h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A year ago next Sunday the body of Gemma Adams was discovered in a river in Hintlesham, just west of Ipswich. A week or so later Tania Nicol, once a neighbour of mine, was found in Copdock Mill a few miles down the road. She had been missing for six weeks. Over the next week the bodies of another three missing girls, all of whom turned tricks on Portman Road, were found; Annette Nichols, Anneli Alderton and Paula Clenell.

The subsequent media feeding frenzy turned the whole town upside-down. A year's worth of news since, the principal suspect Steven Wright goes on trial in January and for the moment, little is thought of it. I'd all but forgotten myself until the medical records of a couple of the victims showed up at work recently. It punctuated the discomfort of seeing the lights go up, the glowing shop-fronts, the endless rotations of Slade and Wizzard, and knowing that five families are preparing themselves for another shitty Christmas.

The father of a friend died just before Christmas a couple of years ago. Even under 'normal' circumstances, that's not the kind of memory anyone wants.

With my own mother, I had four years to get used to it. She died on 29th February. (Yeah - I can laugh now)

Yes, it's an evil combination, death stuff & the Rest of The World seeming to be desperately pretending to be Having Jolly Good Fun. I squeak from experience.

I am at least doing some good stuff this year, Red Cross want me to go tin rattling (i am extremely good at that!...manic English crazy woman approaches Average French Wimpy male & demands money...)

zdt

Every year, my disgust grows at the crass commercialism rampant at this time of year. "Buy this diamond, your wife will love you more!" "Buy a van, your family will be together again!" Pah.

We're supposed to be charitable to our fellow man, but for some reason, when I see the homeless out at this time of year aggressively panhandling me for money, it makes me even madder. Antisocial of me, I know...

I think as we age and accrue more experience, the holidays become more of a chore. We keep saying we're just going to leave town during the holidays and go somewhere that doesn't celebrate Christmas - just to get away from it all.

Yes, indeed. I do think age & the weariness of "Christmas past" has a lot to do with it. Been there, done that,bought the decorations, now making them to get some extra type stuff for my own Xmas, merci.

"What if God was one of us, just a stranger on a bus, trying to make his way home?"

http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/ifgodwasoneofuslyrics.html

Personally; i have no family left, no "close" friends, other than a guy i have supported emotionally, financially & every other way through his troubles for 3 years, who has suddenly bought a seaside house 3 hours drive away; so i will be alone for Xmas, other than online folks.

But the good news is that Red Cross, who i do voluntary work for, want me to do stuff over Christmas. Excellent! I honestly believe (maybe naïvely) that when you *know* you are going to get down, the only way out of that is to give back, share, remember the few good Christmases with others who also have few...& remembember it was originally either a Pagan festival or a Christian one...doesn't really matter does it; it was an occasion of joy in gloomy dark Winter & a time to celebrate "peace on earth, goodwill to all men"

...AND Women!!!! Poor ol' Mary "Hey Joe, i'm gonna have a baby, where's the inn?"

"Er, it's full; will a stable do?"

zdt

Had forgotten that my dad died on 23rd December, though he wasn't found until 8th January. I've got my friend Tom coming over for the day; his parents have gone to NZ for a few years. I'll probably end up being his life coach again, talk about the blind leading the blind.

Hope you'll be able to enjoy Christmas Terri.