This hipster nativity leaves a bad taste

When I saw that picture of a nativity scene with a Greggs sausage roll where the baby Jesus should have been, I thought it was funny.

Young people and their memes – how very droll, I smiled. But then I discovered it wasn’t cobbled together by a random teenager in his bedroom, but was an officially sanctioned advert, presumably dreamed up by godless hipsters.

And it stopped being funny. Now, I am not given to taking offence; I haven’t got the emotional energy or the time and, entre nous, listening to The

Archers discharges a lot of tension, does it not? So I wasn’t offended. More annoyed. And dismayed. But mostly, I would have to say, annoyed.

Without wishing to be po-faced about it, I am annoyed that Christianity is considered fair game to be mocked when other religions are treated with fastidious respect.

Or maybe there’s going to be an hilarious halal pastiche at Eid? Thought not. And quite rightly so.

Greggs have apologised, but I’m afraid to have to tell them the flaky pastry damage has been done.

And if I were the sort to care enough (see above), I might boycott the chain, although I’m not sure I’ve set foot in a branch

since 2012, when I wrote a story about the egregious pasty tax. Christianity is a broad church, a (largely) evolved institution that is comfortable with dissent and can laugh at Rev and, in the case of Catholicism, regard Father

Ted as a documentary.

But these comedies derive their gentle humour from the frailties of man, rather than sneering at the religious tenets held dear by the faithful.

The Christian Christmas is for everyone – even if Tesco’s TV advertisement including a Muslim family managed to confuse and alienate adherents of both religions.

I know we live in an age of irony and post-modern ennui, but some things are – must be – sacred. Greggs is a national brand, a high-street staple and part of the fabric of many people’s lives.

To sneer at the nativity, the tender centrepiece of the Christmas story, was crass. They should hang their steak bakes in shame.