Surprise season's greetings, from beyond the grave

An man known for his sense of humour gave his friends and family a start recently when they received Christmas cards from him two months after he died.

Chet Fitch, from Ashland, in Oregon, died in October at age 88. But weeks later, Christmas cards, 34 of them, began arriving written in his hand with a return address of "Heaven".

The greeting read: "I asked Big Guy if I could sneak back and send some cards. At first he said no; but at my insistence he finally said, 'Oh well... go ahead'. Wish I could tell you about things here but words cannot explain. Better get back... I'll probably be seeing you (some sooner than you think). Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. Chet Fitch." His friend Debbie Hansen Bernard said: "It was amazing. Just so Chet, always wanting to get the last laugh," she said.

It was a joke that Mr Fitch had worked on for two decades with his barber, Patty Dean, 57. She told the Ashland Daily Tidings that he kept updating the list and giving her extra money when postal rates went up.