Tis the Season to be Jolly

Another year has passed and Christmas is fast approaching. A time for family, fun and feasting. And also for decorating a random plastic tree and telling children that if they behave, a fat old guy will break into their home and leave gifts under said plastic tree. Normally if a random old fat man gives children gifts we all wonder what he is up to, and if he tries to enter our homes uninvited and unannounced we call the police/neighbourhood watch/security company/Swat team.

Now in theory we celebrate Christmas as a reminder of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, but I struggle to find any reference to brightly lit plastic trees with colourful decorations and a pedophilic old guy in a red suit that sneaks into houses in my Bible. So I do not celebrate with plastic trees filled with so many flashing lights that it classifies as a fire hazard. No, I celebrate by thanking God for another year gone by. I celebrate by spending time with friends and family and reminding myself how truly blessed I really am. I celebrate by remembering the birth of our Saviour, and the ultimate sacrifice that He made for me.

This Christmas I wish you only the best. May your day be filled with good memories, with family and friendship. May it be a blessed day. If someone inevitably puts on the Boney M Christmas album (which turns everyone into people-hugging Christmas zombies) then just enjoy it. And if you spot a creepy old guy in a red suit trying to give something to your child, then punch him squarely in his jolly red nose....

Harder Than It Looks

I recently heard about theme-based education for kids, in which you take a letter of the alphabet and build an educational theme around it. Seeing as I am immersed in playing Skyrim again, I thought I'd see how difficult it was to build an entire alphabetic theme around it. Here is my humble effort...

The Skyrim Alphabet

A

A is for Aldmeri – a dominion of elves

B

 B is for booty – which we take for ourselves

C

 C is for Chaurus – deadly and scary

D

D is for dog – friendly and hairy

E

E is for Erik the Slayer – handsome and brave

F

F is for Falmer – who hide in dark caves

 

G

 G is for Ghostblade – spectral and light

H

H is for housecarl – your backup in a fight

I

 I is for Illusion – spells that cloud the mind

J

J is for Jarl Elisif – ruler fair and kind

K

 K is for kinsmen – your brothers in arms

 

L

L is for Lydia – who keeps you from harm

M

M is for Markarth – The City of Stone

N

 N is for Nightingale Hall – a place thieves call home

O

 O is for Olaf One Eye – First High King

Q

Q is for Queen Potema – Evil Wolf Queen

R

 R is for runner – who brings you your letters

S

 S is for skill – which keeps getting better

T

T is for Thuum – a mighty dragon shout

U

U is for Ulfric – always ready for a bout

 

V

V is for vampire – evil and cruel

 

  W

W is for werewolves – who tend to drool

X

 X doesn’t have a word – because Skyrim is funny

Y

Y is for Ysolda – a cute Whiterun honey

Z

Z is for Zaria – shop-owner and Redguard

And that's the Skyrim Alphabet, boy this was hard!

And then there was P, left out in the cold. P is for Paarthurnax - alone, wise and old....