Bah Humbug!

I just can't quite get into the spirit of Christmas this year.

If truth be known I have felt this way for the past thirty years and being back in the tropics with the prospect of working on Boxing Day just reinforces this feeling.

If you celebrate this Christian festival then it might be a different matter but nowadays it often appears that it is pure commercialism promoted first and foremost.

Not that don't enjoy the special light displays that festoon Orchard Road at this time of year. They really do look impressive but you need to wait until 7 pm for the lights to come on.

The other thing that occurs at this time is the last minute frenzy to complete budget spending and get contractors to complete their tasks ahead of the Xmas break. This is when many expatriates emulate the swallows and fly South for the summer.

Completing contracts near Chinese New Year is an even worse proposition so I am told. This delight awaits us when we take over our new 'condo' early January and try to get our minor rennovations completed well before the February 18th date that marks the start of New Year.

It is the Year of the Boar by the way. That is "boar" with an "a" not "bore" with an "e"

My New Year resolution therefore will to be really "piggy" and capitalise on all of the local delicacies on offer! Of course many of the traditional New Year foodstuffs and sweatmeats are now on sale all year round so one does not have to wait until February