tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post1775483099496224141..comments2024-03-13T15:35:30.839+00:00Comments on Tabloid Watch: The Winterval stories begin...MacGuffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16894506410560858668noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-35674119801566080162010-09-23T16:06:58.357+01:002010-09-23T16:06:58.357+01:00Is it just me or do the "PC killjoys ban Chri...Is it just me or do the "PC killjoys ban Christmas" stories get earlier every year?Jonny Sunshinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-69401542702120573152010-09-20T15:50:30.471+01:002010-09-20T15:50:30.471+01:00Of course, those that *do* want to celebrate life,...Of course, those that *do* want to celebrate life, the universe and everything at wintertime in a non-religious setting can do so at 9 Lessons and Carols for Godless People, which was actually inspired by this Winterval "myth" http://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/1478Davehttp://www.twitter.com/davoloidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-55714543529170921202010-09-20T15:03:46.001+01:002010-09-20T15:03:46.001+01:00It amazes me that anyone STILL believes (I suppose...It amazes me that anyone STILL believes (I suppose they want to believe it) this dogshit 'story' - Even QI (fronted by evil liberal homosexual atheist Stephen Fry, admittedly) laid the myth to rest on one of it's Christmas specials a couple of years ago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-3168170051534338092010-09-20T10:01:58.635+01:002010-09-20T10:01:58.635+01:00The main thing Christmas needs saving from is the ...The main thing Christmas needs saving from is the consumerism it's now surrounded by, the very thing Thatcher encouraged strongly supported by the Mail.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-54966687451942883422010-09-19T23:11:18.266+01:002010-09-19T23:11:18.266+01:00These type of stories will run for year after year...These type of stories will run for year after year as they are easy space fillers for newspapers that no longer wish to print genuine stories. They - of course - also press the right buttons of their typical readership and hopefully flog more papers. That's the real intention.mr_wonderfulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-78944499287745377952010-09-19T18:44:18.092+01:002010-09-19T18:44:18.092+01:00The only people who have really ever banned the ce...The only people who have really ever banned the celebration of Christmas in the UK were Christians: http://www.timetravel-britain.com/articles/christmas/ban.shtmlDr Michael Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18208273325282474983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-87295165379241032362010-09-19T12:29:29.054+01:002010-09-19T12:29:29.054+01:00It hadn't occurred to me before, but the Pope ...It hadn't occurred to me before, but the Pope is a bit of a typical Daily Mail Reader, isn't he?Abaddon the scrivenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01665505517559409237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-20796953417225071932010-09-19T12:23:38.079+01:002010-09-19T12:23:38.079+01:00Hmm... I wonder if the Pope is so keen to preserve...Hmm... I wonder if the Pope is so keen to preserve the traditions of the small Sussex town of Lewes, where they celebrate Bonfire Night by burning effigies of the Pope and hanging signs around saying "No Popery"? (it is a *very* Protestant place, rumour has it Ian Paisley has a few churches there)Helhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17260278632720822108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-70100242564424963372010-09-18T17:24:24.213+01:002010-09-18T17:24:24.213+01:00I am amazed people still believe this 'Winterv...I am amazed people still believe this 'Winterval' bullshit.<br />The amusing thing is, I live just outside Birmingham and I don't know anybody who even remembers this Winterval thing or believes that Christmas is being 'rebranded' as it.<br /><br /><br />I'm atheist but I enjoy Christmas. Mainly for the presents ;)Acidfairyyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14153865922775882038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-30005230955598362642010-09-18T16:37:46.302+01:002010-09-18T16:37:46.302+01:00This was repeated by an Abbot on Today this mornin...This was repeated by an Abbot on Today this morning as well. Just goes to show how pernicious the tabloid influence can be.<br /><br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9011000/9011577.stmRKThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01254081130308560485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-12777305090954393272010-09-18T11:43:30.623+01:002010-09-18T11:43:30.623+01:00Last year the Scottish tabloids had a field day wh...Last year the Scottish tabloids had a field day when Dundee City Council decided to hold a "Winter Light Night". They went mad claming they had covered up all traces of the Christmas lights and were pandering to PC nonsense etc...<br /><br />However, had the papers bothered to investigate at all (only the two Dundee papers actually ran the correct version of the story)they would have seen that the event was named that because it included more than just switching on the Christmas lights. They had numerous events and activities all across the city, with light being the main theme. The main attractions were a GIANT presentation beamed onto the side of the DC Thomson building, showing the history of Dundee, with an emphasis on Journalism in the city (how ironic!).<br /><br />Other activities included a big fireworks display to celebrate the evening, guided tours of the oldest graveyard in Dundee (for the first time ever, which was also tastefully illuminated), a large group of school chidlren holding candles, singing Scottish folk songs, and later on, Christmas songs (!) as well as around a dozen other events.<br /><br />The biggest part of the evening was the switch on of the Christmas Lights. DCC made no attempt to hide this fact. Every poster stated in large letters that the Christmas lights switch on would culminate the evening. The words 'CHRISTMAS' and 'LIGHTS' were used extensivley in the promotion of the event and as I write this I have dug out a copy of the evening's timetable and 'Christmas Lights Switch On' is right there on the list, given most prominance!<br /><br />None of the tabloids covered the event after it had happened, so a lot of people were just left thinking DCC had removed all traces of Christmas. What they actually did which was dress up an otherwise mundane, tacky event with something which the local community could learn from and enjoy, while at the same time, marking the start of the Christmas Period!<br /><br />But that wouldn't shift papers, would it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-75040202316885223842010-09-18T10:57:48.353+01:002010-09-18T10:57:48.353+01:00I wonder what the Catholic press have had to say a...I wonder what the Catholic press have had to say about Winterval...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-82276775873399628192010-09-18T10:49:43.846+01:002010-09-18T10:49:43.846+01:00Ahhh must be time for Christmas decorations in hig...Ahhh must be time for Christmas decorations in high streets across the land all actively not-promoting Christmas. I would have preferred it if the Pope had actually condemned those secular Fascists from also shoving Christmas down our throats from August to December to make money of their faith...but that was me being an extremist agent provocateur. <br /><br />Anyway anyone using the word "Winterval" should be ignored and condemned as it is simply a horrible, meaningless neologism.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-31286060910414381742010-09-18T10:42:10.141+01:002010-09-18T10:42:10.141+01:00Thanks for this. My late wife Val, a media officer...Thanks for this. My late wife Val, a media officer for Birmingham City Council, spent much time on and had many sleepless nights over this wilful misinterpretation of events. As an object lesson in lazy journalism this 'story' is unbeatable.<br /><br />And the pope is in Birmingham tomorrow. I hope someone has the balls to put him right.Richard Morrisnoreply@blogger.com