Queuing into the car park for longer than the time you’re actually in the store itself, the stress of searching for the ‘right’ presents, Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ on repeat whilst you’re under that stress, copious wrapping paper and ribbons, shopping centres charging an arm and a leg for children to take a photo with a large man in a red suit (supposedly Santa), three trips a day to the supermarket and having to rejoin that queue because you forgot the turkey dressing…. then the crackers for the cheese…. then the Moscato. Make that half a dozen of bottles of Moscato. Yep, that’s what Christmas has become. 

 

I spent my Christmas this year in Sydney and shopping centres turned into zoos. The world ties itself in a knot leading up to Christmas because we always want to outdo last year’s dinner party or decorate the tree based on a different color theme. Why wouldn’t you want to when this year, the ‘in’ thing is a white tree (not the traditional green tree you have at home) draped with pink baubles (not the gold and silver from last year). Not to mention the new LED lights that are selling in the shape of Santa and an elf on a see-saw. You can’t NOT buy that!

 

Christmas has just become way too commercialized. It’s all about the man in the red suit and presents under the tree. What IS Christmas? We all forget that regardless of what the shopping centres are trying to tell you or the essence of Christmas being ‘a time of giving’, we should really be giving all the time. Why be nicer just during this time? Christmas should not be stressful. The Christmas spirit should not be focused on the value of presents but the thought, and a remembrance that it is actually a celebration of the birth of Christ for those who follow the Christian faith. So what if your plates and wine goblets don’t match with your napkins? Keep it simple and warm. Spend time with your loved ones. Most importantly, smile and make others smile with you.

 

On a final note, what’s white and goes up?

 

…. A confused snowflake :)

 

Have a wonderful New Year’s celebration and bring on 2011.

 

TB