Every year the lighting of the Cambridge Christmas tree at the Guildhall features a master of ceremonies from the entertainment industry.
The last time I attended Stella and Al were visiting and we stood around in the sparsely populated, freezing market square to watch The Damned laughing as they hit the button to illuminate our wintry lives.
Controversial, that. Santa even wrote a letter of protest to the newspaper.
Tonight I stood in a massive crowd, elbowing shrieking girls as they crowded too close, to watch the ceremony. I had no clue who would come on stage, and was mildly interested given the size and excited nature of the crowd.
Over the last few weeks the city has been buzzing with all sorts of elaborate tributes to Syd Barrett since he died and can no longer object to such things.
I was assuming the evening would continue in that direction – or at least feature something worthwhile, given the giddy anticipation all around me.
And it was…. some random girl voted off the X Factor.
End times, people. End times.