Longford Leader columnist Mattie Fox: Magic of Christmas fading every year

Longford Town on Saturday, December 14. I had to check the date to make sure I wasn’t out of sync with maybe being a week later than I thought. But no, it was still only December 14.

The weather was freezing and the shoppers were already laden down with purchases and many of them looked very focused indeed, as with furrowed brows they browsed intently.

Discarding various items as though their very lives depended on it, as one garment after another was rejected. Then, when all had been checked the searcher usually held two up to the light as if to check if they were real.

The overriding atmosphere was ‘speedy’. Everything was executed with rapid breakneck speed while with every new examination the parcels piled higher and higher.....

This is Christmas, and wouldn’t it be a shame if we didn’t celebrate the season. It’s the time of magic, still, although it’s fading year on year.

Also read: Longford Leader Editorial - Charity will always begin at home