CHRISTMAS FALLING VICTIM TO POLITICALLY CORRECT OBSESSION

PARENTS have repeatedly been told by ‘academics’ to stop pretending Father Christmas is real in case the ‘lie’ damages relations with their kids who might then question what else Mum and Dad are lying about.

What! No Father Christmas? Next they’ll be telling us politicians tell the truth and do their ‘underpaid’ job for the love of serving their country!

Why do these academics want to sweep away the myths and legends underpinning our cultural heritage, childhood and growing up? What would kids do without them? Obsess about video games, sexting, selfies?

There are far more obvious ways to get children adjusted to the harsh realities of life than to take away their bit of Christmas ‘magic’. Why not start reintroducing a sense of competition in schools, competition they’ll face soon enough in business and job applications?

I’m reminded here of recent reports that political correctness is crippling British culture with Christmas itself at risk. Christmas trees have already been renamed ‘festive trees’, Christmas ‘the winter holidays’ and a Bournemouth church called St Michael’s now calls itself St Mike’s to attract younger generations to festive services.

When my friend’s daughter was at primary school, she never painted a fireworks picture in November, made Halloween lanterns or took in contributions for Harvest Festival. All things I did at school. Oh, but she did act in a nativity play. However, gone are the days of getting the part of third camel, apprentice angel or inn keeper’s dog. Nowadays everyone has to have an A-list role. I merely appeared as slave to one of the Three Kings!

Another year comes to a close -TWELVE years of this column every single week and well over 600 articles later! Many thanks to all readers for all the great comments to my website about both my column and novels. Pleased the jokes cheer you up in these challenging times and always nice to be appreciated (and praised!) by you. After all, you’re the ones who count – enjoying ‘Breaking Views’ and purchasing my novels (all profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity as you know).

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Nora Johnson’s psychological crime thrillers ‘The Sentinel’, ‘No Safe Place’, ‘Betrayal’, ‘The Girl in the Woods’, ‘The Girl in the Red Dress’, ‘No Way Back’, ‘Landscape of Lies’, ‘Retribution’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora-johnson.net) available online as eBook (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, paperback and audiobook.

Nora Johnson’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.