So on the ninth day of Christmas

is something special to me

because it was a present from my daughter.

She gave it to me at my grandson's birthday party

because our birthdays are very close together.

And it's a Periodic Table handkerchief.

Not a very big handkerchief, but big enough to be useful.

Unfortunately it doesn't have some of the later elements

but you could argue if you're going to blow your nose on it

perhaps it's just as well that it's not too up-to-date!

But I think it is quite fun, and it's very clear

compared to some of the other Periodic Tables that you get.

And it's really good, because you can hear from my voice

I've got a cold, so... here goes.

(blows nose)

[Brady, laughing] Professor, are you a hankie user?

Oh! Very much so.

I always have two: one in each pocket.

Otherwise I sneeze in the most embarrassing way.

I've always had handkerchiefs since I was a child,

and I used to wipe up the chemicals with my handkerchief.

And when I was at school one day

in the chapel, in the prayers, I pulled my handkerchief out of the pocket

and it just turned to powder! Because the chemicals

had all rotted it away

So nowadays I don't mop up my chemicals with my handkerchief.

On Day Nine:

we have a Periodic Table handkerchief,

a charred piece of wood, Day 7: a fan from a fan,

carbon, anthracite, a glowing plectrum,

4 drinking receptacles, 2 periodic table bedcovers,

and one piece of tartaric acid from a Swiss wine barrel.

What will be Day Ten?

[Music, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"]