The Bloggler

And so that was Christmas ( Well, not like the ones we used to know) And what have we done? (not a lot, thanks to Covid 19) Another  Year Over ( Thankfully) And a new one just begun And so that was Christmas I hope you had fun  ( In the Tier 3 and 4 zones?) The near and the dear one The old and the young Well, that was Christmas Have a Happy New Year! Let's hope it's a good one Without any   fear! (of hospitalisation, mental illness, unemployment, financial problems, etc.) So, having survived 2020 and with a vaccination coming to you soon, count your blessings on this New Year’s Eve, celebrate with whoever you can, and get into McCartney’s mindset..... The mood is right, the spirits up, we're here tonight, and that's enough! Or at least Abba’s.... May we all have our hopes, our will to try If we don't we might as well lay down and die You and I.   And now, a song dedication to China and the UK Government (sing it Elton)...

I love Christmas music. It’s an essential part of Christmas for me.  When I hear Christmas songs, they always bring back a special memory or feeling associated with Christmases past.   But why do I like Christmas songs so much?  I think the nostalgia factor (which is  huge at Christmas) has a lot to do with it. It’s said that the nostalgia you feel listening to your favourite Christmas tunes has a neurological effect in which the brain's pleasure circuit is stimulated, releasing dopamine and serotonin (which are responsible for those happy feelings).  Also I suppose, its because of the the nostalgia effect that the classic Christmas songs always seem to win out over the more recent songs. That said, I always look forward to new artists/bands having a go at releasing Christmas singles to create the nostalgia of tomorrow. Also, according to Mic.com,  one of the main reasons we love Christmas songs is due to the ‘exposure effect’. It has been proven that the more often we hear a song,

Celebrity culture fascinates me.   It’s not that I follow celebrities.  I haven’t the time or inclination.  In fact my lack of knowledge of who’s who is very much lacking and a considerable disadvantage when having a social conversation with young people and competing in pub quizzes.   But celebrities are in our faces constantly, promoting themselves and endorsing products.  And many people follow their lives, listen to what they say and buy the products they advertise.  (No-one has ever seen David Beckham in H&M jeans and yet, amazingly, some will buy jeans from H&M just because he advertises them.)     My fascination with celebrities is how they ‘celebritize’ and what drives them.   I recently read author Stevie Turner’s blog post on ‘ how to become a celebrity ’ (reflecting on the advantage of being well known in order to get a book published) and it inspired me to examine my own thoughts about what makes a celebrity.    So what is a 'celebrity'?   I suppose i