Kitsch at Christmas

So here are a few of my favourite things.

Your author with what turns out to be a fake bull today

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And then there's the trend for flashing LED seasonscapes. which I first encountered at the Wells What! store.

50X70 FIBRE OPTIC TAPESTRY

OK, so you can't see the snowflake-lights flashing here.

But they do.

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And finally I heard on the BBC news lunchtime today about this Muslim panto.

"This December, Penny Appeal is bringing you the only Muslim pantomime in all the land! With crazy costumes, silly songs, bizarre blunders and lots of laughs, you won’t want to miss this action-packed, fun-filled show.

The Great Muslim Panto is being performed in 6 cities from 12th – 21st December. It’s all in aid of our 'OrphanKind' programme, to give orphan children living in poverty a loving family."

The warning signs were all there: the gushing and indulgent BBC news presenter, patronising smile plastered to her face, describing how these *muslims* were hamming it up for *Christmas* in aid of ... *charidee*.

My heart sank: Islamic culture has something important of its own to contribute to UK culture, something true to its own values in opposition to bien-pensant trivialities and empty signalling.

But this? This is complete capitulation to the ruling ideology.

And "best practice in Muslim integration"? No way: it's pure kitsch.

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On Christmas kitsch I have form.