All Wrapped up!

Hello everybody peeps

First blog of the New year, and it feels like a while since my fingers have danced across this keyboard. The issue I've had of late is not the age old struggle of writers block, no sir, in fact the opposite affliction has weighed heavily on my time............sifting through the idiocy I witnessed throughout the Crimbo period and deciding which particular urine boiling moment to slap down next.

In the end I thought I'd pour down some none sense on the Festive period itself, more specifically the so called season of good will!

"Tis the season to be Jolly" - Really? Does this actually happen anymore? I love xmas, always have. I have fond memories of the build up culminating in the family getting together, eating, drinking and spinning yarns....what's not to like? Yes it doesn't share the magic that it used to, and like everything else in life when one grows older, more and more responsibility magnates to you and has a knock on affect to the 'fun factor'. That said, I rarely fail to have a god time, and spend the festive period in equal measure with family and friends.

But is that the norm? I fear not! The amount of whinging, arguments, drunken brawls and people walking around town under duress with faces like the proverbial smacked backside leads me to believe that this has become the season to be a miserable bastard!!!!

Despite being raised a Catholic I m not a religious man, but I don't think you have to be to enjoy the festive period, but we've become that obsessed with the materialistic nature of Christmas that it appears on observation that this wonderful time of year has become nothing more than a millstone around peoples neck. Instead of counting the days down to the Crimbo party, getting together with friends, winding down from work, letting the ropes of constraint slacken for a few weeks and sharing gifts with those we hold dear. My observations lead me to believe that it has become a time of obligation, counting down the Weeks to when you next get paid due to the countless bits of crap you're bought for people you hardly know from a budget you can barely afford, culminating in a sigh of relief when the forced upon festivities are done and dusted for another year, and I find this really sad.

Unfortunately for most it seems, Christmas has become a burden. People saddle themselves with obsession of making it a good Christmas for all those near, overspending, over stressing, and overstretching themselves, and as a by product, stress themselves out to the extent that they miss all of the fun themselves, and more than likely limit the fun of those they're struggling so hard to make happy.......it's bonkers!

It is a time of year that is so easy to get right. I'm not saying its not all about presents, I'm not saying it is all about presents, my point is this. Stop centralising everything around how much you spend and how extravagant you can make it, this will not make it a Christmas to remember. Focus instead on the time you spend, and the people you spend it with. It' always going to cost a little more at this time of year as we do buy gifts, we do meet up and go out more, and it's good to have a little splurge every now and then. But I will say this, surely the best way to create a good atmosphere is to enjoy the damn period yourself, and not play the sacrificial lamb to ensure others enjoy!!!!

My final point is this, Christmas should be a fantastic time of year for everyone, all the ingredients are there. Work attitudes slacken, there are more opportunities to party, there's more time off available, there's an excuse (if one was needed) to meet up and catch up, and there's bright lights and silly tunes and melodies playing around every corner, and if that not enough, watch it's a wonderful life! All we have to do is mix all that together with a big wooden spoon adding a generous dash of alcohol and cook slowly for about 2 weeks. Christmas is about goodwill to all men, just remember to count yourself in that equation!

I am Spafmonkey.......hear me roar.