4

Now that we are into December, the headlong rush to the 'Big Day' has commenced. Everywhere I see houses already completely bedecked with outside lights, Santas climbing up drainpipes, and trees flashing in the windows.

I say 'flashing' because all the fairy lights now seem to be those horrible LED things, which flash and pulsate in a frenetic migraine-inducing rhythm. Whatever happened to the gentle multi-coloured twinkle of the old lights? Did that also fall victim to the new legislation on using incandescent lightbulbs?

Anyway, much as I drag my feet about it, Christmas is A-Comin' (we even had the flippin' Coca Cola lorry in Perth last weekend!), and I have recognised that I'd better start the preparations.

First off; buy a new fridge and small chest freezer. We've had our existing fridge for 11 years, and I have hated it for precisely 10 years and 364 days! There is not enough room in it as it has a little freezer compartment, which I never use. And the door is hung squint, so it constantly slams shut while I'm trying to put stuff in it.

My upright freezer is in the garage, and it is stuffed full of pizzas and fish and burgers and apple crumbles and ice lollies, etc. There is absolutely no room in it for turkeys or hams or any of the million and one things you want to eat at Christmas.

I get my delivery on December 18th, if all goes well. I will probably go for my big Christmas shop that night, and store it all safely and coldly away to save me having to run the gauntlet of the shops later on. I like to buy my fruit and veg, and mince pies etc. from little independent shops in town, which are never as busy and almost as cheap as the supermarkets.

So - that's it - Christmas has begun. Bring it on.