ANN FOTHERINGHAM
Asquirrels. Now there’s a Scottish version, thanks to the clever creatives at the Tartan Blanket Co who are using it to promote their, eh, tartan blankets.
It’s called colsie, which is an Old Scots word for cosy.
Pronounced kol-zee, it is defined as “the habit of embracing winter darkness and finding comfort and warmth in life’s simple pleasures”.
Excellent idea. With the first snows and icy frosts of the season already upon us, Brexit woes rumbling on, Trump still in the Whitehouse and another Royal Wedding on the horizon, simple pleasures sound like a great thing to focus on.
With that in mind, I am setting about clearing up the house for Christmas.
It’s a proper, pull-out-the-beds, empty the cupboards clean-up and I’ve been fascinated at the kinds of things I’ve discovered, particularly under my children’s beds.
(Don’t worry, nothing disgusting. Just a long lost Star Wars key-ring which prompted much wailing and gnashing of teeth when it was misplaced, but a simple ‘meh’ when it was returned to its owner – he has moved on; lots of odd socks, a deflated Easter balloon, and a thousand irritating little pieces of Lego). Anyway, turns out I’m not alone. A survey carried out by kitchen and bedroom people DM Design, reveals we are a nation of under-the-bed hoarders, and really not in a good way.
No vacuum-packed, neat and tidy storage sets for us – no, we prefer shoving everything from our pets to our underwear under there.
PWHILE ago, it was all about hygge, that Scandi-inspired love of cosiness and family.
We went mad for lambswool throws and home made soup and wee candles in the shape of ETS were top of the list, in fact, with children’s toys second top (everything from toy cars to lost Barbie dolls. ) And of course, given the timing of the survey, lots of people admitted to hiding Christmas presents under the beds, which sounds like an amateur mistake, especially if you have children the house.
My friends and I were discussing hiding places for presents recently and we agreed they have become higher and higher as our children have grown.
We have had to become increasingly inventive too, as the little cleverclogs are always on the lookout. Decoy boxes and camouflage are essential. Anyway, some of the more peculiar findings in the under-the-bed poll included a large inflatable flamingo, a loaded gift card after it had been reported as missing to the police, and a halfeaten burger, yeugh.
And of course, misplaced underwear was a common response from participants, with one brave soul mysteriously admitting to keeping Scotland Rugby Internationalist Greg Laidlaw’s muddy socks hidden under their bed.
(Unless it was Greg Laidlaw, of course, and then it’s not mysterious at all. Just a bit disgusting.)