please empty your brain below
Tony from East 17 has provided piano backing for a charity re-release of Stay Another Day, sung by a Waltham Forest Youth Choir.

martin | 06.12.19 - 7:07 a.m. | #

Surely it’s the thought that counts. At least your review wasn’t anywhere as scathing as that of a certain Ms Hopkins...

Rob Healy | Homepage | 06.12.19 - 7:15 a.m. | #

I've been saying for years that the way London decorates the Trafalgar Square tree seems a little disrespectful.

Maybe it's a cost thing, but surely they could make this wonderful gift look more like the centrepiece of London's decorations that it should be.

Just needs a bit of Charlie Brown-like care and attention - it's not the tree's fault.

Peter of London | 06.12.19 - 7:36 a.m. | #

Norway isn't in the EU. Try EEA instead.

running_correspondent | 06.12.19 - 7:59 a.m. | #

Someone's not switched on their irony and sarcasm detector today...

THC

THC | 06.12.19 - 8:26 a.m. | #

Norway also gives a tree as a gift to Edinburgh. It is placed behind Milne's Court (on the Royal Mile), visible from Princes Street and all around and is far better decorated than the London one.

I should know - for a couple of years I lived right behind it ...

Alastair Scott | 06.12.19 - 8:38 a.m. | #

I arrived at the East Village at 18:30, and left by 18:40. I was not impressed.

Edith, Viscountess of Wraughtborough | 06.12.19 - 8:44 a.m. | #

I reckon they should decorate Nelsons Column instead of the job being taken by a foreign tree, and have that bloke on top wear a Santa hat, ideally the hat bit should be done by a Blue Peter presenter climbing a ladder without any of that health and safety nonsense.

Still Anon | 06.12.19 - 8:48 a.m. | #

Bah! Humbug.

Malcolm | 06.12.19 - 8:56 a.m. | #

I've warned you before,DG, if you will insist on these tongue in cheek posts, you'll ending up biting your tongue. 😂

Jo W | 06.12.19 - 9:43 a.m. | #

Blimey, if that's all the thanks they get I'd be seriously considering whether my nation's debt of gratitude was deemed 'paid in full' and leave the miserable buggers tree-less next year.

Peter of London - I fully agree. we could and should do so much more to show our appreciation by making whatever tree we're so graciously given, the centrepiece of London.

I'm sure it was better decorated than the straggly set of lights we get today, when I was a kid.

Cornish Cockney | 06.12.19 - 9:57 a.m. | #

OMG, I feel like a teenage girl. How hot were the (bare topped) guys in House of Love. I did look at some of their recent photos up a few years ago and that was a terrible mistake.

Andrew | Homepage | 06.12.19 - 10:27 a.m. | #

I think the Norwegian tree is an excellent tradition. I believe it is specifically a gift to the 'people of London.'

"East Village" -- seriously??? FFS.

Chris | 06.12.19 - 10:45 a.m. | #

I'm curling with acute embarrassment. I truly hope not much of this ridiculous criticism reaches Oslo.

Caz | 06.12.19 - 11:09 a.m. | #

Winterval tree surely?

milliem | 06.12.19 - 11:22 a.m. | #

Great post, DG. The worrying thing is half the people who read this don't recognise the satire. That Norway tree, bare and undecorated, is the true spirit of Christmas and worth more than the rest of the rubbish they put up altogether.

Johnny Topaz | 06.12.19 - 11:59 a.m. | #

I think I somewhat get the point because I enjoy reading the first part more.

Patrickov | 06.12.19 - 12:12 p.m. | #

Mulled wine is a modern day aberration, available only at "winter festivals" and "traditional German style Christmas fayres". No-one actually likes the taste, they just feel obliged to drink it because it's "seasonal". Nasty stuff. You'd be better off with some warm Ribena.

arlu | 06.12.19 - 12:23 p.m. | #

Christmas used to see full size 25W incandescent bulbs in many colours that looked fantastic. Now most displays are tiny LEDs in that miserable bluish white colour used by streetlights - even the traffic lights are far more exciting. I mentioned this only last week.

Why can't we have the best of both worlds, decorating the tree with full sized coloured LED bulbs?

Gerry | 06.12.19 - 1:51 p.m. | #

I doubt very much whether Gen Y'ers would be so into 'oat milk' if their parents had force-fed them porridge for their breakfasts. I overheard a whining Gen something or other bleating about there being no vegan chocolate on the shelves of a certain supermarket. Honestly, I don't know what taste sensation they're seeking but it ain't natural.

B | 06.12.19 - 2:16 p.m. | #

I think the Norwegians present us with a Christmas tree to say thank you for the support and help we gave them in W W II. If we hadn't helped each other perhaps we would be celebrating Christmas in a different way now. But perhaps we will after Brexit next year.

Tones | 06.12.19 - 5:37 p.m. | #

n.b. A post including the logically inconsistent phrase "I have no idea why Norway send it, it didn't occur to me to check" is unlikely to be 100% serious.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 06.12.19 - 11:00 p.m. | #

East Village experience - ghastly.

Burntweenie | 07.12.19 - 6:07 a.m. | #

Can't speak for other commentators, but I was commenting on the social media postings that DG was satirising. Would have thought it obvious that DG didn't have those views.

As for the East Village, for these sorts of things you either need to throw money at it (Winter Wonderland, not my cup of tea) or rely on the community spirit of your 'village'. My town managed a great atmosphere at our switching on party with little more than a few shops staying open later and the high street being shut to traffic. Unsurprising that a set of featureless brick-block flats couldn't pull it off, even with 'celebrity-ish' appearances.

Peter of London | 07.12.19 - 6:21 a.m. | #











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