We know it makes perfectly good, green, economic sense to send e-cards at Christmas, but we’re fighting against it for at least another year. It may well be ‘old school’ to fight its corner but in an environment of fast faceless communication it’s an opportunity to be a little more personal, generous even, and OK, just a tad self indulgent. But, it must be said, we enjoy crafting our unique cards, signing each one individually, double-checking that people haven’t died since last year etc etc. Plus we’d like to think that our clients enjoy receiving them and even have a giggle at them. Granted, we’re not talking faceless corporate cards, our Christmas issue generally features Foundation staff so perhaps it’s vanity that keeps us following this tradition and the kick we get from our caricatures sitting on our client desks. We’d rather this than the single strike of the delete button sending even the most beautiful electronic card to its final resting place. Merry Christmas x

Subject: General by Liz

We’ve just sent 12 fine young hopefuls, in their prime, across the water to Africa. Each one ready for an adventure, none knowing what to expect but all most certainly up for a challenge. Our crack team is no ordinary group of volunteers – they are in fact a flock of elite chickens and their mission is to change the lives of at least one family out there. Instead of indulging our clients with fine wines and chocolates this Christmas, we’re donating chickens to help less fortunate African families. We’re hoping that they’re not tossed on the fire immediately, instead we’d like to think that these low maintenance, high yielding little cluckers will be used to rear other chicks, produce a steady stream of eggs and be used as currency for school fees and healthcare. We think our clients will approve!

Subject: General by Liz

I’m putting my neck on the line here – there’s a serious risk that I’m going to come across as being anti-Christmas, honestly I’m not. But a recent study by Waitrose claims that a quarter of the population consider Christmas to be the most stressful time of the year – at this point you can of course refer to my earlier blog ranting about the fact that the Christmas build-up is starting too early in the year!

However, Waitrose have nailed the top 10 causes of Christmas stress (I particularly like causes 7-10!):

1. Wasted food (Solution: don’t buy so much then! Simples.)

2. Mess in the kitchen (Solution: turn a blind eye or better still, have another drink.)

3. Not having enough space around the table (Solution: improvise, create an extension to your dining table with the wallpaper pasting table or the tacky plastic patio one. Eclectic chic.)

4. Not having enough food (Solution: buy more food then! Simples.)

5. Burning the Christmas dinner (Solution: you tell your guests it’s a precaution against the dangers of undercooking!)

6. Children filling up on chocolate and sweets before dinner (sorry, can’t see what’s wrong with this – that’s their job)

7. Catering for vegetarians or diners with allergies (Solution: if it’s all burnt anyway, the vegetarians won’t notice the meat and you’ll possibly have killed off any allergy-inducing content.)

8. Guests getting too drunk (nah; my worry is that the cook will get too drunk!)

9. The smell of Brussels sprouts (Solution: cancel it out with another vile smell, wet dog perhaps.)

10. Finding meat for those with dentures (Solution: I thought we’d agreed to burn the dinner, in which case the peas will be like bullets and the parsnips like bits of balsa wood anyway!)

Thanks Waitrose, very helpful!

Subject: General by Liz

For those of you that remember the fantastic, if not slightly strange Dave Stinton, who used to answer our phones. Well Dave has put his skills to good use and produced a festive little snippet for us all to enjoy.

Merry Christmas

Click Elf Snowball Fight to see the video

Subject: General by Neil

I can’t take the credit for the above – it was apparently voted the best joke at the Edinburgh Fringe. It made me giggle so I’m sharing it with you, it is after all the season of giving.

Talking of  the ‘season of giving’……………did you know that in the US it’s formerly defined as the weeks between American Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve! How very precise of them. I think here in the UK we should formerly have a defined ‘run-up to Christmas period’, possibly starting December 1^st before which time it’s frowned upon, heck, make that actually ILLEGAL, to put up Christmas decorations, buy presents or consume a single mincepie until the calendar, not the retailer, dictates. Don’t mean to sound like an old Scrooge but the run up to Christmas does seem to be starting earlier and earlier each year. Believe me, this has nothing to do with the fact that Neil and Aaron have finished buying all their presents AND WRAPPED THEM!!! and are both displaying a certain smugness. It is adding to my angst however! I pride myself on my shopping skills but have to admit I get more of a rush when I’m buying for me than for others – is that soooo wrong? I think not – as you read in my intro, I enjoy giving in other ways. Bah! Humbug!

Subject: General by Liz