What used to make it special was the relative briefness of it, with at least some elements of a Christian feel to a Pagan festival. I remember bugging my mum to get the Christmas TV Times and Radio Times when it used to come out around about the second week of December. There was a genuine sense of excitement to look what programmes were on, and particularly the big films. I think from memory you had to wait at least a couple of years from cinema release before a top film would appear on television, and that’s what used to happen at Christmas. Nowadays everything can be accessed virtually immediately – films, music etc. Plus, as I have said previously, it is the length of time devoted now to Christmas, with people putting their decorations up a month or two even before the big day. But in general, not making the effort to keep them up until 12th Night, which is what many of us used to do. Obviously, like most human beings, you want to stay alive, and there are still enough beautiful things in the world to make that worthwhile. But there are many changes to society that at 62, I have seen and wish I hadn’t.