Wednesday 18 November 2009

I am Scrooge. Hear me roar.

I saw the Coca Cola Christmas advert on TV today. The one where a whole village runs to catch sight of the neon-lit lorries, and a giant face of Father Christmas on the back holding a bottle of diet coke. Hmm...big nose and rosy cheeks, I thought he was more a beer kind of fellow. Of course the hills are dusted white, there's a coldness in the air and a faint jingle of bells in the background. Doesn't it make you feel all christmassy?

In a word, no. It is only November. NOVEMBER! Businesses everywhere are wishing my life away, willing it to be that time of year where spending a fortune has replaced the real meaning of Christmas. You know, the whole birth of Christ thing? Ring any bells?

I can't buy a birthday card in November. Clinton cards has shifted those for all the cheap ones with cute reindeer and picturesque scenes of snow falling over thatched cottages. The last time it snowed at Christmas, I wasn't born.

In Sainsbury's, I could buy my Halloween pumpkin and a box of mince pies, if the feeling fancied. The Christmas spirit on TV, however, started a few weeks ago. Jamie Oliver and that tiny Top Gear bloke travel through country villages promoting real hearty home-cooked grub. Tell me, does Christmas only exist in villages? I'd like to see Richard Hammond walk his trolley through the streets of South East London. If he makes it to Morrisons in one piece, I'd have more faith in a Christmas miracle.

I am sick of going into shops that look like the Christmas fairy threw up glitter everywhere. I'd like to find a car space in Bluewater without all the panic-buying mum's and people on the dole who should be paying their gas bill rather than buying out Toys R Us. I'd like to make it round Tesco's in peace without the sales assistants trying to tempt me into tasting their mince pies. They all taste like crap to me.

By the time December 25th comes around my Christmas cheer is skating on very thin ice. No ice-skating-at-Christmas pun intended.

Consequently, I have decided to boycott all things Christmas until mid-December. So if you see a woman wandering around with three ghosts of past, present and future; that will be me. Yes reader, I am Scrooge. And I am not ashamed to admit it.

9 comments:

  1. Shit, my card is already in the post...eek. Ah Lou, I know what you mean - it's the same with Valentine's, Easter...every bloody holiday. It's just about money. Nice post.

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  2. I totally agree with you...Here in the States I refuse to acknowledge Christmas "cheer" until after Thanksgiving...so basically from December on. They had christmas trees up in the store before Halloween :(

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  3. Right with you! They hung speakers outside Debenhams today, blasting old Xmas favourites at passing shoppers. I unplugged 'em.

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  4. it's sickening, i know. the businesses are desparate for our money, and i'm not willing to hand it over. in fact i've been boycutting christmas for years now. and now they are selling thanksgiving cards. thanksgiving cards!?

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  5. Ugh, I don't know what I would have done if they started the 'Christmas Spirit' thing this early here as well. It'll probably start mid December.

    I can't exactly relate to your post, but I can definitely see what you mean. Hope your Christmas cheer doesn't disappear before the 25th Dec. Hang in there! :D

    missykimmy.blogspot.com

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  6. I'm surprised they waited until November, that actually shows great restraint! LOL

    You make good points, I think all holidays have become too commercialized and we've lost sight of why we have them in the first place... but especially Christmas.

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  7. I'm with you...it's too damn early for this Christmas stuff... bah hum-something!

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  8. Unless you live in the UK, this post really won't make much sense. I doubt you'd even know who Richard Hammond was (not that you're missing much!) Oooh harsh but true.

    I stand by my scroogeness. It's too damn early. Still. First week of December is acceptable.

    :)

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  9. Lou, I really like your blog. I have to wholehearted agree with this post as well, although for some reason I like episodes of TV shows set at Christmas....

    I wonder if you are a fan of Charlie Brooker? He wrote an article along similar lines for the Guardian earlier this month. Here's the link:
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/16/charlie-brooker-christmas-television-adverts

    Keep up the good work, Ben.

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