2004-12-24 - 4:10 p.m.

There�s a ninety per cent chance of a white Christmas according to the newspapers, who I suspect are in some meteo-conspiracy high jinx with the bookmakers. That said, it is raining solidly, so a couple of degrees lower and we�re laughing. Whatever you�re doing, have a snide, fried and classified Yuletide. And I hope tonight�s sack-emptying is all it can be for you.