this moderately creepy, shifty-eyed santa claus perfectly reflects my current level (or lack thereof) of holiday spirit; this being my first ever* southern hemisphere christmas. i don't mean this in a characteristically scrooge-like fashion either. it's been a pleasure in fact not having had yuletide consumerism rammed down my throat from november 1st onwards.

(*as an aside, christmas '02 was spent in a pseudo-southern hemispheric guatemala devoid of yuletide spirit yet abounding in most other forms of spirits. sk)