Now, There’s a Thought

QQUICK

QUIZ 1 What type of nut is in the centre of a Ferrero Rocher chocolate? 2 Who was Henry VIII’s sixth wife? 3 What is the capital city of Finland?

6 A ANSWERS 1. Hazelnut. 2. Catherine Parr. 3. Helsinki. 4. ‘Space Man’. 5. 15. 6. Ralph Vaughan Williams. What was the name of the UK entry performed by Sam Ryder at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest? How many players are in the starting line-up of a rugby union team? Who composed the work for violin and orchestra ‘The Lark Ascending’? 4 5

by Nigel Bovey

Post script of Christmas

IN many households, the arrival of the first card bearing the

latest Christmas stamp marks the beginning of the festive season. The plop on the doormat signals a rush to see not only who is to receive the first card but also who has sent it.

The first card, though, is not always the bringer of seasonal joy. It is sometimes a reminder that there’s lots to do before the big day – visiting rotas to negotiate, presents to organise, cards and stamps to buy and addresses to find.

And then there’s the annual chestnut-roasting discussion about who to write our own cards to. We must send one to third-cousin Betty, who we haven’t seen in donkey’s but who religiously sends us a card of Mary sitting on one. Must we? Then we realise we’ve missed the Not everyone posting date for Uncle Tom in Timbuktu. Argh! Isn’t Christmas supposed to be a is a fan of time of peace and goodwill? Perhaps to lessen the stress, many e-cards people are sending e-cards. A one-off payment allows a subscriber to send endless personal greetings (the same one if needs must) around the world at the click of a mouse.

Once the recipient clicks on their notifying email, the card launches into a 90-second animation with accompanying music. On the final frame, the Christmas greeting scrolls into view.

Not everyone is a fan. Some people think that because it’s not hand-scrawled then it’s not personal. Others prefer a traditional card to add to their festive wall-hangings. Yet, if it truly is the thought that counts, then e-cards are a way of letting people know we are thinking of them.

Depicted on cards, described in the Gospels and delivered in carols, the overriding message of Christmas is that God is thinking of us.

An angel messages Joseph: Mary’s child Jesus will also be called ‘Immanuel’, meaning ‘God with us’. Angels voicemail the shepherds: A saviour has been born to you. John’s text says that God gave us his Word – Jesus – to live among us.

However we receive it, there can be no better news.