CHRISTMAS 2002
Regular Features
I-Spy St. Matts
Reviews: Film, TV, Theatre, Games, Music
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Christmas Films
Christmas Soap Watch
The Pantomime Season
Games of the Year
Listings
Special Features
Filming Locations in Bristol
Crystal Balls
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Hello and welcome to the Mutt’s Nuts mini Christmas special!
Back in the December of 1980 (just to jog your memory, it was the month in which John Lennon was shot dead), the world was a very different place. Adam and the Ants, Blondie and Abba were all battling for the Christmas number one. In the cinema, Flash (ah-aaah!) Gordon and The Empire Strikes Back were the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings of their day. If you wanted a night out to celebrate the festive season, then disco wasn't 'retro'; it was still 'hip'! and a pint of beer would have set you back as much as thirty five new pence! You think Blair and Bush are bad? Well, in December 1980, Thatcher was Prime Minister and Jimmy Carter was U.S President. It was also the month in which I was born. Yep, I was a Christmas baby.
So, what is it like having a birthday at Christmas? Well, things do tend to get swamped beneath the lashings of tinsel, fairy lights and bumper festive issues of The TV Times. Any presents, which you are lucky enough to receive, do tend to end up wrapped in shiny paper dotted with festive images of Christmas trees and snowmen. Apparently, buying birthday paraphernalia during yuletide is an immense problem. Every year, my Nan turns up, deeply frustrated at Woollies insistence to abolish birthday cards and replace them with noisy Christmas cards, many of which are voiced by badly impersonated celebrities.
Things are not all that bad though. At school, my birthday always used to fall during the Christmas break. I felt sorry for the kids who actually had to turn up and learn stuff on their birthday! My birthday is on the 29th (a big hint there!) so it is placed nicely between Christmas day and the New Year. Drink of the alcoholic variety flows liberally during this period and there are always plenty of turkey sandwiches to soak it up! Anyway, I had better go now. I have Christmas shopping to do and if I leave it any longer, it will be the 24th before I can say "jingle all the way!” Make sure you keep an eye out for The Mutt's Nuts in the new year!
Merry Christmas!
Rob Lordan, Editor