Mark MacLean often used to spot baubles in the Hamilton North drain at Christmas time. As he is lurking in the other end of the state these days I thought I’d see what I could find in the drain on my way to work this morning.

No Christmas baubles. But I did find something with red and green.

Deflated hopes.

I’m sure there’s a metaphor lurking in there somewhere – something about the deflated hopes of an over-commercialised society limp and prostrate before a yawning abyss of darkness.