Bah, humbug ... but...

I don't do Christmas. Emerging from a long immersive posting in rural Africa, many years ago, into the full force of the last shopping days before Christmas, put me off it for life. No presents given or accepted; no cards sent. I don't decry the core message of Christmas; but that message was long ago lost in the commercialism.

Except ... that isn't entirely true. To my partner, Jan, Christmas is important. Some compromise was necessary. So, it's no presents given or accepted - except to and from Jan. No cards - ditto. For her part, she compromises too by keeping the giving small and thoughtful.

So, this year, as every year, I find myself the delighted recipient of presents which I had never imagined but which are exactly right.

I'll talk further about two of them, as and when time permits - both of them photographic.

[Post script: I finally got around to it in February '07 - here and here.]