A sizeable portion of the world is decorating these days – even if it's only to hang a bit of green or a provide a splash of colour around the place. If where you are is warm, and happy, if you and your loved ones are merry and well-fed – why, then, rejoice: bask in the glow and share the love. Do not be dissatisfied with your lot and start wishing you had a bigger car: where you are, with what you have, you're probably happier than many a billionaire. If your surroundings are dark, and sad, and full of danger, our thoughts reach out to you. This season exists because winters are harsh and humans are, too, sometimes. People, let us love our neighbours however we can. Try and spread the warmth.
Nature pops up in our pages this week. Sasha's found another water bird that wants to moon us. Can you guess what it is? The moon was mooning everyone the other night. It was quite a sight. Rats are resourceful and sunsets inspiring. There's even a surprise rainbow.
Speaking of nature, our Weather Feature of the Week stars the seasonal aerial phenomenon known to a certain security guard of my younger days as 'frozen precip'. The rest of us call it 'snow'. Yes, there's a whole section on snow. This section is not merely decorative: it is also informational. Willem hasn't experienced snow. I was a dozen years old before I lived through a snowy winter. I have personally seen people from warmer climates to whom an Alpine snowdrift came as a miraculous epiphany. So here, thanks to Tavaron, who is Austrian, we have snow in a few of its many moods. Please appreciate.
Holiday customs can range from the sublime to the ridiculous on a sliding scale. Thus we have some seasonal piano music by Mrs Hoggett, which is definitely on the sublime end. Then Rossi the kitty graces Galaxy Babe's festive circle. A bit more puzzling – at least to foreigners – but still welcome is the amazing holiday postbox topper Paigetheoracle discovered in Nairn, Scotland. All the way over on the silly scale, I've dug up a Santa-being-kidnapped story by none other than L Frank Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz. He was definitely not above that sort of thing in order to finance his own kids' Yuletide stockings.
We have humour. Awix has cinema. Bluebottle has romance. Paulh has a rake. Share and enjoy.
I hope you have a good week in preparation for next week's festivities. May the snacks and drinks be to your liking and the carolling tuneful. May your memories be bright. And may you find the opportunity to brighten someone else's path during this season. Joyeux Noel to all.
Quote of the Week. I witnessed a massacre last night as tens of thousands of people were all Whammed at once- – their Whamageddon lives snuffed out like so many candles.
Well played, Arrowhead Stadium. Well played.
Seantachlaus R Frazier on Twitter
|
