It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the shops, which makes me even more determined not to think about it. A sobering and seasonally appropriate counterweight to this poisonous commercialism comes in the shape of a very gracious invitation from the superintendent to attend “open house” at the local municipal crematorium: “Members of the public will be able to have tours (maximum 20 people at a time) of the crematory and be able to walk around the grounds and chapel.” Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, and all that.