Christmas decorations might go back to the '50s but I love 'em | Rick Jackson

In recent times Asda and Primark have made the short, brave five-mile dash across the Solent to open branches on the garden isle.

The island boasts only three-quarters of a mile of dual-carriageway which is known locally as ‘the motorway’, and does not posses a shopping mall or outlet shopping.

That’s what gives the island its charm. Think more Cornwall than Isle of Man. There is a slower pace of life, with many boutique independent shops and beautiful country pubs.

But the real step back in time comes when I visit my folks, especially at Christmas when the old pre-war leather-bound suitcases appear from the loft stuffed full of decorations.

Their tree really is a museum piece, from the angel that tops it, which was made by my mum at primary school, to highly flammable, threadbare tinsel.

I suppose they just can’t bear to part with any of it. My nan remembers buying the glass baubles from Timothy White’s back in the 1950s.

Every year I always have this argument with my wife, who likes decorations to be classy and minimalist – a simple tree with the odd festive ornament on the mantel.

Meanwhile, on the Isle of Wight, people drape their houses with flashing lights and illuminated reindeer in such numbers that they would confuse a pilot landing at Southampton airport.

So much so, that the local bus company actually puts on daily open top bus tours, covering all the main towns and their estates, which are so bright they give Fawley oil refinery a run for its money.

For me, I love the streamers connecting each corner of the room to the central light, accompanied with one long balloon and two round ones, in a rather ‘accidental’ phallic fashion. It’s very de rigueur.

Travelling back at night, the Spinnaker Tower lights the way. Looking back, flashing Santas and LED rope lighting reminds me of bygone days.

Oh how I love my trips back in time.

It might have taken ages but at least he had time for a pint

There is always a bright side to everything. A message pinged up on my phone on Saturday.

It was a friend who commutes to the mainland each day from the Isle of Wight. During the second lockdown, the catamaran service to Ryde was again suspended. Relying on the hovercraft, he returned to Southsea to find it cancelled because of rough seas. So there was a long, slow plod home on the car ferry then bus from Fishbourne back to Ryde.

The photo showed him on a deserted, comfy and warm ship, holding a pint of beer, something he wouldn’t have enjoyed on the hovercraft because it have probably spilled all over his lap on the way back to the island.

It’s a yes to Spongebob and the Gruffalo, but not Peppa

Have you seen the festive BBC1 idents yet? This year, they feature characters from the Julia Donaldson series of books.

We have the Gruffalo and Zog the dragon. We spotted the clever inclusion of other characters too, including Stick Man who was upside down in the snow with just his legs showing. My wife and I said we’d be happy to watch any of these series of animations even if the kids weren’t with us.

I asked if she’d also watch Spongebob Squarepants without the kids. She said yes. ‘What about Peppa Pig,’ I asked? ‘Er, no,’ came the reply. ‘Would you?’ she asked. ‘Yes, but only the episodes with Grammy Rabbit,’ I replied. She instantly called for an ambulance.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​