Ramblings of a Grouch

I usually ask myself this question at this time of year. What's it all about?

Well, Xmas, obviously. The season of excess, when people start to show their true (and often not very welcome) feelings.

I hoped the one good thing to come out of the 2009 recession is for people to scale down the material side of Xmas and concentrate on the other things in life. But so far I'm not seeing it. "I want this. I want that. I must buy this for so-and-so." And all these things are not inexpensive items. Xmas has become a time to show true greed, to show the side of us that says 'I'm giving something expensive so I must be a better person'.

Rubbish!

Maybe I am a true Grouch. We decided not to do presents this year. Almost. Earlier in the year we treated ourselves to a new TV. We watch little TV but we invested in a flat screen HD unit, partly because the old set would need replacing when the UK switches to digital in 2012. And I got a deal on a posh hotel for a couple of nights after the big day just to get away from it all - walking in parks, exploring towns we have never visited, chilling out.

(Birthdays are a little different - we tend to push the boat out and get things neither of us would normally buy or oourselves - last year my nearly-wife got a laptop, I got to drive a Lamborghini).

But Xmas is the time for mass hysteria. The stores are closed for one day this year. At the local Asda, just round the corner, the car park has been jammed solid since Monday morning, traffic tailing back right along the entrance lane, out onto the road and back to God knows where. The 24 hour opening has been shrunk to 22 hours to allow the shelves to be re-stocked.

I walk round at work and hear people saying 'I asked for this, I asked for that, I spent £200 on food yesterday and still haven't finished, I want to win in the works raffle.' (Incidentally, I won a bottle of wine. I don't drink. I gave it to the young lady in the office whose mother will love it.)

And the nicest thing about Xmas for me up to now? My best mate, Bill, rang me out of the blue. At 5.30 am on Monday. To wish me a happy Xmas. Bill lives in Australia and we have never met, but he's a great character, we have some great laughs in an online forum, we can talk seriously if we need to and I would trust him with anything. Everything a best mate should be.

And there he was on the end of the phone, wishing me a happy holiday. Telling me what he plans to do on the 25th. Just saying 'Hi, I'm here and I remembered you'.

What a fantastic start to the week! And I ask, isn't that what Xmas is really all about?

Have a great day, Bill, and enjoy the barbie!

And Happy Holidays and a Happy 2010 to all