A A Gill

Crossed posts Jalima

And it's the presents bought with love, which will never be opened or played with.

The missing person at the table, if indeed the Christmas dinner goes ahead.

The advent calendar that never goes beyond that day.

The shock of a sudden death and autopsies being held up because everyone is on holiday, and trying to arrange funerals likewise.

The other thing is that if someone dies before Christmas the funeral may not be held until into the New Year so there is all the anguish of trying to arrange it and having to wait throughout the festive season when other people around you may be full of jollity.

what the hell difference does Christmas make
because it's a time of celebration, of remembering a birth, of family gatherings and should be a happy time but future Christmases will always be tinged with sadness.

My friend's FIL died on Christmas Day in their house (unexpectedly), having a rest, but at least he had enjoyed a lovely dinner first.

There was an article about him in today's Times (apart from the two page obituary) in which several people said basically, he hurt my business/ insulted and hurt me, but he said it in such an original and brilliant way! Made me chuckle!

I feel as if I've lost a family member, AA Gill was so much a part of my life. I always read his articles, he had such a wonderful way of writing. I certainly didn't always agree with him and it infuriated me that he refused to review restaurants outside London (with a few exceptions, including his very last review of a fish and chip shop in Whitby).
Sundays will never be quite the same. RIP.

He was also their TV critic. Amazing way with words, loved his piece on the Brexit vote. Didn't realise he took the AA bit to celebrate Alcoholics Anonymous who helped him recover. RIP

Oh was he roses ?

Restaurant critic for The Sunday Times KatyK

Any family member's death around Christmas time is worse than at any other time of year because of all the jollity and celebrations around that time.

I don't know where I have been because I have never heard of A A Gill. Sad when anyone dies of course.

it makes a difference. If you'd had someone close die just before Christmas you'd understand, if not then you won't,

Why do people always say " Especially before Christmas" meaning the sadness is worse because of that?? I have always thought that is just plain daft, someone dies, it is just as sad any day of the year what the hell difference does Christmas make.

He also left two older children with his former wife Amber Rudd. I'm not sure how old they are, the younger ones are just children, but how sad to lose your father at a young age, especially just before Christmas.

Yes he was a prat, but an interesting one.

From what I've read, he didn't have enough time to marry his long-term girlfriend, Nicola Formby, which is a shame.

I always thought he was a prat and Mary Beard was and is very gracious. And yes I did read what he wrote. "The Blonde" always made me cringe. But let me not speak ill of the dead.

This is what Mary Beard tweeted: "Sad aa gill died. He was horribly critical of me & l was furious. But good old fashioned signed journalism. Wish I'd been able to shake hands".

And he killed a baboon?

So what he said about Clare Baldring and Mary Beard passes without comment?

Yes he did marry his long time girlfriend and they had two children. His last article in todays Sunday Times supplement is very moving, he had a very hard time in this illness poor man.

That is a shock - so soon after he announced that he had cancer. I wonder if he had time to marry his partner?
I liked his style of writing too ( as Rinouchka said, he dictated it to his secretary.) I always went to his artcle first when I bought the ST.

What a loss. His articles were a huge pleasure to read. Too young, too soon.

So sad to learn of this last night. He was a wizard with words and it came as a surprise a while ago to learn that he was badly dyslexic and dictated all his articles. I hope he managed to marry his partner as that was his great wish three weeks ago when he announced his illness.

I was sadden to hear of his death, so young.

RIP

Love or loathe him, a unique writer and man of great spirit.
What a year this has been