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My children are now all in their thirties and with our first grandchild born in July, I am looking forward to another round of children’s books, games and movies as she grows up. Since our teenagers left home, my contact with the worlds of computer games, music and social media that they inhabited has been very limited, rather fortunately according to my wife’s view on the subject.

Trix, a popular cereal brand from General Mills since 1958, has used packaging and ad spots featuring an illustrated Trix-loving bunny that was repeatedly told, “Silly rabbit! Trix are for kids!”

I was laying on a sunbed in Spain recently, with a cold beer and the waves lapping a few metres away enjoying a contemplative moment of contemporary reality. I was a long way from the cold and wet UK, with nothing really on my mind apart from what I was going to have for lunch. For a baby boomer like me that’s the sort of reality I like to enjoy a couple of times a year and it sure beats the reality of normal day to day life.

At this festive time of year it is usual for commentators to make predictions about what might happen in the new year and it is equally common for individuals to make resolutions which they will try to keep.

In starting this blog by telling you it is about Irish fairies, you will struggle to see the connection with print and packaging. But bear with me while I relate my recent experience on vacation in Ireland.

The news that the online retail pioneer Amazon has opened its own digital-to-physical retail space in Seattle’s University Village has been met with surprise, a hint of suspicion and a lot of speculation.

With the festive season approaching in Europe, it’s a good time to ask if a Kindle or e-book reader will be on your present list this Christmas. I pose the question because Waterstone’s, one of the largest bookstores in the United Kingdom has said that it is taking the device off its shelves this year to stock more copies of printed books.

Converters around the world, take a bow! One of your very own mainstream products – corrugated cardboard – has grabbed some highly coveted high-tech spotlight.