Christmas comes but once a year, but for one councillor that is one deluge too many of bulk-printed cards, personalised pens, promotional trinkets . . . and wives. Green Party councillor Mr Ciarán Cuffe saw them all flow through his Dublin city letter-box over the festive season, courtesy of members of the Seanad.
He couldn't help but wonder if the largesse had anything to do with the coming elections when councillors will vote in the bulk of senators. Someone even sent him a CD of T.R. Dallas (otherwise known as Westmeath public representative Cllr Tom Allen) singing Daddy's Girl. "There was one from somebody else called Mother or something. There seems to be a family values theme running through things this year," Mr Cuffe sighed.
He got 28 cards from senators - half the Seanad membership - plus a euro-converter calculator to add to the one sent by the Government, and four pens bearing the names of the benefactors.
His chief hate was finding wives' signatures on cards, which he believed were only canvassing cards masquerading as greetings in the first place.
"I don't know most of the senators, never mind the spouses. It's a real waste of money. There are better ways of making a name for oneself as a politician. Traditionally, politicians tackle issues and raise a profile based on their particular convictions or ideas or the vision they have for the country. It demeans the Senate to receive these kind of things."
Senator Willie Farrell from Co Sligo, who sent the euro-converter to Mr Cuffe - and 699 other people at a cost of over £1,000 - disagreed.
"I like to recognise people at Christmas. It's an old Irish custom and I am a traditionalist. I think cards are a waste of money. They cause problems with rubbish. I like the idea of something practical use to people.
"Other times it was biros or notepads. This year it was a little electronic converter to remind them that the euro was coming in. If he doesn't use it, he can give it to someone who will."
Co Tipperary senator and head of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Mr Labhrás Ó Murchú, who dispatched cards and pens countrywide at a cost of "several hundred pounds", was surprised to hear his greetings were not music to Mr Cuffe's ears.
"It's just the spirit of Christmas. We all get more friends and acquaintances as time goes on and we have to avoid the scrooge element in life," he said, adding that his cards were printed by a charity. He did, however, accept his greetings had a dual mandate.
"Ultimately we will be judged on our service, but if you are going to contest an election, you must make yourself known and if that requires keeping in touch in different ways, so be it."