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Bon Journal

What I want for Christmas

While I was carrying my heavy shopping bags, I thought to myself that I could really use a car. It will be especially convenient on Christmas Day when there will be no public transport. Otherwise I will have to hire a private minicab who will surely charge me an arm and a leg.

While I was chopping the Chinese cabbage and chives into tiny pieces last night, a task that took me three hours of my precious evening, I thought to myself that a food processor could have done this in minutes. But last year I did receive a food processor - only to return it because I had no place to put it.

When I thought about moving some things to the loft, I shivered and abandoned the idea of venturing into the unheated room. If only I had an electric heater!

These are the material things that I'd like to have. But to have them, I need to make room.

I will only use a car a few times a year - that's not worth the bother of insurance, parking permit, and maintenance. Plus I'd worry about someone stealing or vandalising it while I'm away.

As for the food processor, I would only use it a few times a year. And the rest of the time, I have to give up what little space I have to store it.

And the electric heater? Technology can only improve. So the longer I wait to get it, the better the thermal efficiency and the cheaper it will be. Until I really need it, it's not worth having it.

So the material things I want for Christmas are not really necessary at all.

But this Christmas will bring everything immaterial that I want: the company of friends near and far, old and new.

23 December 2001 Sunday