The true meaning of Christmas

It really upsets me that the true meaning of this time of year is all but lost. As the disgusting excesses of consumerism are played out across the country, it becomes clear that we have forgotten what it's all about.  And I'm not talking about the birth of Christ.

People argue that this is a Christian country, and the statistics appear to support them, but what does that really mean? Just because most of the Country ticked the C of E box on the last census doesn't mean they actually believe in or even understand the religion. If anything it represents a mild interest in drinking coffee on a Sunday Morning. The overwhelming majority of 'Christians' will only go to church for Christmas, and that's completely pointless. If God really exists then he knows what you're trying to do, and if he's that easily fooled then he's not worth worshipping. In short most people are not truly Christian, but everybody celebrates this time of year. For most people, the celebration is about something else.

The real purpose of 25th December is for population of the Northern Hemisphere to attempt to cheer itself up in the middle of an otherwise relentlessly bleak winter. And for Australians to rub everybody else's noses in it by having a barbeque on the beach. For most of us it's got nothing to do with religion or shopping. It's about taking a few days off work, seeing your friends and family, and eating and drinking more than usual.

So to those of you who truly understand what it means, Merry Christmas!

Tinselworm

Bill Bailey's Tinselworm on Friday night was brilliant. Predictably the Bush administration came in for a bit of a pasting, but Bailey's characteristic rambling took over. The hour that followed included a jazz version of God save the Queen, a conspiracy theory about cameras in ham, and an argument between five sides of Bill Bailey's psyche projected on an enormous screen above the stage. 

Towards the end of the second half Bailey announced that the Wembley Arena crowd that night was the biggest he had ever performed for. By way of celebration he rode a motorised trouser press through the aisles, before inviting an indian band on stage. One of the band was playing an Afghani instrument whose name I forget, but which is essentially an even more complicated sitar. Bailey picked up an electric sitar, and the two of them played an incredible version Dueling Banjos. They then covered Radiohead's Creep, before Bailey played his own Love Song. He did seem to be indulging himself, living out some kind of rock star fantasy as he played guitar to a packed Wembley Arena, but I don't think anybody would have denied him the opportunity.