Festive and unfestive thoughts

I've never set a tvdetective book at Xmas.  It just wouldn't feel right, all that killing and criming at such a festive time of year.  But that does mean that my dear and beloved friends haven't lived the special time of year properly, and they're nagging me as they often do, so here we go with a resume...

Adam is the easiest to deal with - in an Xmas sense, anyhow - so I'll start with him. As befits a family man and traditionalist, he loves Xmas.  All the presents are beautifully wrapped, the Breen household looking well-decorated, and he's very content, having a few days off work for Xmas. 

The only slight stains on the pretty picture are twofold.  Firstly, there's Tom.  Being now a sufferer of the teenage ailment, he's out on Xmas Eve until 3am at the eariliest, and Adam is getting fed up with the early morning awakening, and having to wait until almost noon to open his presents.  Not to mention the sight of an uncomely green-tinted son over the dinner table. 

Plus Adam has volunteered to be on call over the New Year which tends to be busy.  He doesn't so much mind this - he sees New Year as more a time for the younger and single cops to enjoy than those ensconced amidst family - but he knows he's likely to be working on quite a few cases.  As the turning of the year can be a time for positive resolutions, it's also often the moment when people resolve to make a new start - perhaps escaping someone in their lives - in a very permanent and less than pleasant way.

For many years, Dan was a detester of Xmas, in the way that many more are than care to admit.  It was all down to his instinctive loneliness, and the vicious attentions of The Swamp, but these days, a few years on since we first met him, life is rather kinder.  By which of course I mostly mean the wonderful Claire.

Now, for those of who you seeking hints on how matters will end up between the pairing - and I know there are plenty - don't think that's any kind of clue. All that's happening is that they'd both rather be together than alone, and who would criticise them for that? So Claire will be spending Xmas at Hartley Avenue, bringing the great sack of presents she's thoughtfully and carefully collected, and seeing how things go as to whether she spends the night.

And Dan, protest though he may, is secretly very glad of that.  And with the mellowing of those passing years, has even made quite an effort to buy some fine presents for her too.  They'll open the gifts, eat together, (Claire in charge, naturally, you know how inept Dan can be in the kitchen), then go for a walk somewhere, and see how the evening takes them...

And as for Rutherford, he's happier even than ever.  For turkey is his favourite treat, and he's in the company of the two curious but pleasant human creatures that he loves most in the world, and who can be relied upon to spoil him at all times, and even more so at Xmas.  And Dan will air the observation that often he does at this time of year - that Xmas was made for children and pets.

And finally, as for the alleged patron of these three fine people?  Well, he always finds these contemporary Xmases a little hard.  They're so full of memories, of times past and family and friends faded away.  But he's glad at least of the time off work, and the efforts of most to be rather more pleasant to each other than usual, and tries hard not to raise the obvious question - why they can't manage that all year around?

Anyway, wherever you may be, whatever you may be doing, and whoever with, I wish you the hope of the Xmas you would wish for yourself.