I M not a miserable old git, really (Well, I don t think so, anyway). Some people may have jumped to that conclusion as I m not sending too many cards this Christmas. Instead I m making a donation to one of my favourite charities. I really can t see the p

I'M not a miserable old git, really (Well, I don't think so, anyway). Some people may have jumped to that conclusion as I'm not sending too many cards this Christmas. Instead I'm making a donation to one of my favourite charities. I really can't see the point in writing cards to people you see every day, I'll just say "Happy Christmas" instead. Of course, you can buy charity cards, but why not give all the money to charity in the first place?

Thanks to some sleight of hand using other people's money in the business world lots of people who had been saving for Christmas lost out when the tycoons involved made a mess of things.

Of course, it wasn't their fault, and they won't have to make do with a tin of corned beef on the 25th, but the good people who saved with them aren't so lucky.

With the number of customers involved it is impossible to sort things out, but anyone who tries to make a difference ought to be given a bit of credit. The donation to the fund from Budgens wasn't a fortune, perhaps, but it helped soften the blow for a few of the victims and credit should be given for trying to help, not censure for not giving more. It's very easy to spend other people's money for them. Surely it's better that the James family makes a donation to the Farepak victims than send cards.

So we're all observing the spirit of Christmas in our own ways and to those who haven't received a picture of a robin or of an old bloke in a red suit I'd like to wish them everything that they would wish themselves and hope that 2007 turns out to be far better than they expect.