The Best Lie Ever told to Children!

The best lie ever...

The origins of Santa and the stories surrounding Christmas are buried beneath layers of popular cultural belief. I am, of course, for the moment, putting aside the religious meanings of Christmas – it’s not that I am anti Christian or anything, simply that the notion of telling children the story of Santa and his reindeer has got to be one of the greatest and most enduring stories of all time ( next to the bible and religious teachings). It is also the biggest lie that parents happily enthral their children with.

I mean, when you think about it the image of a big fat man in a bright red suit sliding down your chimney (breaking into your house), eating your food and drinking your wine and then going into a child’s bedroom when they are asleep, ought to be pretty scary for most children. But, hey, it’s okay for this intruder because he’s bringing a sack full of presents! Right!

It just struck me that in other circumstances you could possible write a reasonable paranormal thriller story around the notion of this superman character who can get his reindeer to pull a sledge around the heavens and visit every child in the world in the space of just one night!

But hey, who am I to spoil the kiddies’ fun? I believed it myself for a fair few years… And enduring and endearing it still is – especially when you watch their little faces light up with the wonder and the thrill of it all because they’ve listened hard on Christmas Eve and heard the sleighbells…

A very Merry Christmas to one and all and here’s hoping we all have a peaceful 2012!

Can you rhyme orange?

I was looking through some old stuff from my university course the other day and recalled a great discussion about how certain words just did not have much rhyming potential. The word in question was 'orange'. I found the short poem I wrote to prove I could rhyme it - sort of...

"Fresh pasta and sauces, the taste buds they tingle

As the wonderful smells delightfully mingle.

With cutlery clinking, the diners tuck in

and the champagne bubbles, they sparkle and spin.

Some touch the huge platter of duck a l' orange

sat next to the shivering strawberry blancmange.

And all agree the feast was delicious even if not so completely nutritious. "

It may not be the best bit of poetry in the world but I do remember having fun devising it as I also tried to incorporate all the senses. It made me realise that writing can sometimes be just about fun. It doesn't always have to be a gallop to the finishing post of publication. We should all make time to linger along the way and smell the flowers.
What do you think? Do you sometimes write purely for fun? Can you find a better rhyme for 'orange'?

NAWG

National Association of Wrting Groups (NAWG) is having it's festival of writing in Nottingham this year. Much more easily accessible, I think. At least it's in the middle-ish of the country and not so far to travel for most people... It will be held from 2nd - 4th September.
The festival weekends have been excellent events in the past and this year will be just as well planned. It promises to be a packed weekend of tutors, speakers and plain old-fashioned fun!
Do come along for the whole weeked - or just part of it - if you can. Details can be found on NAWG's website http://www.nawg.co.uk/