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.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, 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
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter