Christmas Time

Time of course is what we Timelords are about. And Christmas Time is one of the times we care about very much.

I was reminded how very special time is at Christmas when I went to call on the Tractor family on Christmas Eve. Tractor Boy was giving his mum a fair amount of earache about opening a present - like now if not sooner! Tractor Mum made the very fair point that if he was in Germany he could have a present now because that is how they do things there. But of course they are not there.....they are here.......so that cut little ice with the little chap.

Then Tractor Man tried again and said that if Tractor Boy was in Spain he could not have his present until 6 January . ....which as we all know is another year away.....because that's what they do over there. And it just goes to prove it must be better here than in Spain at least if you want your Christmas presents now.

And if that is not enough there are certain parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church where the calendar is still 13 days behind the rest of us so there you wait until 7 January for Christmas Day and many believers still observe Christmas Eve as a strict fast day.

I thought it best not to mention this extra nugget of information to Tractor Boy. By this time I was beginning to detect a touch of frustration creeping in.

I did wonder though about saying to Tractor mum when I next meet her that if she is quick about it and books a cheap flight to Moscow she and Tractor Boy can have a second Christmas within a matter of days. And with plenty of snow and snowmen thrown in for good measure.

In the end Tractor Boy was convinced that the time for opening presents had still to come by the simple fact that the four carrrots on the bench near to the door of his house had not yet been eaten. Because until they are eaten by the hungry reindeer it is certain Father Christmas has not come and until he comes how can there be presents to open?