The heady smell of pine fills the air, my mum manically saws away at the base of quite a magnificent Christmas tree and the dog takes advantage of the mayhem by eating biscuits foolishly left on the coffee table. My 10-year-old brother and five-year-old sister squabble over who will put the fairy on top of the tree. A tin of celebrations is knocked onto the floor with the contents spilling everywhere, my Nan walks in stumbles on the chocolate and swears loudly- it now officially feels like Christmas.
This mixture of seasonal cheer yet festive frustration seems to be echoed throughout most of society. The Independent on Saturday morning took this approach- the seasonal news is oppositional; fun nibs about Christmas parties amid such scurrilous scepticism that would make Ebenezer Scrooge blush, yes that is a Dickensian allusion. But ‘tiss the season and if you haven’t guessed this is a Christmas blog.
The Independent’s Alice-Azania Jarvis makes a valid point of how starting Christmas shopping early results in spending far more than you would normally and attributes this to the smell of mulled wine, which does seem very plausible. There is something enchanting (alcoholic) about mulled wine that does make otherwise quite dull things very fun- like Christmas shopping.
However, as another tax increase looms Personal Finance Editor Simon Read warns of the dangers of over spending especially at such an over indulgent season. But as a nation of frivolous spenders with debts that match the deficit, I think this warning will fall on deaf ears.
Closer to home, my family every year attempt to cap the amount we spend on each other. I get told every year that this will be the last time I get presents from Santa- though none of this ever comes into fruition and on Christmas day me, my sisters and my brothers (all five of us) wake up in the same room with stockings that Santa has left for us and all money worries melt away.
I wrote this while sat at work on Saturday morning, I don’t think there is much of a point to it- perhaps just that I love Christmas and cannot wait for Christmas day. To be drunk by midday, shout myself horse from trying to compete with the hundreds of relatives all wanting to have their say and then eating so much dry turkey that I feel very very sick. Bring it on!
Speaking as someone who hasn't experienced Christmas for many years, I have to say that while it'll never be anywhere near as fantastic as it was when I was young, I am getting a slight warm feeling walking around the shops and looking at the decorations this year.
ReplyDeleteI've found myself just stopping and gazing quietly at, say, a Christmas tree for no reason - just thinking how lucky we all are to have such a time when everyone should be happy, regardless of religious or commercial hang-ups.
I used to be very resentful of Christmas. And while I still find many aspects of it rather uncomfortable, it does highlight some of the best traits of people in this country. Christmas time is something people from other cultures *do* envy, and I feel that as a nation the way we embrace such a tradition is something which we should all be very proud of.
Merry Christmas Frankie.