When I was in Cannes in August, I came across an old woman begging on the street. She'd been doing the same thingthe year before. A man, walking ahead of me stopped, took our his wallet and gave her some euro notes. I could see, throughthe loose layers of clothing,thather health had deteriorated.

Afriend's reaction, when I told heraboutit was thatthe poor are always with us, so forget them.

Recently, Emma gave me a Christmas pudding with a crystallised clementine in the middle. When she and Kate came for a mealthe four of us ate it in one go. I liked thesurprise in the middle and the pudding was definitely good,fruity and moist, worth the money.

These puddings are flying off the shelves, though they are not for sale in Haverfordwest, and they cost13.99. Stores that stock them are limitingsales to one per household but, as always, there are ways ofwriggling around this.

'Did you say you're holding a party?Then in that case you can have thirty. Enjoy!'

So, you've run home with your puddings, beaming like a Cheshire cat. Want to makea quick buck? Sell them on the internet for 200 each. It's not illegal, after all. It's called entrepreneurship. The laws of supply and demand prevail and, he who dares, wins, Rodney. Makes an easy profit, too.

I think it was Malcolm Bradbury (of 'The History Man' fame, which I greatly enjoyed many years ago) who said sociology shows the strongwillprey on the weak. On thegullible, too. If I was desperate for a pudding with an orange but couldn't buy one,I'd simmer an orange in syrup, cut the pudding in half et voici et voila.

Oliver and Harrysmiled indulgently and shook their heads ruefully when I told them this.

'It's not the same', they said. No,and it's a lot lessthan200, too.

Authenticity and provenance count, in the boys' eyes:(250 skis 'and that's cheap', goggles 99 'a bargain'). Yes, yes, I know. But, I stillpose the question: '200' for a smallish pudding? Bah! Humbug!'

Not wishingto beScrooge's best friend,I realise people are entitled to spendor waste their money as they like. A recent survey showed that lower and moderate income households give more to charity than higher earners. Is this because the rich are cushioned from the reality of poverty?

Extreme poverty and conspicuous spendingmakefor bad bedfellows, providingpause for thought at this time of year.