Post Early for Christmas

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For the first time, 

I've managed to be ahead of things this year. 

I have in the past always underestimated the time available leading up to Christmas, but not this time. 

I bought my M&S Christmas pudding in November (long sell-by date), 

even a hunk of cake and mince pies are all safely gathered in!

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I buy M&S because this is one time of the year, 

when it is good to have something really nice.

And.....this year, I wrote all my cards early 

and posted them all off last Thursday.

Years ago I would buy an assorted box of 30 cards, 

but always noticed that I ended up with about half a dozen left which, to be honest, I wouldn’t have sent to my Mother-in-Law!…..No, no, no, sorry. I meant worst enemy.

Either the picture on the front was a bit naff or the words inside a bit sloppy. Sometimes both.

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I now buy Charity packs of six,  or sometimes ten, 

with identical pictures and words.

After all, if they are going to different address, who is to know?

What did amaze me this year was the breakdown of where all this money goes.

In my case, the largest ‘Christmas donation’ was not to charity, 

but to the Royal Mail.

30p for a 2nd class stamp and 39p for a First class. 

I don’t see the need for a First class stamp, 

as long as you remember to allow enough time. 

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But as Pam Ayres says - “you may want to impress you friends”.

Hundredweights of Christmas cards,

Went flying through the post,

With First Class postage stamps on those,

You had to flatter most.

Within a million kitchens,

Mince pies were being made,

On everybody’s radio,

“White Christmas”, it was played.

I read somewhere that “Dreaming of a White Christmas” 

was now considered racist!

It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest, 

as we now seem to have everything we do monitored.

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Oh may thy Christmas happy be,

And naught but joy appear,

Is now the wish I send to thee,

And all I love most dear.

Anyway back to the cards. 

At what point does a Christmas card become charitable? 

When 100% of the card price goes to charity? 

Or just 70%... or 50%? 

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Guess again. 

According to the Charities Advisory Trust (CAT), 

some retailers selling charity Christmas cards are passing on as little as 1.1% of the card price to the charity mentioned on the back.

Online shops were identified as the worst offenders with over a quarter of internet retailers giving less than 2% to charity. 

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The CAT found that many high-street stores had improved since last year. 

Most now gave at least 10% to charity. 

Waterstones, Marks and Spencer and Debenhams now donate 20%, 

while John Lewis gives 25%.

I’m afraid I can’t afford to buy by cards from any of those four. 

I better not say how much I paid for my cards - my friends and relations might be reading this! 

What I do know, 

is that my chosen charity got the smallest slice of the cake.

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Simple daisies I have sent thee,

But they have a golden eye,

And they ever look to Heaven

Even ‘neath a wintry sky.

By now all friends and family will have received theirs, 

and now all that remains is to send Christmas Greetings to all my blogger friends and pals.

These greetings are in alphabetical order  (Sorry Zoe!), 

and I hope I have not left too many out. 

(I did worry about this actually and worse still, since uploading onto YT have remembered a few names I should have included.)

I’m sorry about this - I must be getting old and forgetful. It was an accident, I didn’t mean to miss out anyone. 

We are all friends here.

So to ALL my blogging friends -
(plays full screen - I hope)

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See you all next year.

Cheers....Bernard and Wesley. xx

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