This Christmas morning, the floor of my office is strewn not with traditional wrapping paper, but with the cardboard boxes of wine bottles. A fine Sancerre sits within reach, a gift from loved ones who, despite my past protests, persist in the belief that it's the perfect present. For the first time, I am spending December 25th entirely alone—no tree, no tinsel, no face-to-face contact. The familiar Santa snow globe from my mother remains in the attic.
A Gift from the Past: The Ultimate Childhood Present
My mind wanders back to Christmas 1980, and the greatest gift my brother and I ever received. It was too large to wrap, propped against the side of our house: a full-size table tennis table. My father had included bats, balls, and a net. We set it up immediately in our double garage, sparking a fierce, years-long campaign for sporting supremacy between two competitive brothers.
That simple pleasure of batting a small white ball back and forth defined our teenage years. Yet, as adulthood arrived with its university degrees, careers in law and journalism, mortgages, and families, that innocent joy was crowded out. The table tennis table was forgotten, a relic of a simpler time before professional pressures took hold.
The Conscious Return to Play
This year, deep into my fifties, I made a decisive change. I resolved to rediscover that lost fun. I joined a local table tennis club in Glasgow. Now, twice a week, I compete in municipal facilities against players as young as 17 and as experienced as 80, striving to regain my teenage form. The comeback is challenging; I've even developed a nervous 'yip' in my forehand. Yet, I persist.
This return is more than just physical. The greatest revelation has been the human connection. Many fellow players are there for similar reasons—they played as kids, were good at it, and wonder why they ever stopped. 'Life...' is the only explanation we muster. At the club, everyone takes a turn as a 'ball-boy', wandering the hall with a net to collect stray balls. This simple, communal task brings a profound serenity and a reminder that I live in one of the UK's friendliest cities.
The National Resurgence of 'Aerobic Chess'
Curious about my midlife passion, I looked into the numbers. The resurgence is real. In England, adult participation in table tennis has jumped by 11% in the past year. Notably, participation among women has soared by 22%. Anecdotal evidence points to a similar trend in Scotland. Health experts champion the sport as 'aerobic chess'—an ideal, low-impact workout that challenges the mind and body, making it particularly popular with older demographics.
Not everyone understands. When I mentioned my new hobby to journalist colleagues, I was met with groans and a pitying 'Ping pong?!'. But they are on different journeys. Call it ping pong or aerobic chess; to me, it has been the best gift of a difficult year—an essential escape valve since August that I expect to sustain me for years to come.
For anyone having a less-than-festive Christmas, I hope you found a gift that truly resonates. Sometimes, amidst the well-meaning presents from others, we must choose the gifts we really need ourselves. This year, I chose to give myself back the simple joy of the game.
