I'm having my annual post-Christmas sense of loss. I love everything Christmassy. Now it's over.

It felt like magic was in the air. Now it's gone.

The pretty lighted displays and shiny decorations now seem like a brave attempt to make a tiresome, grey, dangerous and unforgiving world seem exciting, beguiling, charming and full of love and goodwill.

This year the stores played the music so low I could hardly hear it. I don't know what that was about.