Writing my Christmas Cards I noticed that most of those we had bought this year carried the simple message “Have a Merry Christmas”.

As Mayor of Kendal I do indeed wish all residents a Merry Christmas but let us not forget that for some within the area covered by the Gazette - and the number is not insignificant - it will not be a Merry Christmas.

This Christmas, as before, there will be lonely people and individuals and families whose income has suddenly fallen because of redundancy or for other reasons; for them Christmas is a challenge.

This is particularly the case where families have children at school, where peer pressure and the inability to buy “must have” toys or designer clothes is felt all the more.

But such a statement reminds us what Christmas so often means today: spending. We buy or attempt to buy that Merry Christmas.

Now, while I do not wish to stop that, can I ask that this Christmas we also ADD something: something which relates to why people originally celebrated Christmas.

Can we ask ourselves whether one of our neighbours is likely to be lonely, or the kids next door might not get any presents or their parents have chosen to give them presents, going without food themselves to pay for them?

Let us make it a Happy Christmas for all.

Tom Clare

Mayor of Kendal