Wee lead slippers

Do they know it's (nearly) Christmas?

To highlight the yuletide misery of all those who will be spending Christmas on the streets, Ewan has been spending the past few weeks living and sleeping in a box. He plans to remain in the box until there's an end to world hunger, war, pestilence, disease, environmental degradation, debt, speeding, arguing, dirty looks and sighing.

This has nothing to do with the rather bad 1980s band "Living in a Box" whose eponymous hit "Living in a Box" explored the alienation inherent in comsumerist society, equating the pressures of modern life to, yes you've guessed, living in a box. Have a look. These guys had a way with words.

Are we not men?

Aye, give a dad a new camera and he'll be taking photies until the cows come home

But the boy's looking grand, don't you think. Here he is with Noddy, giving him a bearhug and taking him for a walk in his pram (surely, Noddy has a car that he drives himself, I hear you say. Shut it). They look like the Pet Shop Boys in their colander hats and aprons. Or Devo maybe. The limp-wristed pram pushing doesn't help.

Only 40 spending days until Christmas!

What is there to be to said about young Ewan? He's been two for over a month but isn't terrible yet. His vocabulary is expanding. He now says "No" about five times a second rather than just once like he used to. Does great animal noises: monkey, cow, sheep, cat, dog and spider. Handsome bugger. Looking more like his da every day. He's a big fan of Rory.

Here he is getting his five-a-day and getting ready for Christmas (spot that Santa) and I know that some of you will be wondering what to buy him. To help in the decision-making he has a wish list at Amazon.co.uk. OK so it's in the name of Steven Hope but rest assured it's all stuff for Ewan. You might wonder what a two-year-old would do with some of these things but let me reassure you: he's very advanced for his years. He'll use all of them and I'm always willing to help out.

Top tip! Apparently you can click on the photos and they get bigger! Great for all the relatives.