Like it or not, it's only round the corner: the festive season. Some dislike Christmas and practically orgasm over the whole process of planning and enjoying the build up to new year, others are totally the opposite and would rather forget that New Year's Eve happened at all. I'm somewhere in the middle and can take or leave either; if forced to make a choice, I'd have to weigh up the pros and cons.
Christmas - For:
Time off work, giving and receiving of presents, in fact indulgence of all sorts material and sensual. There's the Christmas Eve drinks with friends, knowing there's a lie in the morning, enjoying the conviviality of everyone's festive mood. Even the bin men are smiling and saying "Good morning", cynics would say they're just after a tip, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Intoxicated giggling at the back of the church for midnight mass, and then retiring fairly early, to sleep off the alcohol in time for the gluttonous orgy that awaits on waking.
For me, Christmas day starts with a shower, late-ish and then a stroll to the local for a glass of brandy and a couple of pints with friends. Then depending on who's hosting Christmas dinner, it's either a walk or a lift to the venue of choice. Once with the family, a frenzied hour of opening presents, drinking and then the three courses of calorie laden, Christmas cuisine. Once the pudding is done and everyone looks uncomfortably full that is it. That's Christmas. Done and dusted in around 24 hours, from Christmas Eve to Christmas night. So I go and sleep it off and then my holiday begins.
Christmas - Against:
I usually get to Christmas Eve and realise I've forgotten a present, or rather just been too disorganised to do much in the way of shopping and wrapping, so there's a last minute whip around shops brimful of excited children and quarrelling parents. Hell on earth.People panic buying like there's going to be a siege - the supermarkets are only closed for a day or two in most cases and, there's still the corner shop which will be open right the way through.
Pubs, packed to the rafters with strangers, visiting relatives of others, people that don't usually enter the portals of a boozer any other time of the year and haven't the faintest idea how these institutions work. Dithering at the bar, wafting their arms about and after 5 minutes deliberation ordering a St. Clements. Other than the above, Christmas is ok.
New Year's Eve:
Well it's like Christmas, but without the turkey and presents, and with the knowledge that you've got one more day before it's back to the grindstone of another year.
That's why I prefer Christmas.
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