The Seventh Annual Christmas Message from James Proclaims

And so this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Probably not very much
A new variant’s just begun.

Yes it’s another Covid Christmas. I’m all for Christmas traditions, but I’m not sure I’m a massive fan of this one.

Still, it’s not like I had huge plans this year. I was always intending to stay at home with my wife and child and that is precisely what I am doing.

I expect.

I don’t really know, because it’s still yesterday as I write this, but I can’t imagine I will have changed my plans before this post hits the blogosphere.

Which it should do at 3pm exactly as it is my established tradition for my Christmas post to ‘go live’ at the same time as the Queen’s Speech. Because I like to offer a bit of consumer choice when it comes to Christmas Day messaging.

In spite of the ongoing pandemic, which has put a dampener on recent Christmasses, I have been enjoying the festive period quite a lot this year.

I think this is mainly thanks to my daughter, who, having turned three in August, is really quite enthusiastic about Christmas this year. She’s discovered the phenomenon of Christmas lists and, despite not yet having the skills to write one, has been quite keen to inform me of all of the different toys that Santa will be bringing her. Alas some of these were quite last minute additions so I’m not sure Santa got the memo in time. I’m sure she’ll be happy enough with what she gets. She’s still very much about the unwrapping. Once the paper has been disgarded the novelty tends to wear off quite quickly with most gifts.

As a parent I have particularly enjoyed discovering the power of ‘Santa’s naughty list’. It’s amazing how compliant a small child will become to avoid making that particular inventory.

However, whether she deserves it or not (and on balance I’d say she probably does) Little Proclaims appears to have made the nice list and can expect a bumper selection of stuff to unwrap.

And I also made the nice list, so I can expect a bumper selection of indulgent food and drink. I helped Santa out on that one.

I hope wherever you are and whatever you are doing, that your Christmas is exceeding your expectations.

Merry Christmas!