Meet The Real-Life Grinch

Sunday 24th December 2017
Much as I enjoy kneading bread dough, I would make a lot more bread if I had a machine to do it for me. We used to have a bread machine, but I didn't like the blocks of bread it made. But I have now gone and got me a proper food mixer and it makes kneading a cinch. It does a better job than I can by hand too.
So today I knocked up this multiseed nutty bread for a special breakfast tomorrow. I don't know what's happening tomorrow.

Monday 25th December 2017

I don't do Christmas but unfortunately everybody else does, which means that nothing's open and the TV is rubbish. Two reasons I don't do Christmas. The first, I don't believe in any of the Christian stuff. But then nor do most of the people who do Christmas. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting there are a fair number of people who don't even know what they are supposed to be celebrating. The second, it has been completely taken over as a means to indoctrinate young children with commercialised consumerism, the must-have society. It is the ultimate weapon of consumer capitalism.

And the grown-ups have already been indoctrinated. The social pressure to take part in Christmas is huge.

What's craziest is that the whole thing stems from pagan solstice celebrations such as exist all over the world. It stole many of the traditions from those ancient festivals. Yet now, try to celebrate solstice instead and you are considered some sort of weird outcast. I don't do superstitions or rituals of any persuasion, but if I am going to celebrate for any reason then it will be the passing of the seasons.

I grow my own food. I rear animals. I wonder at nature. Christmas has no relevance to my life. The passing of the shortest day is hugely relevant.

Having said all that, the turkey meal still happens and some presents are still exchanged, as I am not strong enough to totally resist all pressure. But this year our most special meal, with friends, was on solstice night and I even dared give a couple of presents for solstice.

The dogs took advantage of the lie-in that was on offer today though.

With the stuffed turkey in the oven, we ventured out along the river with the dogs. The weather was not the perfect winter weather demanded for Christmas day. Instead it was cold and windy with rain threatening. Fortunately the elf hood that I bought for Sue came in very handy, as did Arthur's Christmas jumper. Arthur loves dressing up.

Then it was time for the dogs' presents. It would seem that the dogs have somehow become indoctrinated into the ways of Christmas.

Sue was well-pleased with her Secret Santa present, an egg collecting apron (and even more with the fact that I managed to make her look tall in a photo!)

But in the end it was all too much for everyone.

Tuesday 26th December 2017

Boxing Day. I didn't go to the sales. I didn't go to a football match. I most certainly didn't go fox hunting.

We did go for a walk along the River Welland. And I did watch Jurassic World.

So that's it. Christmas done for another year.