““The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” – Will Ferrell, ‘Elf’.”
By Fiona Millar
Well folks, it’s that time of year again when the Christmas puds are being made, the over-sized turkeys are being eyed-up, and the Christmas wish-lists are being written. I hope you’ve all been good law-abiding citizens this year!
It’s finally December 2020; the month we’ve all been waiting for; the month to end this dreadful and, depending on how you look at it, uneventful year. Furthermore, we can all breathe a sigh of relief into our face masks that Christmas has not been cancelled. Whilst the 25th of December will have a different feel to the normal boisterous, cheerful, bright-light, tacky-jumper festivities, anything that offers light-hearted distraction from the pandemic is worth it. In fact, Christmas is under more pressure than ever to bring the cheer, the sparkle and the happiness to people’s homes and faces.
But what if we leave the tinsel, the tree, and the turkey alone for just a second and take a moment to think about those who are in much more dire straits than us, because isn’t Christmas meant to be about giving as well as receiving? After all, after a stressful year of stockpiling toilet paper don’t we deserve to indulge ourselves this Christmas season?
Whilst we can and should enjoy ourselves, we need to also look beyond our own desires for material comfort and ease. To be honest, it’s not surprising that lockdown has affected so many people mentally and negatively as we have all had far too much time to think about ourselves. It’s become so easy to lapse into self-preservation mode without giving a second thought to the impoverished circumstances and burdens people around the world are facing right now and were facing even before Coronavirus struck.
Perhaps working for an international relief and development charity, has helped me to see our situation in the UK in a different light. Every day I am reminded of how privileged we are as a nation. When you become more aware of the hardship and deprivation that thousands, even millions, of people in other countries must endure it is heart-breaking. Forget about first world problems like running out of pasta, there are families who don’t even have a single grain of rice to grow or cook. Charities, exist to help men, women and children not only in a time of crisis, but in everyday life. 2020 has been a tough year for all of us and although we have the hope that the next Spring will bring with it some relief, for many the harshness will continue. So, may I suggest that we ease up on our own self-pity and think about those whose needs last a lifetime.
Please do not take up Elf’s suggestion and sing, for that would surely bring a swift end to our Christmas freedom, but please do something much more loving and tangible by supporting local or international charities and make a difference to someone’s life. That, surely, is how to spread long-lasting Christmas cheer and how to end 2020 with a bang.
Fiona Millar