Pretty Flashers

Back in the 1950s, probably during the period eight to twelve days before  Christmas Day, tree erections were taking place all over Ushaw Moor; the accompanying tree lights were often very pretty and sometimes impressionable children were mesmerized by them.

Newquay is clearly a competitive Johnny come lately:  this year, in one of its finest hotels, on the 31st of October, there was to be seen a fully lit and decorated tree; nearby Christmas lights were, in my view, flashing intermittently like a frantic light house.

Flashing is a matter of taste and there is a time and place for it, but perhaps not if the flash is at the rate of three times a second as opposed to a more normal once a second. I am sure that the Newquay flash rate was safe but it stimulated me to look further into this subject. The Epilepsy Society has addressed the issue of Christmas Tree flashing and it can be read at www.epilepsysociety.org. uk

WB