There is no place better than England for Christmas. Ive decided its official.

Posted all my Xmas cards today - *shock* *horror* i noticed Christian images on the postage stamps! A picture of Mary and baby Jesus. Blimey. Wonder how long it will before someone spots that and cites it as offensive that someone sent them a freaking xmas card. Also down in the PC front line trenches ive done my bit for Qerween and country. In my office where im honoured with the task of getting the company Xmas cards made up, the big cheese popped round and suggested we amend the wording to read Happy Holidays, it being a more international non 'offensive' english greeting. I smiled sweetly and then 'accidentally' forgot to copy check the cards before they went to print. So all our international offices will now have to suffer that dreadfully offensive christian message of good will - Happy Christmas. Bad luck eh. Frankly he's lucky i didnt insert the word sodding between the Happy and the Christmas.

As i walked home this evening the whole of London was gorgeously lit up and Christmassy. I am lucky enough to live in a true Christmas card of a location with Victorian and Georgian houses and pretty Dickensian little streets. Cant afford to live in any of them of course. A meer snip at £330 000+ for a two bed - so we get to rent . The building we live in is one of a few that ceased to be Victorian and became 1930s when they were all bombed out in WW2. In fact a couple of the Vic houses have corner sections of new bricks where you can see one side of the property suffered bomb damage. History (and the odd hooded chav) aaaall around you.

The tree is up in the window. Its not overly blinged. I was restrained. It is quite big though. I notice the house across the street went nuts with flashing lights. Always a wonder - since they are most likely on benefits. I expect im subbing the leccie bill? I consider it my Xmas present to them. Anyway i digress. (Stay in the spirit). It does look gorgeous though the Old Smoke. Speaking of which - happily that fire is out and we can breathe easy again. Slightly nervous when i left the office that the gentle sleet that was falling might in fact be poisonous soot but seems okay.

Everyone seems pretty jolly. People are smiling and generally being un city like to one another. The pubs i walk past on my walk home from the West End are packed with office workers much like any week i suppose - but its always a cosier feeling at Xmas. Ive braved the shops and survived unscathed thanks to relatively chirpy shop staff and cabbies. Although the check out staff in Tescos are wearing silly hats and tinsel hair but still dont quite seem able to crack a smile. Odd. The other day someone ushered me into first place in the queue when they saw i was only buying stamps. Odd. And under the sparkly Christmas lights at the end of the road theres a French crepe stall, open rain or shine. This evening i stopped and chatted en francais feeling sociable and Christmassy. I often walk past him and never say a word. As i left he offered me a free Nuttella crepe. I had to turn it down as its loaded with chocolate, carbs and about 5 squillion calories. Felt mean though. Still i consider this odd because - well..he's French!

Yep I love this time of year in London. I feel lucky to be here. I also feel lucky that my dad made a decent recovery after unexpected heart surgery recently and that we are only a week or so away from all being together. Its been a while since my sister made Xmas with only two weeks holiday a year in the US. On that note, Im sharing with you a smiley happy silly photo of moi in smiley happy silly Xmas mood. (I know the background is too much. Not very good at photoshop - in fact this was my first attempt). And actually you had to get the large version of this photo here so i could get the more modest version into the profile pic!



ps. Hat tip Right for Scotland via Dangerously Suberversive Dad for this one:

A Modern Fable

and

Rottweiler Puppy magnificently dismantles the Ozzie riot coverage - well worth a read - link right

and also


Please take a moment to read Cao's incredibly thoughtful reminder of the plight of Jack Idema. Particularly as we approach Christmas, we need to spare a thought for him and also the Taylors below. If you havent already clicked on the banal terror poll in a post below it is well worth it. We moan about how these ludicrous PC behaviours are adopted - nows your chance to get in there and mess it all up!

Jack Idema Wednesday Blogburst