As usual, this was a jolly evening with short presentations on a Christmas theme followed by mince pies, drinks, and a chat with friends.  The only groans came in response to the Scribe’s Christmas cracker jokes.

After arranging a demonstration on cracker pulling, Bro George Parrott told us about a study on how to pull a Christmas cracker. Whether you are a power puller, a twister, or a teaser, the angle you pull at must be right. He had the formula to find this. The key variables were the cracker length, diameter and quality.

Bro Barry Holdsworth recited a poem called “Its Christmas Again” written in 1888 originally in a Lancashire dialect. Thoughtfully, Bro Barry had translated it into recognisable English. It featured happy anticipation and simple pleasures but acknowledging that “one more link in time’s chain” had been forged.

Our Prior Bro John Walker told the true story of one of his late wife’s ancestors who, when caught at sea smuggling, was given the option of going to York jail or joining the Kings navy. “Uncle Traff” ended up at the battle of Trafalgar with the story of his daring do’s embellished by later generations.

Bro Keith Kaye has an interest in theatrical history and enlightened us about pantomime. He would rate the Bradford Alhambra as the best pantomime theatre. The longest run was Humpty Dumpty in Leeds which ran for 22 weeks.  And somewhere in this story we heard that he slept in the same bed as Ulrika Jonsson. Oh yes he did!

Bro Martin Wallace has found out more facts about Bridlington’s Alexandra Hotel.  He turned these into a multiple choice quiz. We learned that when the hotel converted itself to a spa it added Turkish, Russian, and Sea Water baths.  Bro Martin described these, commenting that anyone who opted for the extreme Russian bath should seek help.