The Christmas Spirit

 Dear Marmite

Once more I fear that Christmas Spirit might be in short supply. The government is given to a lot of pifflewaffle muttering about plan B or even PLAN C but no one is prepared to give definitive direction. So on this "advice" I am full steam ahead for cautious Christmas FUN!

However, I got rather to the the heart of things and feel I have a few insights since I went to a Christmas Quiz at the Conservative Club in Bletchley. For brevity I'll call it the Con Club and the name seems apt. I had never crossed the threshold of one of these places before so to me it was a real eye opener. It is just like I imagine a northern, working man's social club - a large, badly decorated room with a sad, artifical tree leaning to the right. 

I ordered a drink which was very nearly poured into a mucky glass - eagle eyed me spotted this just in time. Was this a metaphor, I wondered? Our host promised food. I expected to be getting a proper meal - maybe even Christmas fayre. I had saved myself for this treat. Looking at the scribbled chalk menu, I noticed the choice was rather limited - cheeseburger and chips, hot dog or scampi and chips - our team held back and resisited as none of this excited us. By the time we relented, the kitchen had closed. It was 8:30 and the quiz was in full swing. In some small way we have done our bit to save the planet as the Con Club serves meals in polystyrene boxes. What does that say about our government's green policy? 

At least we won. The prizes weren't great but there is always the warm smug glow I feel for having sat with intelligent but hungry friends!  After the quiz we did a takeaway from a kebab shop in the main street of Bletchley. It was top notch yummy. We sat outside the shop in a cold dank mist and ate it - even funnier -  we played a game to name songs or artists with colour in the name. Then we went on to a karaoke pub - nuff said... What a funny night it was.

Christmas cheer abounded at my local tennis club. Despite heavy mist and nippy conditions, enough silly people plus a musical penguin showed up to the social. It wasn't quite the Red Hat Socials from my previous life but it was fun even though I had numb fingers by the end. 

I went to my local village church again and I can't help thinking how blessed I have been to have found a home in such a friendly little village. This time there was an "elf" organisist and we sang carols through face masks. One of the congregation insisted on this even though we were in separate pews. Afterwards I hung around for mincepies and a chat. We all took our masks off for this and mingled in a much cosier part of the church. No one saw any irony in our close proximity without masks on. After all, had anyone planning this thought how we could possibly eat delicious homemade mincepies through a cloth barrier?

So as I head towards Christmas and the number of COVID cases grows daily, I have at least three swims, a couple more quizzes, another knock on the court, a trip to Tescos- err...and a partridge in a pear tree....

So, Marms, on our third Christmas apart, I'll be thinking what to do with the excess turkey gravy with you not here with me to lap it up. I do know that you won't go short of hugs and treats though. You are in a wonderful loving pair of hands. 

Merry Christmas old boy. 

Hugs and kisses.

XXX