Christmas is wrecked. It’s going to be so bad we might as well not bother, spare ourselves the pain.
So newspapers report. Every single year. In early to mid-December. No one’s got any money. The trains are broken. And it’s a bit cold.
Today’s Evening Standard splashed with Cost of Christmas Soars for Millions, a fair enough take on the latest inflation figures. Others will follow.
Here’s what happens in a few days: editors remember that readers (and advertisers) really like Christmas. That people don’t pick up newspapers to be told life is rubbish and getting worse. Unless they are Guardian readers, obviously.
And they start looking for evidence that, you know, it might not be so bad after all. Some people, not journalists, might even enjoy themselves.
Here are 20 reasons why this year was great, Christmas will be brilliant and 2018 an absolute stormer.
Help us get there, you might do well.