Ready for a festive battle

When it comes to getting prepped for the Christmas season, the early bird gets the tinsel.

- PAT MCDERMOTT

My mother believed in getting ready for Christmas early. She always wrote a Christmas ‘to do’ list.

Her first rule was to shop “before the rush”, which explains why we were the only family in Canada shopping for tinsel in August.

“Everybody’s going swimming,” I’d whine. “Exactly!” said Mum. “No crowds!”

The shop assistant didn’t know where the tinsel was. He pointed out it was summer. “Exactly!” Mum said. “No crowds!” If the shop assistant returned triumphant, holding up a dusty pack of tinsel, Mum would ask for two more. To this day the family agrees “too much tinsel is never enough”.