Christmas 1972. My mother and I lived at my grandparents’, and my grandad had had a stroke.
I wanted Father Christmas to bring me a castle for Christmas.
I did not realise this was essentially asking my cash-strapped mother for an extra and expensive gift. But Father Christmas delivered the castle, and it was waiting in the morning. Working portcullis. Raised ramparts. Perfect. We lived next door to an old Scottish carpenter with bad eyesight, and budgies. “Go next door and thank Mr Archer for making your castle,” said my grandad. “I thought Father Christmas made it?” I said.
My grandad hastily concocted a cover. “He did. But Mr Archer helped him with it.” I was only four, but I realised that if there was a Father Christmas, he wouldn’t be subcontracting castles to Scottish carpenters. He had elves for that. Ever since, I’ve been an atheist sceptic, but I never lacked a sense of wonder.
What is more inspiring, the flying sled gift man and the barn-born baby, or the retired carpenter, knocking together a handmade castle for the boy of the divorcee next door?
Last Christmas I unboxed it, and gave it to my son.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian