CHRISTMAS is a time to rejoice at the generosity of your fellow men and women and to offer goodwill to all men.

With the exceptions, of course, of the grubs who come out from under their damp stones at this time of year to take advantage of the festive spirit.

King among these wretches so far this season must be the lowlife who saw fit to steal the shopping of an 87-year-old man who had left his bags outside the Shopmobility office in Poole.

This snivelling specimen will probably wrap them up and present them as presents to his family. Who, I suspect, might be tempted to remove his Christmas baubles if they ever found out about the source of his generosity.

Then there are the ignominious angels who have made merry with other people’s Christmas trees by stealing about 150 from garden centres.

And there’s the particularly loathsome worm who saw fit to snatch £1,400 cash from the West- bourne pub that was raised for a grieving family for a special trip in memory of a young man.

Should this rotten-hearted rapscallion’s identity be revealed I doubt if it would be just his halls that many would like to see decked.

Finally, there are the selfish sewer rats who prey on shoppers by stealing their wallets and purses. How proud they must be when thanked for their Christmas gifts... paid for out of the hard savings of other people.

Dorset police are giving away jingling bells to tie to purses and wallets in order to to alert shoppers to the thieving antics of these base lice.

If these contemptible snipes are caught, may their own bells jingle. And their chestnuts roast over an open fire. Oh, and merry Christmas to them all.