Editorial: Do you really need a professional costume for a nativity play?

I HAVEN'T been out of school for all that long, or so I like to think to make myself feel younger, but I hadn't realised how much had changed until I was in Padraic's Discount Store in Tuam the week before Christmas when the harassed mother of a couple of young children came into the shop looking for a shepherd's costume.[/private] To her dismay, they were all sold out. I couldn't help feeling shocked â€â€ in my day if someone was cast as a shepherd in a primary school nativity play they put a teacloth on their head, wore their Dad's shirt and got on with it! Speaking afterwards to a teacher friend of mine, I heard that looking for a 'professional' costume is not unusual. In fact, schools now keep some costumes in reserve, be it for Hallowe'en or for school plays. I remember putting costumes together for school plays being part of the fun. It was novel to wear your white nightie in school, during the day, with wings made from coat hangers attached. It seems to me that some of the creativity that children should cultivate is instantly gone because of these quick fixes and I think it's a shame. My friend revealed that any child who turned up in a home-made costume would be laughed at. That said, I have never been in the situation that I was responsible for assembling a vital costume for someone else and thinking about it, it must be a relief to simply be able to buy one for €7 in a bargain shop. â€Â¢ â€Â¢ â€Â¢ SO, it is the end of the year and inevitably everyone will be asked this question at least once â€â€ what is your New Year's resolution? A lot of people these days will answer that their resolution is to not have a resolution (me included!) but be assured, you will think about changing your life in some way, a new start in a new year and all that. The most common resolution is to lose weight or to at least get more exercise. And more often than not this is the hardest one to keep. Why? Because it's winter! Who in their right mind would resolve to start exercising when it's cold outside, or stop eating for the same reason? You need the extra layers of fat, just to stay warm. Even if you sign up for gym membership you still have to get to the gym, and changing clothes and showering multiple times a day doesn't bear thinking about, especially when you consider the temperatures that were reached this time last week. If you are serious about losing weight this new year and want to start in January I recommend you move to the southern hemisphere. Another popular resolution is to give up smoking. That's a tricky one to keep as January is so gloomy and smokers need that cig break to brighten up and divide their day. It's got easier though since the smoking ban. I know many people who have already cut down during the Christmas season because they didn't want to step outside in temperatures of minus 15 degrees! It's harder to cut down on alcohol. I can't even contemplate feeling guilty about having a sneaky hot port when it's bucketing down outside and the ends of your jeans are all wet. That said, I'm pretty sure that after Christmas week and the New Year's celebrations there will be plenty of people who would like to see the back of a bottle for a while. However, come February, I'm sure those same people will make up for a month's less drinking. One person I know has revealed that her New Year's resolution is to be nicer to her mother. That's a good one I think, but again, hard to keep. When a person says she needs to be nicer to her mother there generally is a deep rooted reason why she is mean to her in the first place. I think if all of us resolve to be nicer to someone in particular the world would be a tenser place with all the effort of being nice. Sad, but true. A resolution that many will be trying this year is saving money. Making a budget in January is actually a good idea and maybe it's not a resolution per se but saving money will be high on the list of many people this year. I know it will be on mine! And what is my New Year's resolution? I think I will resolve to not take life for granted and not moan and whine when it all goes belly up. Christmas was a big burden for many this year, money problems, the terrible weather, the end of the X Factor, but when Christmas Day came round at last and it all worked out, it made me for one feel lucky and grateful for what I do have and not miserable for what I don't. I hope that all of you who do attempt to keep a resolution are successful, and for them and everyone else I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year!     â€â€ Miriam Burke [/private]