'Tis the Season

Deck the halls with boughs of holly -

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!

'Tis the season to be jolly -

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!

March is here, the evenings are getting lighter, there's blossom on the trees, daffodils fill the parks, and I find my mind turning to thoughts of Christmas!

'Hang on!' I hear you say. 'I know that Christmas is getting earlier every year but - March? Isn't that just a little too early?'

Well, no. Not if you're writing a book about Christmas, ready for the Christmas present-buying period. And that's what my next project is! It's called 'What is Myrrh Anyway?' and it's sub-titled 'Everything you wanted to know about Christmas' which should really have the line 'but were afraid to ask' added.

It's a book about the traditions and history of Christmas - all the things we take for granted, such as stockings, the tree, Christmas cards and the like - which we possibly don't know the reasons for or the origins behind. Why is turkey the traditional Christmas bird? Who really is Santa Claus? And was Good King Wenceslas really that good anyway?

So if you'll excuse me I'll just get back to my CD of Christmas carols and that recipe for real mince pies.

Until next time... Ho, ho ho.