As the papers are put to bed for another week, and with just days until Christmas Day rolls round again, your pal The Skipper thought he would break the habit of a lifetime, and play nicely, well sort of.

I have enjoyed being out and about in Falmouth, Helston and further afield and it needs to be said that in Falmouth certainly, they have pulled out all the stops.

Whether it was events like the Christmas tree lights switch-on, the Santa Fun Run, Old High Street parade, the live nativity, and the many more besides, so much effort has gone into making the town shine. Now Falmouth has had a stunning year, especially against a backdrop of gloom and doom elsewhere, and all those involved, whether it is Falmouth BID, the town centre management team, the volunteers, businesses and everyone else who jumped in and helped, deserve a huge pat on the back. However it would not be a Skipper column without a niggle here and there, so I would like to thank the ruling cabinet at Cornwall Council for pulling it out of the bag at the last minute to win this year’s ‘Skipper’s Award for Cruel and Unusual Decisions’, quite a feat after the raft of clunkers made this year.

We live in a county awash with wealthy second home owners, and huge vanity houses dot the landscape, but those great minds have decided that rather than making those with the most pay, the very poorest, those trying to put food on the table and clothes on their childrens backs, should fill a council tax black hole.

It is a nice thought that as everyone else tries to make it a Christmas to remember, battling against the odds, those that rule over us, and vote themselves huge pay rises, can so obviously show contempt for those that struggle the most.

So join me in wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and saying bah humbug to those that deserve it.