Happy Christmas one and all! I hope you are doing something nice for the festive season.
I read recently that the "Happy Christmas" greeting is dying out in favour of "Happy Holidays" but I'm not buying that. People say "I don't believe in the Christmas story". Well, that's fine. I don't believe in the Summer Bank Holiday story but I do believe in having time off for whatever reason. So let's leave the introspection to one side and just enjoy Christmas with all the nice things associated with it: family gatherings, people coming home to celebrate, presents, children running around with excitement.
Yes, it is very commercialized and seems to get worse every year. Personally, I find the slogans amusing "make Christmas for everyone" er, how d'you do that exactly? Put a sprig of holly down the back of their jumper? "Make Christmas amazing", yes,well if we didn't know from all the hype, it would be amazing that Christmas just turned up out of the blue on 25th December. "More for everyone", maybe pass on the tips to the government?
What is my picture of Christmas? Church service then home to a crackling log fire, Christmas carols and songs in the background - you know, the old traditional ones - family sitting round the table for a meal, everyone chatting and smiling. That feeling of being safe and secure that we had as children.
Sigh. I know it's not like this for everyone but we can all remember and dream. Oh, I read on Twitter that authors shouldn't have their characters "sighing" because nobody does nowadays. Do I have to take that on board with the Happy Holidays? I don't think so.
Let's all have the happiest Christmas that we can make it in our various situations. Yes, I think I'll raise a glass to that.
