A bout of tinsellitis
21.12.07
With Christmas fast
approaching it seemed like the obvious thing to do for
my column this week would be to write about something
seasonal. But I couldn’t think of anything so I came up
with this bout of nonsense instead.
For this week’s column I trekked deep undercover into
the heart of a dark forest in Inishowen where I met up
with someone central to the celebrations at this time of
year – Chris Mystery.
For hundreds of years he’s been one of the images
associated with the festive season, but could I find out
what he was really like?
So Chris what is your earliest childhood memory?
I don’t really like to talk about my childhood too much.
To be honest I was a bit of a sap when I was wee and as
a result I ended up getting cut off from my family and
friends. You mean you don’t see them at all now? |
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Well at this time of year
there’s always the chance I’ll bump into one of them,
but nope not really. I do pine for them sometimes and
I’m determined that one day I’ll go back to my roots.
How did you end up in the festive season business? It
was a fluke really. I was cut off from my family and
friends and was backed into a corner. I didn’t know what
to do so I started trying to come up with ideas.
Suddenly a wee light came on, then another and then
another...people liked them and it all kinda branched
out from there.
Dramatic pause here....it might take a wee while for
some people to twig...)
You are a symbol of the season now, but other things
about this time of year do you like?
I guess the fact that if you’re told to stand in the
corner for the present, it inevitably comes. And I’m
pretty proud of the bravery I’ve shown at this time of
the year. I’ve been knocked over and buried into buckets
and clamped into stands but just kept a brave face all
the time. Yep, bravery...jeekers I’ve lost count of the
number of times I’ve been decorated at this stage!
So are there things you are not that keen on at this
time of the year?
Well I guess like anyone, I don’t like getting sick. |
I remember a few years back
I had a terrible bout of tinsellitis.
Oh and there’s the way Christmas music has changed over
the years as well. I mean at one stage it was all
beautiful Christmas carols and for about 300 years we
had a guaranteed number one from Cliff Richard. Now it’s
all thump, thump, thump and fast talking rhyme. I can’t
believe how popular that rappin' paper has become! If
you won the lotto what would you do?
Well if I won the lotto I guess I’d take a well earned
break and I’d most likely go on a boar trip. Hey it
would be nice for me to get a chance to sit on the ferry
for a change! |
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A DROP OF
PORTER is
the weekly
column of
Inishowen
Independent
editor,
Liam Porter. |
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