So there I was, enjoying a light lunch at my local Café Uno, when in front of me I noticed an announcement containing the C-word – Christmas. “Book now for Christmas”... and all that. I groaned at the thought of all those idiotic alcohol fuelled office parties that are going to take place. I deliberated at how best to avoid dining at a venue that might be hosting any such tasteless event. I shuddered at the thought of grown men behaving like adolescents, sporting paper party hats in garish colours, blowing those party whistle things which cause a rolled up tube of paper to unfurl – usually into the face of the next person at the table. I contemplated the mindless party cracker jokes, and the even more mindless gifts contained within every Christmas cracker.
But wait... this was last week. Christmas was still three months away. What gives? It’s still only September. Oh no... it’s starting earlier and earlier every year.
I remember reading one of Ripsnort’s posts recently – the usual type of original thought, composed entirely by means of Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V. It was a critique of Britain, and had been written by an American. Unfortunately, it was 40 years behind the times, judging from its reference to the size of refrigerators in Britain –
But there was one issue on which the critique was entirely correct – understated even. The British obsession with Christmas or, more to the point, the length of time the Xmas holiday goes on and on and on...
Worse was to come. I’ve just moved house, so have been looking around at some new furnishings at John Lewis at High Wycombe. (I window shop there, then buy it off the Internet at huge savings) As soon as I walked through the revolving door, I was confronted with an array of (artificial) Christmas trees for sale, Christmas tree baubels, tinsel, advent calandars and all that...
But it’s still only September! Have we gone mad? Of course, one’s feelings about Christmas can be governed by religious beliefs, but surely even the most ardent Christian would agree with the absurdity of the Christmas “season” (as that is what it has become) starting this early, and might even object to the over commercialised jamboree that Christmas has become.
How soon does Christmas start where you live? And how soon does it end?
Personally, I always look forward to January.
Bah Humbug!
