The true story of the festive season

I LIKE Christmas, I’ve always liked it. But one thing I don’t like is the annual whinge from those people who say we’ve lost the true spirit of Christmas and that it has become submerged in commercialism, consumerism, materialism and whatever ‘ism’ you’re having yourself.

As for that theologian I heard on Joe Duffy’s radio programme who was trying to stop us singing carols before midnight on Christmas Eve… well, I’m glad the people of Ireland got on the phone to tell him what an idiot he was.

So in order to clarify what exactly the true spirit of Christmas is I’m going to tell you how it all started.