Jingle bells...

Wednesday 9th December, 2020

I had hoped that there might be a side benefit to this Covid pandemic over the Christmas period. However this morning I popped in to a Charity Jumble sale on my way back from Church. Isaiah had once again worked his prophetic magic and vision on me. He had been compounded by the most stunning rainbow I have ever seen. It was over Dundee opposite where I live. It was almost an entire arc. The arc was reflected in the very still water of the Tay so the rainbow was almost a full circle. It was very bright indeed and almost tangible. There was also a faint double one, a reflection of a reflection. As I walked to church I was ever more conscious of the rainbows in peoples' house windows, there to support and thank key workers for their endurance and courage and efforts. A lovely feeling altogether with a background of a vaccination process beginning.

Then I went to the Jumble. The loud speakers in the hall were belting out Jingle Bells. I hate Jingle Bells and I hate I am dreaming of a white Christmas. I know not why but I find them false jollity and fake merriment. I was at the jumble for ten minutes. I was amazed at the huge amount for sale.....mountains of clothing, thousands of books, toys and tables groaning with bric a brac. As I was leaving with a cherry stone remover made in Italy ( the cutest machine and somehow typically Italian in its flamboyance ) jingle bells started again. I fled.

My walk this afternoon was good. I timed it wrongly and found myself swamped by primary school children and their parents leaving in droves. You will have guessed it for it would be impossible except when fate is being unkind....as I passed a little Renault car waiting by the school gates I heard Jingle Bells.

I am now a grumpy old man and realise that although all the razzmatazz is wonderful for children it is not for me. Yet I admit that I did enjoy the variety of Christmas trees and their decorations I noted through house windows and in three cases outside the front doors of homes I passed. I thought how generous the occupants were to share with us. As yet no house has Jingle Bells on loud speaker but I hear rumours of Rotary Club floats wafting through Dundee and surrounds with Jingle Bells accompanying Rudolf himself aboard. Has not Covid and Tier 3 made that illegal?

I think I need another dose of Isaiah to make me less curmudgeonly. Where is my Christmas spirit? Oh dear, has Covid worked its horror on me?