Christmas Presents

... on Christmas day we went into the lounge and opened our presents. I was dead disappointed when I saw the shape of my pres­ent. I could tell at a glance that it didn't contain a single microchip. Ok, a sheepskin coat is warm but there's nothing you can do with it, except wear it. In fact after only two hours of wearing it, I got bored and took it off.

However, my mother was ecstatic about her egg timer; she said, 'Wow, another one for my collection.' Rosie ignored the chocolate Santa I bought her. That's 75 pence wasted! This is what I got:

3/4 length sheepskin coat (out of Little Woods catalogue)

Slippers (like Michael Caine wears, although not many people know that)

Swiss army knife (my father is hoping I'll go out into the fresh air and use it)

Tin of humbugs (supposedly from the dog)

Knitted Balaclava helmet (from Grandma Mole).

(Extract from "The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole " by Sue Townsend)

Discussion points.

1. Do you think that people who are closest to you expect more expensive presents?

2. Some people think that it is more preferable to receive a personal, carefully chosen gift however small and inexpen­sive, than a big, expensive gift or simply the gift of money. What do you think, and why?

3. Describe in detail an object that you always wanted as a child. Explain why you wanted it so badly, whether you eventually got it and how, and what the significance of it is for you now.

Text 2