“I’M Dreaming of a White Christmas”, crooned Bing Crosby rather famously, as we are reminded every year in the lead up to December 25.

Well, if it’s all the same to you Bing, I can well do without one. In fact, the threat of it proved to be more a nightmare last year and it is shaping up to be equally undesirable in 2010.

As modern life leaves more and more of us scattered across the country, away from family and loved ones for various reasons, Christmas stands out a one of the few times we actually make the effort to all come together.

Admittedly, that causes its own set of problems when the familiar festive family squabbles kick in. But , if nothing else, the idea itself of Christmas is a thing to be treasured. Getting all the people who matter in your life together for one day a year is difficult enough under ideal conditions. We don’t need the weather making it even harder. So, I’ve found it even harder than usual this year to stomach all the musical festive favourites, celebrating the falling snow and, yes, the dreaded White Christmas.

Bing Crosby wouldn’t have looked nearly so smug if he had to negotiate The Pastures, Totteridge Lane, Treadaway Hill and all the other slippery slopes in and around the Wycombe District.

He would, like us, be singing from a very different songsheet.