When you see an obvious mistake, should you point it out or just keep silent? It was coming up to Christmas, and I was in the bakery beside the station getting a sandwich for my lunch, when I noticed something new on the shelves: hot cross buns.

From time to time the cakes and buns and pastries on display would change, but this was something I had never seen before. Wondering nostalgically about the taste, I was puzzled by the holly-decorated sign that identified the buns, along with certain other items that were part of a Christmas special.

A few days later, dropping in the bakery again on my way home to pick up a pastry to accompany my coffee, I noticed there was no one around. So when I made my purchase, I mentioned very quietly to the man behind the counter that I thought hot cross buns were for the death of Christ, at Easter, and not the birth of Christ at Christmas. There was a gasp of sharply drawn breath: "Oh, I thought it was the Southern Cross!" he said, referring to star constellation. This comment was certainly quick thinking, and not what I expected. I had chosen a moment when the shop was empty, not wanting to loudly berate a shop assistant in a crowded emporium.