Tuesday 31 December 2013

When exactly is Easter 2014?!

I have to ask the question, is Easter early in 2014?

I haven't unwrapped my selection of new calendars yet (as I write this, it's only New Year's Eve), yet my daughter has reported she saw Mini Eggs in Asda on Friday 27th December.

Then, as I stood in the queue at WH Smith's yesterday, I spotted Crème Eggs and Malteaster bunnies nestling by the till.

To be honest, I couldn't quite believe it.

In my mind, at least, Christmas 2013 hasn't yet finished, and here we were with the next consumer onslaught.

Just in case you don't know, I've been told that Easter Sunday is 20th April - which is in fact quite late.

So why we need 16 weeks to purchase our chocolate eggs and other seasonal confectionery and cakes is a bit of a mystery.

What's next?  Hallowe'en stuff on the shelves in June and the 'Back to School' range available in May?!

Friday 27 December 2013

Manners Maketh Man...

Manners maketh man.

If, like me, you went to a Church comprehensive school in Northamptonshire then these words will sound familiar.

It was a favourite saying of one of the Deputy Heads.

He was a stickler for good manners, and that saying has stuck with me.

I thought of him the other day when I was whacked very hard in the leg in Waitrose.

It was Christmas Eve Eve (the day formerly known as 23rd December) and the shop was very busy.

I was searching the wine aisle for my Mum's favourite tipple - Lambrusco - which I couldn't find anywhere.  I'm guessing it's become deeply unfashionable, but she likes it, so I was on a quest.

A gentleman tried to manoeuvre his groaning trolley past my husband's basket (we only go there for Dickinson & Morris pork pies at Christmas and Easter, it's become a tradition) but hit it full tilt, whacking it into my knee.

As I crumpled, clutching my wounded knee (not exaggerating, it really did hurt, I've got a massive bruise, but then again I do bruise like a peach), the gentleman, on realizing he was the cause, stopped to see if I was OK, apologized profusely, before continuing on with his trolley once I'd assured him that I would survive (cue Gloria Gaynor soundtrack).

Now, although I was still hurt, I felt slightly better that he'd bothered to check if I was OK and say sorry. 

I just wish that people were always this polite.  I read some horrendous things people say to each other on social media, and hope that they aren't that rude in real life.

But this then leads me to ask, if they wouldn't say that in person, what makes them think it's OK to say it online? 

Wouldn't it be good if people remembered their manners no matter where they were - or is that just me being old-fashioned?

 

Monday 23 December 2013

Review of the Year, 2013

Does anyone else remember watching the Clive James' Review of the Year show on New Year's Eves in days gone by?

It was essential viewing in our house - watched on the night when I was too young to go out partying and then recorded on the trusty VHS video when I was old enough to head out 'into town'(and watched the next day whilst drinking tea and nursing a sore head!).

Dear old Clive - accompanied on a Casio-style keyboard by his faithful singing sidekick Margarita Pracatan - took a humorous look back at the events of the year just passed.

So, if you'll humour me, and kind of in honour of Clive, I'd like to do my own Review of the Year, based on the columns I've written in 2013, which sometimes look at the quirkier side of life in our corner of Northamptonshire.

January - the Brookfield Plantation under threat.  I wrote about the possible destruction of a large area of established trees in order to build a 'resource recovery park'.  I wish I could give you all an update on this, but it's still rumbling on.  Corby Council are due to make a decision early in 2014 I believe.  Sadly no news on where the deer and other wildlife will go if the trees are destroyed though.

February - Richard III discovered under a car park in Leicester.  Poor chap is still awaiting a re-burial due to a legal challenge.  I did muse that as he was born in Northamptonshire and was a Roman Catholic, perhaps Northampton Cathedral was an appropriate resting place.  Unsurprisingly, nobody went with this idea.  Also, Pope Benedict resigned much to everybody's surprise.

March - a photo of Chalky the deer appeared in the Northants Telegraph, verifying that the white stag of Brookfield Plantation exists!  We were also told by fashion magazines to wear all white for the summer - I was sceptical at this advice and expressed that I had no desire to dress like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.

April - Brookfield Plantation March took place in Corby town centre, about 300 people attended, and it made the BBC Regional News that evening.  No, I didn't see myself in any of the photos or on the TV, but I was there, proudly wearing my 'Save Chalky' t-shirt!

May - Eurovision.  I admitted to you all that I'm a fan of Bonnie Tyler.  I still think it's a shame she didn't win - she's fab and the song was good.  A victim of tactical voting, methinks.  Why do we bother entering Eurovision?

June - British wildlife under threat from over-development.  We still need to save the bees!

July - Gangnam-style MPs.  Keith Vaz, in his infinite wisdom, decided to challenge the other MPs representing the finalists for City of Culture to a dance-off.  Wrong on so many levels.  Leicester lost, Hull won.

August - Prince George arrives.  The world breathed a sigh of relief and Kay Burley went for 36 hours without a comfort break.

September - The Seven Wonders of Northamptonshire.  Included, controversially, the Corby Cube which, at the time, required another £600,000 to fix what is essentially a flat roof.

October - I detailed why I hate Bonfire Night.  Yes, I'm aware it should be on 5th November, but this year it started mid-October and ended mid-November!  Also the lovely Fran Quinn won Great British Bake-Off, news which cheered me, nearby Market Harborough, and possibly the nation.

November - I imparted the sad news that the 'laminated book of dreams' in Argos was to be scrapped and replaced by tablet computers.  Also, Children in Need and the response to the Philippines appeal restored my faith in human nature, which had taken a battering from the over-commercialization of Christmas and adverts with feature-film budgets bombarding me on a daily basis.

December - The X-Factor and my favourite Christmas song.  I still think Sam Bailey is amazing - and a worthy winner, her version of 'The Power of Love' is better than the original - and I listen to The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl every year and probably always will.

That's Helen Bach's Review of the Year.  Many thanks for reading and a Happy 2014 to you all! 


Tuesday 17 December 2013

'Twas Christmas Eve, babe... revisited and re-mixed for 2013

What's your favourite Christmas song?

Mariah belting out 'All I Want for Christmas is You?', Wham's 'Last Christmas' or Shakin' Steven's double-denim classic 'Merry Christmas Everyone' perhaps?

I see Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' is predicted to be the top earning festive tune of 2013 - Noddy Holder and the other band members must be rubbing their hands in glee with the news that about £500,000 in royalties is heading their way!

At last, and not before time, there are some good new offerings this year - I keep finding myself singing Kelly Clarkson's 'Underneath the Tree', and Leona Lewis has 'One More Sleep', surely the favourite way of counting down the days by junior family members (other than with a chocolate-filled Advent calendar, of course!)

But my all-time favourite is ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

My husband can never get his head around this, and always says “But it’s not jolly.  You can’t have a Christmas song that’s not jolly!”

But I believe that a Christmas song doesn’t need to be happy and, in fact, is all the better for not being.

Before you put me in the Grinch category, let me explain.  I think that this song serves as a reminder that not everybody will be having a happy yuletide. 

Personally, it’s at this time of year when I particularly think of homeless people, struggling to stay warm in freezing temperatures. 

Or elderly people with no family to visit, lonely and alone. 

Or the bereaved, where Christmas highlights their loss. 

Not everyone will be having a ‘Perry Como' or 'Bing Crosby’ Christmas, and that’s what this song is saying.

So whilst I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, I ask you to spare a thought for those less fortunate while you listen to the dulcet tones of Shane McGowan and friends singing, in my opinion, the best Christmas song ever. 

Altogether now:
“And the boys of the NYPD choir were singing Galway Bay,
And the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day.”

Monday 9 December 2013

What's your favourite Christmas song?

Mariah belting out 'All I Want for Christmas is You?', Wham's 'Last Christmas' or Shakin' Steven's denim-clad-classic 'Merry Christmas Everyone'?

Well, since you ask, mine is ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

My husband can never get his head around this, and always says “But it’s not jolly.  You can’t have a Christmas song that’s not jolly!”

But I believe that a Christmas song doesn’t need to be happy and, in fact, is all the better for not being.

Before you put me in the Grinch category, let me explain.  I think that this song serves as a reminder that not everybody will be having a happy yuletide. 

Personally, it’s at this time of year when I particularly think of homeless people, struggling to stay warm in sub-zero temperatures. 

Or elderly people with no family to visit, lonely and alone. 

Or the bereaved, where Christmas highlights their loss. 

Not everyone will be having a ‘Perry Como' or 'Bing Crosby’ Christmas, and that’s what this song is saying.

So whilst I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, I ask you to spare a thought for those less fortunate while you listen to the dulcet tones of Shane McGowan and co singing the best Christmas song ever. 

Altogether now:

“And the boys of the NYPD choir were singing Galway Bay,
And the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day.”

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Christmas shopping - keep it simple, keep it local!

This year, with regards to Christmas gifts, I made a big decision.

I pledged that I was not going to buy on-line, or from large shops, but from local companies where possible.

So, friends and family should perhaps stop reading now, as they'll find out what they're getting from me for Christmas.

For anyone still with me, this has involved buying hand-made Christmas cards from a charity Christmas fair, gift vouchers from a local hostelry, presents from the village shop and coffee shop, Avon items from the local representative, plus a trip to a nearby independent garden centre for locally produced jams and chutneys.

Unfortunately, there are some things which I can't get other than at my closest larger store - wines and spirits - but with the majority of presents, I've tried my best to support local businesses.

Truthfully, this is partly down to the fact that I cannot even contemplate heading to London, Leicester, Nottingham or Milton Keynes (other large cities are also available) and battling with shoppers in a consumer melee.

The scenes of madness from so-called 'Black Friday' were truly shameful - people literally fighting over electronic gadgets, and ending up in hospital. 

But the main reason is that I think we need to support local, independent businesses, and I was heartened to see that 'Small Business Saturday' is popping up in various town centres on 7th December to encourage people to shop in this way.

It's true that we're slowly dragging ourselves out of recession, but a lot of smaller companies are still struggling and are finding it hard to compete with the behemoth on-line retailers and hyper-market-type warehouses in out-of-town locations with free parking which are destroying our old town centres.

My gesture may be small, but if everyone bought just some of their gifts closer to home, bought their refreshments in independent cafes, and ate meals at their local pub/restaurant, it might help to keep these independent businesses running, thus keeping more money in our local economies, and giving employment to local people.

'Keep it simple, keep it local' - sounds like a good slogan for a campaign to me!