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Were you a Puffineer? Sadly I wasn't but if I was eight again I know I'd be nagging my mum to sign me up because it's back. Puffin books' children's club has been relaunched having closed in the 80s. The first ever copy was issued in 1967 and membership grew and grew at one point reaching 200,000. The new version is now open for subscriptions before it officially launches in January. Subscribers (there's a special rate currently on offer) receive a magazine every two months and their choice of six free Puffin books over the year they will also be able to join Puffin Island an exclusive area of the website. Puffineers also get a Puffin Post membership pack which looks really fab. I'm a big kid at heart so I'd love this - there's puffin notepaper, membership book with secret code, bookplates, bookmark, pencil, notebook, enamel badge and puffin beanie toy. The Puffin Post website says: "When relaunching Puffin Post we knew we were doing something special, but the response from the original Puffineers of the 60s, 70s and 80s has been amazing. Puffin Post has been an important part of so many people's lives: now it can be a part of yours too!" The magazine sounds like a lot of fun as it's going to be packed with activities, games, competitions and interviews with authors. A pre-launch version apparently includes interviews with Charlie Higson, Eoin Colfer, Cathy Cassidy and a Michael Morpurgo short story. It sounds right up my street. I've seen lots of images of old covers online too and they had some fantastic designs, I hope the new ones will be as good. A fantastic old Puffin Post cover The Puffin Post is run by 'a group of eccentric puffins known as Ptolemy's Pteam! I hope Gordon Ramsay doesn't get to hear about them! The Puffin Post website says: "Puffin Island has even more games, competitions, downloads, features and exclusive interviews, and is a great place to meet new friends, share your stories, poems and artwork and puffinise your life. Take a trip to the Lost Library for articles from the Puffin Post magazine; join your fellow Puffineers for a Clifftop Chat; join in the octo-fun at Oscar's Funfair or rub shoulders with authors in the Puffin Pavilion." Bookseller.com also says the magazine will be edited by children. "From writing poems and stories for the magazine and suggesting feature ideas to sending in the latest playground jokes and adding unusual words to the online glossary, kids will be involved at every level." P.S Welcome to anyone directed here via the black box widget. My question was custard or ice cream? A dilemma I often face when choosing apple pie!

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NOTE TO SELF: WHEN IS CHRISTMAS NOT CHRISTMAS? WHEN IT'S NOT "PC"


Once again as has occurred in the past, Christmas has become a politically un-acceptable word.

The latest is a move by an Ottawa, Canada, elementary school's attempt to remove the word "Christmas" from the song, "Silver Bells" in their annual Christmas concert

Gimme a break!

The move has ignited a controversy that has spread across the country and probably across North America and beyond. Instead, "Frosty the Snowman" replaced "Silver Bells" sung by Grade 2 and Grade 3 students attending Elmdale Public School.

"It was a choice by the choir," said Ottawa-Carleton District School Board spokeswoman Sharlene Hunter. "The teachers are visibly and emotionally upset and don't feel they can conduct that song to the best of their ability."

Elmdale has been inundated with telephone calls and emails after the story broke about teachers at the school changing the word Christmas and replacing it with "festive" in the Christmas carol, "Silver Bells." As in: "silver bells...silver bells...it's festive time in the city..."

Ridiculous!

It's akin to the story where Australian Santas were told not to use the traditional "ho-ho-ho" laugh and use "ha-ha-ha" instead, since it was deemed offensive to women.

It makes one wonder which songs will be deemed un-politically correct in the future. Will radio stations have to bleep out unacceptable words?

"It's beginning to look a lot like festive... Everywhere you go..." or "We wish you a merry festive..."

And a Merry Christmas...um - Festive - whatever, to you too!

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