A silly little story for today, but it’s fun!
I am left wondering what the Doctor and Houdini’s timeline is, this is a bit later in his life already, but it’s his first time meeting the doctor?
He also looks a lot younger in the art than he should be but this point, but eh, I’m nitpicking
When I did these stories in my marathon there is a definite through line between Harry Houdini’s War and Smoke and Mirrors with elements of War leading in to Mirrors quite neatly in how the relationship between them develops (see my reviews for a bit more detail). Space Cuckoos is technically set between those stories so is a bit of an anomaly.
Just read the first two parts and I was going to post this same screenshot!
I would like that T-shirt 
I find this story a bit of a step down from Moffat’s. It definitely feels like not as clever writing, a little patronising and talking down to the reader in my mind.
I’m interested to see how it ends though!
It is definitely a bit ‘dumbed down’ as short stories go.
Yeah, I agree. Feels childish and overly simplistic. Also didn’t get the Eleven vibe from the Doctor at all.
See if you can guess today’s item without looking.
Houdini and the Space Cuckoos, Parts 3 and 4
Part 3
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/tv/isite-downloads/doctorwho/masks_and_makes/stories/christmas-2012/Houdini-and-The-Space-Cuckoos-Part-Three.pdf
Part 4
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/tv/isite-downloads/doctorwho/masks_and_makes/stories/christmas-2012/HTSC4/Houdini-and-The-Space-Cuckoos-Part-Four.pdf
Wiki Houdini and The Space Cuckoos (short story) - Tardis Wiki
Guide
https://tardis.guide/story/houdini-and-the-space-cuckoos/
Discussion Question: Given the international nature of our forum, what is a holiday tradition from your country or region that you want others to know about?
I think that this is a Swedish thing but might be wrong. When it is four Sundays left until Christmas we start with these advent candles. And light one more each Sunday until Christmas.
Some other Swedish Christmas highlights
I’m looking forward to seeing if your St Lucia traditions are similar to the Danish ones
And celebrating Christmas on the 24th is the sensible thing to do 
Do you have the advent candle?
We have the advent candle, the Lucia and the Christmas celebrations on the right day!
It’s a Scandi Christmas Club!
So that story was… fun, I suppose. Certainly not Lidster’s best work and the plot progression was basically just “and then this happened, and then this happened too!”. Still, it’s fun and it’s harmless, even if quite mediocre.
But I do have one complaint…
Being a Brit, most of our Christmas traditions are already well known. I’m sure everybody’s heard about the tangerine in the stocking and the sixpence in the Christmas pudding but in reality, I think our main tradition at this point might be the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special.
We’re a simple people.
My question is what is the deal with the paper crowns?
Honestly, not sure, they’re flimsy and always too small for your head.
But do you know what they are?
Surprisingly fun
I’m not everybody…
I thought it was a satsuma?
What’s the deal with the sixpence?
What makes it a Christmas pudding?
What’s Gavin and Stacey?
I may have overestimated the spread of Christmas traditions.
Just because you’ve conquered and occupied half of the world once upon a time doesn’t mean we all know or understand about your Christmas traditions 
we Scandinavians are simple heathens after all!
Another cool story!
Well, like the Scandinavians, we also have Advent candles and celebrate on the 24th in Germany.
One really fun Christmas tradition here is baking ‘Plätzchen’ (Christmas biscuits) all throughout December.
My mum and I made these yesterday, they’re made from coconut flakes, sugar and egg whites and dipped in chocolate after baking:
uhhh, my bad?
I just realised that my sentence came across as a bit blunt, but it was meant as a joke referring to how the British Empire was very widespread once, which is why one could assume that British Christams traditions had spread everywhere, but that that obviously isn’t the case.
It probably could’ve been phrased a bit better. And it defintiely wasn’t personally targeted towards you, or anyone else 
Sorry for the confusion - communication on a forum in a (for me) tertiary language on a Saturday forenoon isn’t my strongest suit!
Oh no, I was joking too, it’s fine.
It’s times like this I understand why people use the “/j” tag.
I often forget you can’t hear voice inflections over text and sarcasm rarely works.
