It is most interesting to listen to a group of older folk discussing memories of their family Christmas and new year festivies.   I belong to a social group who have all lived in the immediate locality for most of their lives.  Most went to school together so they have really only ever known the little market town that serves us today.  It’s a sad little place now;  the lifeblood seeped out a few years ago when the two best stores closed down within months of each other.  These independent department stores had both been very sucessfully supplying everything needed for presents and decorations.   The toy department was always a favourite, all year round but at Christmas it became a magical scene – decades before the garden centres jumped on the Santa’s Grotto bandwagon!   It was evident my companions were really feeling anxious about not being able to get to the new shops and it was all too much for them.  I was able to show them how to access all their gifting solutions – by introducing them to the wonders of online shopping.  We looked at a range of products, ideas for the season, how to do online shopping.  I’ve not seen them so animated – it was a wonder to behold and I’m sure that Christmas came alive for them again this year.