my arm of presents needing to be bought and sent to the four quarters of the world, not forgetting 6 family birthdays in the intervening time, we repaired to the Land of Flowers, a shop where we could receive calorie sustenance in the face of adversity.

And so it came to pass that presents were bought to the sound of a quartet of animals playing Seasonal carols while Christmas trees with fairy lights, witches on broomsticks, spiders in dusty webs, ghostly skeletons and huge orange pumpkins decorated the space around: how to confuse the young.

It could have been worse: I didn't notice any Easter eggs on sale.