'Tis christmas time again

When does christmas actually start? It's 25th December but when people talk about 'christmas time' it never just means the day. As far as the shops are concerned, christmas begins some time in mid-August. School kids probably see it as starting when their holidays start. I'm not sure when it is to be honest but I usually think that the start of December seems like a good place to start.

Why is it important? Well, apart from the invasion of fat bearded men in red suits invading the streets of the world, it means that I for one time in the year I am allowed to sing without people telling me to shut up. I can sing christmas songs and when people tell me to be quiet I can tell them not to put a dampener on the christmas spirit and they will usually accept this. This can be contrasted to me being told to be quiet and then hushing up and hiding away sheepishly like the rest of the year.

There are many good christmas songs but this year I think I will mainly be singing:

"Feed the scousers,
Let them know it's christmas time." (To the tune of Feed the World)

"On the first day of christmas my true love gave to me...
12 Cantona,
11 Cantona,
10 Cantona,
9 Cantona,
8 Cantona,
7 Cantona,
6 Cantona,
5 CANTONA,
4 Cantona,
3 Cantona,
2 Cantona
and an Eric Cantona."

I'm not sure I'll join in but I'm sure that while at the Madejski I will hear the traditional christmas wishes the Reading fans give the visiting opposition fans at this time of year:
"We wish you a merry christmas,
We wish you a merry christmas,
We wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year.......F*** off!"

One thing I will not be singing is the Mr Blobby song, which was actually the christmas number 1 in 1998. If I get carol singers coming round singing that one I shall be very upset.