There always being a house in every neighbourhood which goes overboard on its Christmas lights

That moment of switching them on and watching all the lights in the adjacent  houses flicker and dim is one of the delights of Christmas. But what they subtract from the National Grid  is more than compensated for by what they add to the gaiety  of the nation. More power to them. “It wouldn’t be Christmas without our lights,” says festive-bling obsessive Bert Scrapps , patting a life-size neon reindeer in his front garden ( complete with moving legs).

”If we didn’t do this we’d only spend the money on presents for the kids.”Most Christmas  Quot arises from forgetting what you told yourself last year – to start shopping earlier , to buy only square easy-to-wrap presents, and to get only plain coloured wrapping paper so you don’t get stressed  trying to line up the Christmas Trees on the joins (and which can also be used throughout the year for birthdays )

(Thelma Tuft , Royston) - QQQ**