YOUR ANNUAL SEASONAL GIFT …

… is here.

How does one follow up on previous year’s Christmas, Festival and New Year’s gifts? Responses show that the recent Higgs Boson (2013 – putting the mass in Christmas) and full stop (2014 – provided as a handy zoo enclosure for micro-organisms) were much appreciated by recipients. You are likely to have received these yourself over the past two years unless you are a relatively new reader, in which case may I explain that I annually send a donation to charity instead of cards to friends and colleagues, but I do send an e-note with a declaration of good wishes and, indeed, a novelty gift.

I feel it a matter of honour not to send punctuation marks two years in a row. In any event, that would be profligate, especially as parentheses are now in short supply, being used so frequently and carelessly in smileys. Recent attempts to save the bracket have included the provision of emoticons, but nonetheless people will insist on using the mark itself to form a mouth, unnecessarily in my view.

And I am currently out of Higgs Bosons.  (Universe, beware.)

There are, as you will appreciate, not that many objects which can be sent electronically as a self-contained gift, and which nonetheless are welcomed as both luxurious and necessary – the proper defining qualities of a good present. However, I have, after extensive inner debate, decided to send you all some space. This is immediately available (see below) or, should you choose, you may add a little of your own time to enjoy it at leisure. (I did consider sending you some time, but was concerned that people might think that their internet servers were running slow.)

Some of you will already have received some space from me in an email or in FaceBook.  If so, please feel free to have a double helping.  Furthermore, last year, readers of this Blog were favoured with a larger present than those sent by other means.  This year, with thanks to the friend who suggested it, I offer you an even greater advantage: the tool to expand your gift.  By judicious use of the space bar, the space below may be augmented at will (having copied it to another location, of course).  The concomitant complaint, sent by the same friend, was that the space gifted was only in two dimensions.  Well, for those with two-dimensional monitors, perhaps.

So, with love, seasonal best wishes and respects, here is some space for you:

 

 

 

 

 

David

PS You may be gratified to note that this year’s gift also fulfils the meteorological wish in Irving Berlin’s song about how all your Christmasses should be; at least on my screen.