AFTER reading some of the letters in the Opinion page of the Guardian prior to Christmas, I noticed that some were of a grumpy nature, ie. Julia Tickridge.

In one letter she was bemoaning the fact that our MP Graham Evans was showing his support for his party leader and Prime Minister.

I am quite certain she would be smooching up to Ed Milliband if the chance arose.

She also referred to Mr Evans’ dismissal that the public landlords were having a hard time making a living.

As I walk down Chester Road, Castle, within 100 metres I pass three public houses, a supermarket and two Bargain Booze outlets.

I would agree with him that pubs should have no restrictions on where they purchase their drinks; on the other hand there is a lot of competition.

The second grumpy was a contributor who thought Christmas was “garbage”. In some respects he was right, some people indulged in purchasing presents that were not suitable.

At New Year I was travelling on the bus into town when a young mother boarded the bus with a buggy with a young boy who was about four years old.

He was playing with an iPad and when I asked her if she thought it too advanced for him, she replied that it was what he wanted. She then told me that her six-year-old daughter had received a mobile phone with all the gimmicks that went with it.

Perhaps this grumpy was right; the true meaning of Christmas does not appear to register with some people.

John Oliver Hartford