Bah Humbug
Am I becoming a bah humbug with Christmas? I hope not. I’ve always enjoyed the festive season, but as I’ve got older my perception seems to have changed. Having no children there is no real build up of excitement that the little ones tend to have. The making of cards, the making of tree decorations, the writing of the wish list and now in virtual world there is an online Santa letter! How cool is that? Nativities, and carol services all help, but all I really see is the commercial build up to the big event and the stress that it can create within my clients…. The need to buy more things…..have they got the right gift? Is great aunt Elsie coming for Christmas or not? Have they written all the cards, ordered the turkey, changed the bedding for guests…. Panic panic. It happens every year, but each year I see it from a different perspective. When I owned two large salons I was caught up in the full retail side of Christmas… The need to organise the salon window way ahead to ensure we caught the best of the Christmas trade, and booking clients in well ahead for their hair and nails for parties and meals out. All very organised. It was what we did. The feeling of the ‘ramping up to Christmas’ within the town was lovely. Late night shopping and mulled wine. Santa on a float and the switching on of the town lights. Something seems to have changed within me.
Is it an age thing? Now I tend to see the stress and the strain, the panic and the worry. What has happened to us all? We don’t need to buy more, eat more, and panic more. It happens EVERY year. No matter if you are religious and enjoy the festivities for the Christian reasons or if you are in need of a holiday and are looking forward to some parties and time with friends. Surely some balance is required? Take a breath. Look at what you actually need to buy and what you are being lured into buying. I felt it last year…. The sheer panic while in a supermarket of ‘Have I got enough smoked salmon in the fridge or should I buy another pack? Just in case….. Just in case of WHAT??? For heavens sake! Give yourself a slap. Make a list. Stick to the list. Give yourself a budget. Do what YOU want to do. Don’t get sucked in to what you ‘should’ do…. Adverts will catch you….and you will panic. It’s the law.
I won’t event begin to write about the Black Friday phenomenon last week… I see it from all sides. A clever little sale before Christmas, after all there has always been Cyber Monday which tends to be the biggest on-line spend pre-Christmas…. but this was something else. Sit at home and have a look at what you could save. Purchase your gifts, but why on earth would you want to trample people in a stampeding frenzy to grab a so called bargain? A reality check please. Bonkers. Really really bonkers.
Apparently it’s American. Give thanks for what you have one day… then go berserk the next.
I’m not against a little bargain….. but have some respect, and some perspective.
