Monopoly
I have a love-hate relationship with this game. I cannot quite stand it and yet, come the Yuletide season, an unstoppable urge to play it descends upon me. I don’t play it at any other time of year and every time I get a glimpse of the box in the middle of July, it immediately conjures Crimbo up as much as...
Panettone
I must confess pandoro is my favourite, the tall star sprinkled with impalpable icing sugar, but then the basic version of panettone, the one that only has raisins, is a favourite too. It alone is the only reason I sometimes swap Starbee for Costa; they sell mini panettoni all year round and I just love to eat one, no matter the season.
Presents
Yes, shoot me if you must and then stick your own sense of leftist self-righteousness where the sun doesn’t shine. Doesn’t one of the greatest literary classics begins with ‘Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents’? Much as I hate Little Women, Jo utters one of the greatest truth known to mankind.
Home Alone and Home Alone 2
Kevin’s family, and his parents especially, always irritate me beyond belief, but so long as I close my eyes and grit my teeth when they come on screen, I am sort of ok. I am not shocked that they leave the kid at home you know, but that they cannot see that he is the smartest of the pack and gets bullied for the privilege. A modern classic and my favourite up until...
The Polar Express
Nothing else to say on this one.