My feelings on Christmas are not actually that merry in fact I have been labelled the Grinch on various occasions because for the most part I don’t even like Christmas. I know it may seem impossible for one not to be taken in by the red and white two and a half month-long movement of joy and consumerism that comes with Christmas but I find the whole thing a bit over the top and honestly a waste.
Part of the problem is that in South Africa Halloween isn’t really celebrated so the stores don’t go crazy and scarify themselves in October so where other countries wait till after the ghost celebrations to be over before turning to Santa, we go into the Christmas themes from about mid-September. This in my opinion is over kill. I mean couldn’t we put a month aside to celebrate the environment and maybe then a couple of weeks to acknowledge gender inequality and then possible focus on helping improve education instead of spending so much time and energy vomiting out red, gold and green.
Also I hate seeing reindeer everywhere. They have nothing to do with South Africa. Can’t we at least have the creativity to put a red nose on a fake springbok instead?
The worst part is the waste and the environmental impact. Let’s just look at wrapping paper (something which I really think should be abolished). I wonder how much is produced, bought and then thrown away at Christmas time. I pledge from this day forward never to use wrapping paper again, from now on all presents from me will be wrapped in newspaper. Then there are the stupid fake green trees. Now I know in some parts of the world people buy real trees for Christmas which I still feel kind of uncomfortable with because it is sort of abusing nature but this is much better than the disgusting plastic green things which do not deserve to be classified as trees which get drawn out and dusted off at this time of year. Not only is the traditional tree distinctly unSouth African but that plastic makes my heart ache. It’s probably releasing some brain killing chemicals as you sleep. What I suggest to all South African Christmas celebrators is that you go to the nearest street beader or wire-worker near you and commission a small tree to be made with or without beads. This will support your local community and give your Christmas a local element especially if you go for a baobab instead of the usual fir.
I think that Christmas also breads consumerism. The main focus of the celebrations has become gift giving and yes an element comes from the joy of putting a smile on another’s face and I must admit my favourite part is seeing my friends and family’s reactions as they open their gifts but part of me feels uncomfortable about how much energy is placed into giving things. If we didn’t give presents on Christmas at all and rather the day simply symbolised family time alone surely it would mean more. We could focus on each other rather than new clothes and the latest tablet.
The family part of Christmas seems to be the most pure (other than of course the religious element which I am not going to comment on as I am not religious –which yes is a reason that I don’t want to celebrate Christmas). I know the time of year represents good memories for people, a day they will always associated with that funny uncle, granny’s famous biscuits, seeing their favourite cousins and so forth and often the day is the only time of year, other than weddings and funerals, where the entire family comes together. But if I have to be honest I wish that my extended family would be and act like a family all year round. I wish and I hope that we can have random days of the year that we decide to spend together because we are a family and families love each other. There shouldn’t have to be some worldwide date to make us acknowledge the people in our lives. A family filled with love should be a family all the time not just on Christmas.
Plain Old Glasses 