Shopping

I am not particularly enthusiastic for starting Christmas early. I am still pedantic enough to think that it starts on Christmas Eve and then runs for twelve days until Epiphany (bless you). I do have to do a little earlier preparation though as even I could not risk doing all my shopping on the 24th. I know some guys who do though. If I start too early I tend to buy people too many gifts and generally regret living off gruel in January. Mrs T has a birthday in January into which I like to invest as I find it makes the year go better. Also BigMaster T (hey DJ 'Jamin I got a new hip-hop DJ name for yas), mother-in-law, sister in law and a nephew all have birthdays before the month is out. Eek! Deserves the rarely used exclamation mark even.

Chatting with someone this morning we sort of agreed that next year we would sit-in protest in the Trinity Centre saying bah humbug and then party like it was no-one's business from Christmas Eve onwards. Could be fun.

Anyway I just bought a tree - £6.99 from one of the Tickenham Garden Centres - and then played smile and be patient (it confuses people) around Tescos. Only got involved in a couple of minor pastoral conversations so it wasn't nearly as bad as Leamington had got, yet.

Now there are a few things to sort out for next year before the run of services (in my case two, midnight and Christmas morning) and then assorted family and hangers on will drop in and I'll take a few days off.

Spare a thought for those involved in retail. Liz has Christmas day off and is back on duty Boxing Day.

Will try to review the year etc over the next few days.