Sir, As shops and supermarkets already display artificial Christmas trees, greetings cards, tinsel etc. and dining establishments bring forth their festive menus, is something amiss with the seasonal etiquette? Are there no longer pauses between calendar dates? Have we become so utterly vacuous in our commercially burdened lifestyles that we cannot allow ourselves to drift into each season in a natural progression? Is this becoming such a spoon-fed existence we can no longer deflect marketing tactics which are little by little taking away the natural inclination to establish the beginning and end markers to each new season? Why, we are barely into the second week of October and there are wonderful ecological and ethical balances attached to the autumn fall, yet, as always, dates and specifications try to immobilise tradition and engineer profiteering. There are certain attributes to Christmas and far more than consumer interest - a time of contemplation and moral concern for those on Mother Earth in need of comfort and reassurance. Be discerning and let us hope the material wants will never obscure the true meaning of Christmas.
Yvonne M. Nicholl, Pembrokeshire Pure Vegetarian Campaign,
Cartref, Nr. Village Green, Penally.