Went out to get some more decorations to keep the tree company and was glad to see the winter solstice is still being celebrated as the pagan festival it is, wicker reindeer ready to be stuffed full of sacrificial victims. We went to the two garden centres nearby that used to be knee deep in festive stuff in previous years only to find a sadly depleted spectacle. I assume the recession has been biting this kind of stuff more generally while we've been christmasless. Half way round Notcutts a seven foot animatronic snowman jiggled and leered...bloody terrifying.