Thursday, December 21, 2006

Christmas Havers

It's four sleeps til Christmas and it seems that we're nearly completely sorted. All the presents have been bought, the turkey's on order from the butchers and we've got Muppets DVD's to watch on the day instead of the Queens speech which I as a Scotsman don't have to watch but I'm sure all you wee colonials out there make sure you tune into it. It feels good to be organised especially when we dived into Tesco's earlier this evening and were stunned at the rammy inside. The supermarkets only shut for a day but peeps seem to act as if the Apocalypse has come and by Sunday it's going to every man for himself in the drinks aisle and murder in the High Street. I think we'll go to the pictures which should be blissfully empty.

As happens every year the debate over the commercialisation of Christmas has come up again and all sorts of peeps have been bemoaning the fact that many young children don't think of the Babby Jesus when they think of Christmas and that this makes the Babby Jesus cry. Whilst this is an understandable worry for those of Christian beliefs it fails to admit that we live in a pretty much secular society and Christmas is not a religious festival for the majority of the people in this society. It has become a generalised midwinter festival that helps us get through the darkest days of the season just as midwinter festivals are supposed to. It's 5 months out on the birth of the Babby Jesus anyway. As to the horrendous amount we spend on it if people want a big blow-out once a year I have no problem with it and sometimes it's good to spoil the kids and I want a pony anyway so there!

The other side of the commercialism in the UK came up this year with the Farepack scandal in which a British hamper savings company went under losing a lot of pretty sodding poor people all their Christmas money ruining their Christmas. This has also highlighted that these hamper companies are con merchants preying on the poorest in our society.

On the brighter side IrnBru have put out their first ever Christmas advert and it's bloody brilliant.

2 comments:

Brigit said...

the queen still does a speech? well blow me down, i was not aware of that... usually being far too down into the champagne bottle on the day!

Unknown said...

I so want to apply that picture of the crying little girl with the inset pony and "not yours" now Garry :p

Hope you and Rosa are able to have a good Christmas despite everything.