[HPforGrownups] More from the Christmas crackpot...

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 7057

Christian said:

<<<At 8pm there is the King's speech.>>>

Similarly, British people have to listen to the noble and glorious Queen
blathering on at 3pm on Christmas Day.  One year, when the Royal Family had
had a particularly crap year - with divorce, death and smouldering buildings
on the calendar - Elizabeth called it their "annus horribilis" (Queentalk
for "f***ing nightmare!!!!").  Incidentally, the British Royal Family, being
of German extraction (apart from Prince Philip, who is "of Greece"), open
their presents in the European tradition, on Christmas Eve.  The loyal
subjects have the patience to wait until the next morning.

I loved hearing about Christmas in other countries, especially the
Scandinavian countries.  Christian makes it sound like the Norwegians eat
entrails as a treat, but I'm sure it's more magical than that!  The rice
porridge sounds nice (is that like rice pudding - creamed milk and pudding
rice, often served with nutmeg?) .

Factual aside: the massive Christmas tree in London's Trafalgar Square is an
annual gift from Norway.  This warms the cockles of my heart.

Fictional aside: I've heard that Father Christmas lives in Norway: he
doubles up as Durmstrang's gamekeeper and lives in a wooden hut in the
grounds.  Every year the Hauselven assist him in wrapping Pokmon and socks
for the entire planet.  The rest we know...

Meanwhile ....back inside JK Rowling's head:

The HP books don't seem to make so much of the New Year, which seems strange
given Hogwarts location in Scotland, the home of Hogmany.  I guess the New
Year is more a time for adult celebration, whereas Christmas holds the magic
for children.

Neil

_____________________________________

Flying-Ford-Anglia

"Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing
mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost
as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his
four-poster."

[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]