CLICmas #12
Welcome to window #12 of the CLICmas Advent Calendar! If you'd like a window of your own to strut your Christmas stuff in (or should that be stuffing - parp!) and have the chance of winning a Nintendo 3DS then email sam@cliconline.org.uk as soon as possible.
So, 13 days to go, eh? Are you weeing yourself with excitement yet?
I’m just going to come right out and say it: I love Christmas. No, really, I absolutely adore it. I’ve been waiting since about January 5th for it to come ‘round again, and once it’s gone I’ll be all the more excited for next year’s. Christmas is the one time of year where I can rid myself of the reputation ‘Cynical Cow’ (a title given by our very own Toriabeth!, I’ll have you know), and simply revel in the high spirit of the season.
Is it all the pretty colours? The cosy nights and the cheesy films? The Christmas songs we hear in every store from the moment the Halloween deckos are tossed unceremoniously into the attic? I don’t know. For me, Christmas is that consistent annual event where I can reflect on how much has changed over the years. With every tradition there is a handful of memories, and remembering them makes me feel warmer inside than the hot Vimto I drink after a long day of being festive.
Okay, so that was massively corny. But hey, it’s Christmas! If I can’t be corny now then when can I? You know what they say – in for a penny, in for a pound...
Christmas is all about tradition here in the Barmy household. I am a sucker for it and so I reinforce it by the letter. It matters not what else has happened in the year, because our Christmas tree will be upright and lit on the first Friday of December. My advent calendar chocolates will be announced over my social portals, my coffee table will be laden with Quality Street and I will always, without fail, wake up before 5 o’clock every Christmas morning.
Every Christmas Eve that I can remember has the fundamentals embedded into it. Us Barmys will always be found, believe it or not, in the evening church service, singing about shepherds washing socks on hilltops. We then will seek refuge in the local watering hole where those of age will have a drinkie-poo before we hobble off home and to bed, our stockings hanging precariously on our bedroom doors.
It’s moments like that which make us love Christmas. The excitement of the Coca-Cola advert, listening to The Pogues sing about scumbags and maggots, watching some sort of Eastender-type crisis unfold on the telly-box and thanking the good Lord that our families aren’t as bad as that. It’s eating until we burst and partying until our frocks are ruined, before sitting in front of a soppy film we’ve seen a million times and falling asleep with a flimsy paper hat on our heads.
You get the gist, right? Christmas is a big deal. It always has been a big deal. It always will be a big deal. But Hark! What’s that I hear? No, it isn’t an angel singing of a new born king. It’s the underlying question; why is Christmas so important to us?
Well fear not, my dears. I believe I may have stumbled across the answer. Regardless of religion, culture and upbringing, Christmas gives out one clear message: Goodwill To All. Whether you believe in a baby Messiah being born in a stable or not, you cannot deny that it brings out the best in us. At this time of year, despite how darn expensive it may be, you are much more likely to hand your pocket money to the man who has no home to go to. At this time of year, your thoughts turn to those who won’t have a happy Christmas, but will spend it looking for food or fighting an illness. We believe that everyone deserves at least one day a year to look forward to, and everyone deserves to get caught up in the holiday season.
Now, in the true spirit of Christmas, I will leave you with some of my imparted wisdom. Christmas is the only valid excuse you will ever have to take time out and spend it with the people you love. Prepare for it early so that you can take a break that you rightly deserve, spend it in front of a fire doing nothing with a mug of something warm. Go out of your way to do something you wouldn’t usually do to help your fellow man – you never know, you may enjoy the experience. If you don’t celebrate the season, then just enjoy the holiday! Whether you’re a fan of the big G-man or not you’re still entitled to your own merry Christmas, so sit yourself down in front of a cheesy Crimbo special and veg out. It only comes one time of year, so enjoy it while you can.
Merry Christmas, dudes.
Oh, and please enjoy a picture of my cat sneezing underneath my Christmas tree.
Are you a writer, photographer, film-maker, illustrator, DJ, musician, animator, blogger, poet or generally creative so-and-so who has something to say about Christmas? Well email sam@cliconline.org.uk to grab your CLICmas window now and win a Nintendo 3DS!
4 Comments – Post a comment
Toriabeth!
Commented 2 months ago - 12th December 2011 - 12:17pm
Wheeey! I got a mention, too cool, see! woop! A brilliant article, brought a tear to my eye, and the cat made me laugh! Merry Christmas to you, BethanTheBarmy!
CLICryan
Commented 2 months ago - 12th December 2011 - 12:32pm
What you said Bethan! The only difference is our tree goes up on the first Saturday in December as 'Elf' screens in the background.
"listening to The Pogues sing about scumbags and maggots"
My last few Chrimbos have been slightly tainted by the fact Ronan Keating dared to cover this song, and it has unfortunately found its way onto a number of compilations. Why would someone do that? Who in their right mind would touch this song? No, no, no Keating - NO!
eddie secretary
Commented 2 months ago - 13th December 2011 - 13:15pm
Totally Agree Ryan, no one should ever think about covering the Pogues, "a Fairy Tale in New York" being the correct title lol but in my home our traditions are, (or should i say Were) that the Decs go up before my Birthday (usually the 3rd) being that my Bday is the 4th, but, yea, we even had our Decs up in October one Year, and a Fresh Live Turkey for Christmas Dinner (My Dads a Liscenced Home Slaughterer so we had the Freshest Moistest and Tastiest Turkey EVER) it was Divine, pitty we can do that again, we just cant afford it, but yea, we usually take christmas as a HUGE Occassion, but i guess its time to make new traditions, i think next year, im gonna have my own christmas with my Wonderful Friend, nothing fancy, a simple Roast Dinner, and then some presents and a bit of Snuggling up together under a Big Warm Blanket on the Sofa while watching what ever Christmassy Films we can find on the box, and if there isnt anyting we fancy, then maybe we'll walk my dog in the snow (if it gets any, with the global warming issue)
Merry Xmas, Happy Chanakah, (and which ever other holiday occassions that happen in different cultures this time of year)
BethanTheBarmy
Commented 2 months ago - 13th December 2011 - 16:59pm
I know what you mean Eddie, my family dynamic has changed dramatically this year too. Instead of doing the above things together, they will be stilted and shared between each of my parents, and I too have had to come to terms with the idea of new traditions as of this year.
Next year my sister will be living in Liverpool and I'll be coming home from my first term in University, so perhaps we were due for a change anyway. :)