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Tuesday 25 November 2008

From Dallas, Texas, a flash - apparently official - it's Christmas!


I was walking through Hove yesterday. I was also walking through Hove on Saturday, fact fans. Hove is one of my favourite places in the world, which I suppose makes me middle class. Social strata put to one side for a moment, I was in Cromwell Road (both times! but the event in question happened on the Saturday) when I saw a twinkly sight, a house with its Christmas decorations up. It was the first such domestic dwelling I have seen for Christmas 2008, and as such wins my special Scrooge award.

Cromwell Road is a nostalgic place for me. I used to get the bus there, on the way to school. I would then walk up Wilbury Villas and The Upper Drive for more knowledge and not-at-all-emotionally-damaging FUN. So, dwelling on the past, and seeing the happy tree, I quickly noted that the day's date - 22nd November - was an important one in the History of The World. 45 years previously, President Kennedy was assassinated in Elm Street, Dallas.

Perhaps it's indicative of how the world has changed. Or perhaps it is more to do with cultural differences - Americans still have to slog their way through Thanksgiving before they can think about slogging their way through Christmas. But upon close inspection of the Zapruder film, I can't remember seeing a single Christmas Tree or fairy light.

Had President Kennedy been assassinated last Saturday rather than 45 years earlier, it would have made for some interesting juxtapositions for sure. It would also have been rather unwarranted, as he would have been 91 years old. Utterly stupid, needless and retarded juxtapositions. Not wishing to alienate my loyal readership, but anyone who has their house decorated for Christmas more than a week ahead of Christmas Day is a fucking arsehole*, plain and simple. The Lockerbie bomb should be made all the more tragic and poignant because of its proximity to the festive season - 20 years ago on December 21st this year. But remembering the Kennedy Assasination should not ever be done next to a Douglas Fir.

* Well, probably not. But I can't imagine they have a particularly special or exciting Christmas, given that their tree will have turned brown and all their lights burned out by December 14th.

2 comments:

bleep said...

unless I am incorrect I believe that I moved to Brighton on November 22nd.

I defer to any* better estimates.




*yours

dotmund said...

I reckon it was more likely to have been the 18th. But, we can all exhume Kennedy and shoot him again whatever day we like.

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