There may be shortage of Christmas cheer at the final Tynwald sitting of 2018 today (Tuesday).

Each year speculation surrounds the December session, as to whether it will be a cracker of a sitting or it will turn into a pantomime.

Post Office chairman Julie Edge may end up having to ask Santa to bring some smelling salts. It is not likely to be an easy day for her.

With industrial action by posties on the horizon, Ms Edge has the happy task of bringing forward the Post Office strategic business case for 2017-2022 and strategic recommendations for the future. What’s that you say? We’re at the end of 2018. Yes, you’re right. That’s possibly the least of our worries.

Anyway, the likelihood of this being a relaxing debate for the chairman is not very high. Helpfully, however, her Onchan constituency buddy Rob Callister has tabled an emergency question to ask Ms Edge what her contingency plans are for the planned strike later this week.

Even if the industrial action doesn’t go ahead, there’s a good chance Mr Callister’s Christmas card from Ms Edge may end up lost in the post.

It will be interesting to see how much support she receives from her superiors in the Council of Ministers during the debate.

But if that is not enough angst for you, fear not. Just a little bit further on in the agenda, the select committee report on public service media is due for debate, with some interesting recommendations about how our public service broadcasting is supplied and funded.

Not surprisingly, Manx Radio has been taking a close interest in this. It is probably a good job the mini radio studio in the corner of the Tynwald chamber is almost sound-proof.

Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly will seek approval to a replacement for the current Enterprise Development Scheme. Given the way previous parliamentary discussions have gone, it is unlikely many will lament the demise of the old scheme. Whether they like the new one, of course, is another matter.

But if that still leaves you thinking Tynwald’s Christmas stocking is only half-full, then the question paper gives plenty of opportunity for merriment.

Bill Shimmins (Middle), whose Christmas turkey is unlikely to be deep fried, has questions about the number of fast food outlets in Douglas, while Martyn Perkins (Garff) wants to know how to make a citizen’s arrest and whether it is actually permissible to do so in the island. Suffice to say, best not to upset him.

Other issues include the sale of cannabis products for medicinal use and education bosses’ approach to tackling bullying and also to religious education.

The written question paper is virtually a shopping list for Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey), who has a whole raft of questions to Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas about how everyone is getting on with fulfilling Programme for Government pledges. To be fair, it may well feel like Christmas has come earlier for Mr T, who does rather enjoy this sort of thing.

So all in all, Tynwald is going to be a barrel of laughs. (Oh no it isn’t.)