Tuesday 30 December 2008

As we approach new year, I have been thinking, as I do every year, about the passing of Christmas. I love Christmas and December in general as much, if not more than the next man, woman or child. I am always melancholic when it is over. January just holds no cheer for me whatsoever.

Please stay with me, as there is a point to this nonsense, HONEST! I think that Christmas Eve is my favourite part of Christmas. It's the anticipation, that tingle of knowing that tomorrow is the big day. I guess it's a hangover from childhood. From a very early age, I could never sleep on Christmas Eve. My brother, with whom I shared a bedroom would be off, giving it the z's very early on. I just could not sleep, although I was never awake when my presents were delivered. By the time I was able to go out on the ale, getting to sleep on Christmas Eve didn't seem to be such a problem.

But what of the big day? I tend to view it as the beginning of the end rather than the climax of the celebration. Oh no, in a week's time it'll be January and a couple of days after that it's back to work... Am I really that much of glass half empty person?

Well, no actually, I don't think that I am, because all day today for example, I have been mentally looking forward to the new year. First there's the lighter nights, it's still light at 6 o'clock by the end of January. Then there's the clocks going forward at the end of March, then Easter. Then our first Birthday of the year in May, then the Cup Final. Then in even years, there's a World Cup or Euro Championships, test match cricket, bl**dy tennis, effing motor racing and so on and so forth.