“Oh, can’t eat another bite”, he said. Christmas dinner was good but the main course was disappointing he said. She agreed, there was no gravy! She looked around at heaped plates on every table knowing, just like her, they would either leave some on the plate or force themselves to eat to justify the exorbitant price for one meal. What they’d paid was criminal, just one meal was more than two months’ salary for the maid back home in India who worked seven days a week. The thought that this also reflected the pittance paid to hard-working maids was so uncomfortable a thought, she quickly shelved it. But they were captive guests in a foreign resort in not so good weather and driving after a drink – or two or three – was out of the question. She swore, next year, she would cook just as big a meal at home and donate the rest of the money to charity.
**
Christmas must be one of the most festive or most lonely of seasons, she thought, looking around. Not just for the lonely but even for those with families. There were several middle-aged and elderly couples dotted around, some in comfortable silence, some chatting pleasantly, but most sitting in lonely little pools, cold islands of indifference. Invariably, the husband was more interested in the young and pretty little thing singing Christmas songs, gaping with foolish little fixed smiles at the entertainer younger than their daughters. The wives looked away pretending not to notice, waiting for the meal and the ordeal to be over. Some struck up conversation with the person at the next table to cover up for the long silences. It is strange, she thought, in all this expense and stress, we do not seem to realise or remember the reason for Christmas and the beautiful message brought to us by a very special child. Christmas Day seemed to have become about eating and more eating and drinking of course, and SPENDING, either on presents or food, and the consequent misery and stress to the celebrators.
**
In fact, many around the world welcomed the festive season and celebrated the joy and the togetherness. Yet, how many of her friends in different parts of the world shuddered at the thought of Christmas, the forced annual family get-togethers, the resentment at having to buy all the presents, and even at the ritual of having to buy, sign and post dozens of cards. Many left the chore till the last minute and suffered the frenzy of the eleventh hour rushing around to find suitable gifts and of course the food and drink shopping. The cards had gradually lost their meaning, many sent just with a hastily scrawled signature, barely legible and sometimes not even that which left the receiver guessing who in the world had sent them this £1 card letting the printed words do all the communicating. At least some of the money spent on the card went to some charity.
**
This year she watched a TV programme on people doing Christmas shopping and even buying presents in the after-Christmas sale for the following year! Now I have heard everything, she thought. But she hadn’t. On a chat show, she heard about people selling their Christmas presents on Ebay. Oh, why not – if they did not care for the presents and preferred money instead. Maybe folks should spare themselves time and trouble shopping for presents, wrapping them and writing little notes etc and simply give cash. The bitch goddess never fails to please.
**
She was not born a Christian but had always loved the spirit of Christmas, particularly when the children were young. The best part in the past had been taking them to their convent school mass on Christmas Eve and experiencing the sheer peace and joy of the beautifully decorated little school chapel. Of course the tree sparkling in the conservatory at home with the lights reflected all around in the glass panes, the excited squeals of the children waking up to Santa’s presents, sitting around the vast table laden with home-cooked food made the day special. Christmas was about family, it was about children. It was also about giving and sharing. They had an annual tradition of visiting an orphanage with presents every Christmas, something she wished they continued more often during the year but never did. Something about Christmas brought out this feeling of charity and goodwill. Let us hang on to that at least once a year, she thought.
**
She said a silent prayer. Let my children not be one of those who sit around a table groaning under the weight of too much uneaten food and moaning at all the perceived or imagined lack. Let us appreciate the blessings we already have and share them willingly and joyfully. Let us celebrate the spirit of Christmas – or not at all.
Rani Rao Innes is the senior partner and lead trainer of Link Communications, a specialized communications skills company based in the UK. She has regularly presented courses and training workshops for private and public business sectors as well as students and teachers in the UK, Belgium, Malaysia, Japan and India. She has also been active in theatre for 30 years and was the director of Canterbury Players in Kent for eight years.
What a lovely piece. resonates with me very much!