He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree
- Roy L Smith

From a commercial point of view, if Christmas did not exist it would be necessary to invent it

- Katherine Whitehorn

What to make of Christmas, eh? Perhaps it's best not to over-analyse it, just let it float past, go with the flow. But do you recall the Christmases of your childhood? Do you remember when magic was literally in the air, when you could have sworn you heard the tinkling of reindeers' bells whizz past your bedroom window? And the vaguely sad horns of a distant Sally Army band playing muted Christmas Carols, stamping their feet on the frosty pavement, white breath on the cold Christmas air...

But where does nostalgiac memory end and highly manipulative advertising take over? What really is the meaning of Christmas? Does it mean anything anymore? Is it just an orgy of eating and shopping and not much else? Or can we still access something more spiritual and meaningful from this time of year? Is it still a time of reflection and remembrance? It's this week's Talking Point:

• What does Christmas really mean to you?

• Do you feel pressure to enjoy Christmas? Do you find it overly loaded with mawkish sentiment? Or is it genuinely a special time for you?

• Are you a practising Christian? Do you think consumerism has devalued and obscured the original spiritual meaning of the Christmas celebration?

• Did you prefer the Christmases of your youth or have they got better as you've got older?

• Does Christmas start too early? What's the earliest you've ever seen Christmas stock or adverstising displayed in your local shops?

• Does Christmas make you sad for any reason? Do you dread this time of year and end up drinking yourself stupid emerging in a foggy blur once the festivities have ended?

• What's your family like at Christmas? Is it all a soft focus picture perfect scene of Bing Crosbyesque domestic bliss? Or do you end up nearly killing each other like a bad scene from EastEnders?