What’s on your Christmas list? – Chris Longmuir

          There is one problem in living alone – you might hang your stocking up on Chrismas Eve, but all you’ll get in it is your foot in the morning. Things were different before my husband departed for the next life. He always filled a stocking for me. Well, it was actually a pillowcase, then when his health deteriorated, it was the plastic bag containing his purchases. But that didn’t matter. It was the thrill of investigating the bag, pillowcase or stocking. He would always put my favourite perfume in it, some lovely choccies, and of course a few books, because what is Christmas without some new books?

          Books have always been prominent among Santa’s presents to me. When I was a child there was always an apple, an orange, a two shilling piece (twentypence for the uninitiated), and of course, a book. Times were tough then, and Christmas stockings not as full as they are nowadays. Needless to say, once I realised there was no – shock, horror – Santa Claus, an in depth search of the house always revealed the hiding place, and the book was always read – cover to cover – before Santa made it down the chimney.

          Nowadays I have another love as well as books. I love tech, all kinds of tech. I have computers, the must have iPhone, as well as its companion, the must have iPad, and of course ereaders. I was first in the queue when the Sony eReader was introduced into the UK. I still have it, although don’t use it as much as the latest versions of ereaders, mainly because it is more awkward to download books into it. The books have to be downloaded through Adobe Digital Editions, because they are DRM protected therefore have to be decoded by ADE. If ADE lose your login details you’ve lost your books. I know because this happened to me. Where my account went no one knows, so I’m only glad I’d read all the books. I do hope the later versions of this ereader are not so unwieldy when it comes to downloads.

          Well, when the Kindle hit the UK shores, I did resist for a while, but remember that empty stocking on Christmas day, well I decided to buy myself a Christmas present so Santa would have something to put in it, and so I got my first Kindle – a 3G plus wi fi, keyboard Kindle. Still got it and still use it. But then this year I got myself a Kindle Touch ( I use that one too), and it wasn’t even Christmas. But Christmas is coming and I’ve already bought my Christmas present to myself, and yes, you’ve guessed it – it’s a Kindle Fire. It’s a bit like an iPad, with more of a concentration on books, and it’s marvellous, but I think I’ve used it mainly for apps and music, although all my books are there, winking at me and saying, come on read me. It’s great to see the book covers in all their glory as well, instead of the sepia tinted images on the other Kindles.

          So what is there left for Santa to bring me on Christmas morning, well, it just has to be books. What would Christmas be without some lovely new books?

Oh, I nearly forgot, if you’re thinking of some new books for Christmas, I’d love it if you read some of mine.

Happy Christmas when it comes and I do hope Santa is good to you.

Chris Longmuir

http://www.chrislongmuir.co.uk/

Chris Longmuir’s books