How was 2009 for you? I asked that question at a recent business club gathering in Oxted and, with one or two exceptions, the response was rather glum. I'm not surprised. It's been a really tough year for many businesses and families, and one that's been dominated by economic news.
 
Looking ahead, we're not out of it yet. The scale of public debt is so vast that it is almost impossible to understand and next year, whoever wins the General Election, we are all going to be asked to start paying it back. It's not that hard to be a bit gloomy about the immediate future.
 
But it's not in the British character to cave in when times get tough, and there's been plenty of evidence that in East Surrey people and local businesses are supporting each other. The lights are twinkling from Horley to Warlingham; Oxted and Lingfield both held terrific late night shopping events; and Santa has been all over the place spreading good cheer. In Caterham local traders hired some snow machines and invited me to help start a blizzard in the town centre!
 
Christmas is a time for sharing and a time for families. It's a time to shut out the cold weather and chilly economic forecasts and just have a good, relaxing time. I wish all you readers a very Happy Christmas and - who knows? - next year could turn out to be a lot better than Scrooge might have us believe.
 
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