Dr. Neil Hair

An amusing case of when to draw the line on giving consumers what they want. You awake one picturesque morning to the dulcet tones of the postman leaving you mail. You rush head long like a slow motion prancing fairy to the door deep with the anticipation of a card or two from loved ones. Your heart flutters as you retrieve a red card addressed very politely to your good self – to find that the inside of the card shows a pensioner standing next to a Christmas tree with the message: "Have a ——- miserable Christmas." Christmas for you it seems – is over.

Now, I would personally find such a cheeky chappy kind of message rather amusing – if it was say from my Brother (who hasnt sent me a card in the last 15 years of his life by the way – we have an agreement which I broke this year). However, its got the Brits up in arms with fury – one such subject Miranda Francis, 40, a professor at the Royal College of Music, says: "I think they are dreadful. I'm not a humour fascist and I've even sent some pretty crude cards to friends for their birthdays – but Christmas is different. These are far too offensive." SO - at what point does the maxim – market driven – end? Mr Proctor – the owner of a number of card shops in and around Great Britain said, "We don't set ourselves up as arbiters of taste. We sell these cards because there is a demand for them. It is the way language and humour are going." Lisa Yates, 22, a sales account manager, seems to have the answer: "It's really down to the individual whether they are suitable or not. Some of my friends would appreciate them, but I'd never send one to my Nan." Read the full Telegraph atricle here.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone.