It’s that time of year again! Diane Southam looks at the pros and cons of Christmas – and how to survive it

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS BUSTERS

 

Having great expectations it’s going to be a full-on lovely, warm, cuddly, cosy, family-fun experience – with never a crossed word

Hoovering up pine needles every half hour

Hearing 'Do they know it’s Christmas' in every department store and supermarket

Opening the re-wrapped present you gave your friend last Christmas

Getting drunk before Christmas dinner

Putting up with hysterical children wanting to empty their stockings at 4am Christmas morning

Receiving a far more costly present than the one you’ve given

Allowing your Scroogian alter-ego free reign, and endlessly bemoaning the commerciality of it all

 

CHRISTMAS BOOSTERS

 

Finding out who really fancies who at the office party

Wallowing in the joy of giving

Going for long walks in the park to escape cabin fever

Eating and drinking too much on Christmas day without feeling guilty

Listening to Handel’s Messiah

Decorating the Christmas tree – you know you still enjoy it

Escaping to the sales on Boxing Day

Musing on how you can encourage your fellow human beings to manifest such levels of bonhomie on the remaining 364 days of the year

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