If I'm honest, it's the lack of all-day drinking that bothered me. Now Christmas is a proper holiday. You start with fizz at breakfast, more fizz opening the presents. Then it's time to head to the pub for a faceful of ale. Then back for pre-dinner drinks. Then fine wines with dinner, possibly port and/or brandy after dinner, then telly with more wine and perhaps a dram or some more brandy before bed. You basically don't stop drinking for 12-14 hours. Marvellous.
No, I started making a big thing out of it years ago, as a dry run for Christmas lunch. The old man and I and the rest of our squad at the controls* in the kitchen all day; the dollies indoors talking about fashion and whatnot, I suppose; putting their feet up.
*Dead on the cooking claret.
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."