poptimists | The Poptimists Advent Calendar Day 23

Wobs is a time for ritual, maybe especially in irreligious families which don't have masses and services to structure the season around. The purchase of the Christmas Radio Times, for example, takes on a significance every bit as profound as any carolling or wassailing. Even though almost none of the things lovingly marked with a "T" for Tom ended up being watched.

This song is a perennial favourite of mine through no fault of its 'composer'. The older tune it lifts was used as station ident background music by the BBC during several early 80s years, and as such it's become a permanent part of my private Christmas. My tape of an Australian singing christmas carols snapped years ago. My rolls of shiny stamped-out sequin plastic that a dressmaker friend gave my Mum and that I would decorate my bedroom with are lost. Even my Christmas stocking, poorly embroidered by an aunt, seems to have gone missing. This endures.

Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas"

Of course, now I know about ELP my delight in the music is tempered with other more cynical delights, in part a glee that progressive artiste G.Lake is best known for some po-faced seasonal hackwork (though I'm sure the royalty cheques keep regret at bay). But there's nothing I can do about it now - that borrowed, sleighbell-draped intro is my own personal sound of Christmas, forever.