Christmas cheer - bumper edition
Have you ever been on a rollercoaster? Well it feels a bit like that now to me with the pandemic– you wish you had never got on but now there’s no option but for it runs its course – and you don’t want to fall off as it comes into the last straight. Easter, one step beyond Christmas, is on the horizon when we shall finally be able to alight. Vaccines are being rolled out and hopefully the NHS will cope again with one last big effort – although many are genuinely battle weary. The darkest hour is before the dawn and we are entering that phase now. It is important to remember while new variants may produce more infections, the infections are no more serious than the earlier ones – indeed with better treatment the outcomes are better – and the vaccines are effective against all the variants.
And so to the neglected elephant in the room – climate change. So much good news this week
- the UK has committed to stop new finance for overseas oil, gas and coal projects
- Jo Biden is appointing some very progressive environmental people
- a coroner in London has ruled for the first time that air pollution made a material contribution to the death of Ella Kissi-Debrah which will likely impact on new builds
- the Government’s independent advisors suggests the UK can make major cuts to carbon emissions more cheaply than previously thought and mapped an achievable path to reaching Britain’s emissions targets, which included strong endorsements of agroforestry and eating less and better meat. Climate Change Committee Report calls for decisive decade
- in the Energy White Paper, the government committed to a smart and flexible electricity system based on wind and solar.
- The Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan committed to the end of the internal combustion engine in less than a decade
- even the Supreme court ruling on allowing Heathrow’s third runway to proceed is a technical one and gives ground for hope of stopping it in the planning stages.
2020 ends with signs of progress for tackling this - the biggest issue of our time. For that at least we should be thankful.
And now the Christmas quiz - to be approached with your favourite drink and hopefully in the company of at least one friend:
a. Name the Christmas song:
1. 🥬❄️🥬❄️🥬❄️
2. 🚗🏠⛄️🎄
3. 🕳🕳🌃
4. 🙏🌲📅
5. 🥈🔔🔔
6. ⬅️🎄🎁❤️
7. 🚫🔔🔔🔚
8. ❄️🥶☃️
9. 🧚🏻♀️📚🗽
10. 😴⚪️🎄
11. 🚶♂️➡️🎄
12. 🎅🏻👶🏼
13. 🦌🔴👃🦌
14. 😄2️⃣🌍
15. 🎅🏻➡️2️⃣🌆
16. 🔇🌚🌛
17. 🤴🏻🤴🏻🤴🏻
b. In what month was the first case of COVID-19 confirmed in the UK?
c. On what date the World Health Organisation declare the coronavirus a pandemic?
d. What town did Dominic Cummings travel to for an eye test?
e. What item was corona famous for a hundred years ago?
And for the cryptic crossworders
f. Sounds like a large stretch of water coming before a turbulent void
Answers next time.
For those missing out on the Christmas Cracker jokes:
1. What is Dominic Cummings’ favorite Christmas song? Driving Home for Christmas.
2. Did you hear that production was down at Santa’s workshop? Many of his workers have had to Elf isolate!
3. Why didn’t Mary and Joseph make it to Bethlehem? All Virgin flights were cancelled.
4. Why are Santa’s reindeer allowed to travel on Christmas Eve? They have herd immunity.
5. Why did the pirates have to go into lockdown? Because the “Arrrr!” rate had risen.
6. Why is it best to think of 2020 like a panto? Because eventually, it’s behind you.
7. Why couldn’t Mary and Joseph join their work conference call? Because there was no Zoom at the inn.
8. Why can’t Boris Johnson make his Christmas cake until the last minute? He doesn’t know how many tiers it should have.
9. What do the Trumps do for Christmas dinner? They put on a super spread.
10. Which Christmas film was 30 years ahead of its time? Home Alone.
Looking back at this year, I am reminded of the story of the man at the optician who was asked what he could see. He responded ‘I see unused airports, empty football grounds, closed theatres, and masked people keeping their distance.’ ‘That’s perfect,’ says the optician, ‘you’ve got 2020 vision.’
Carols from King’s College no doubt will be available on Christmas Eve but for those who feel Christmas carols this year a little different try this. It’s interactive - you can drag the blobs up & down to change pitch or forwards & backwards for different vowels - or just drag them up, watch their lips purse & eyes roll & drop them again for some rather good blobbing! There are also some pre- arranged carols.
https://artsandculture.google.com/experiment/blob-opera/AAHWrq360NcGbw?cp=e30.
This season of ‘good cheer’ behoves us to remember kindness in our dealings as so many people now are dealing with loss on so many levels. The scarcity of our contacts makes each one the more precious and important. And remember ‘This too shall pass.’
Enjoy the festive period and thank you to all the contributors this week and over the year. It has been a privilege to be writing – this is the 27th edition - and to have had such positive contact with so many of you.
with love
Derek