It was 1973. Christmas morning, 5.30am, It wasn't the brightness of my wood chip orange wall paper that woke me but the excitement of what Santa had delivered?

Slade’s  'Merry Christmas' was Number 1 and the snowballs where ready to flow... Not to mention Mums Chicken barley soup. So, 8 years old and the tree was bursting with oranges, chocolates, fruit pastel covered Hansel and Gretal house and my prezzies...

And yes My Very Own original Etcha-a-Sketch.

Although I never mastered the art of creating anything of note, the mere fact of owning this shining red box of tricks was just brilliant ... Accompanied by a burst of the Shadows played on Rolfs Stylaphone...

Ok so the rubbish was piled up in the street and the power cut wasn't ideal but it all lends it self to the erst while halcyon days of having not a care in the world

Good luck to those kindle, IPad, tablet owning 8 year olds of today.

Here's to the slow movement...thanks Mr Andre Cassagnes and god bless you

© Words – Harry Harper