Merry Christmas Everyone

Well that's it, the last of the boxes unpacked, the tree is up, the candles are lit, and technically I am ready for Christmas. Or rather I will be once I have dragged my butt to the store and stocked up on all the little bits that will make Christmas Dinner complete, not to mention snacks, and maybe just a good bottle of wine or two.

Here is my dilemma....
It is now 1.30am on Christmas Eve, in another few hours the stores will be filled with people bearing a striking resemblance to headless chickens, not to mention looters in a fully fledged riot.
You risk fighting to the death for the final lot of fresh sprouts, and the last of the carrots.
You would think the stores would be closed for a year, not a matter of what, 48 hours?
As we hear about the rising number of unemployed, the fact that home repossessions are reaching new highs and yet another 2 major businesses known on the high street and in the malls have now closed their doors, it seems to me that perhaps people would stop for a moment, pause and look down at their shopping carts....

Now I am not what you would call an environmentalist, I don't protest at muddy road construction sites our outside airforce and/or army installations, and I'm certainly no bleeding heart thinking we should donate everything we own to some corrupt African state in the name of charity. I do happily eat meat, wear leather and not all my lightbulbs are energy saving ones, I don't drive a Prius or make my own compost etc... but....I wonder....for the sake of what...10 days....do we really need to buy enough food to feed a small country for a week?
I mean, sure, we are tightening are belts....right?
We are thinking of the starving people in Africa etc....right?
We are shopping sensibly......right?
Planning for the bills coming in Jan ...right?
Keeping the urge to splurge in check....right?
Yeah right!

This is Christmas, the festive season, the holiday season, the silly season and the time to be jolly.
It's not as if we stand there in front of the fresh or frozen meats debating the merits of a 10lbs vs a 14 lbs bird, and what impact your choice of bird will have on the starving children in Africa, Homeless people down the local shelter, the environment and Global Warming, Carbon Emissions or society in general.
I mean, how much of the load in your cart will end up either in the dog, in the bin, or as a science experiment at the bottom of the fridge or under your teenage son's bed?
I'll admit that with the move just over and the house only just organised, I am running behind this year, but this has also caused me to stop and take stock, look at the Christmas madness with new eyes.
I am having people over and all in all will be cooking for 5 including Bertie (the dog) but this year, though we will all enjoy a good old fashioned home cooked Christmas meal loaded to the rafters with good old fashioned calories and accompanied by some very good wines, none will leave my house hungry but I refuse to go over the top when it comes to the shopping.
I am keeping it simple, and to be honest this has nothing to do with the starving children or global warming, I have just come to the conclusion that it would be nice to survive Christmas without gaining 15lbs or wasting an amount equal to my food budget for 2 months.

So, I will now get up, get in my car and head to that "friendly little corner store" otherwise known as Tesco for a few essential bits, and the rest will be purchased from my local greengrocer here in the village by 10am. (who is by the way closing down and selling up after the holidays as he cannot afford to compete with the above mentioned friendly little corner store). I aim to be all done by no later than 11am and settle down in front of the puter as a true geek and spend a few hours killing stuff on World of Warcraft whilst listening to good old fashioned Christmas songs and perhaps a little Guns'n Roses or SRV just to balance things off.

Bertie and I are hereby wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009.