What is it about this time of year? A never-ending procession of lists, the good, the bad, the best, the worse, achievements, failures, the dead!
Christmas is a time to celebrate. Reflection used to come in the limbo period between the Yuletide festivities and before the joy of looking forward to the New Year.
There seems to be more of a loss of the Christian message with each passing year in favour of a commercial bonanza. What has gone wrong?
Money has taken over the season. Christmas appears to be in the media from around October. Brainwashing teenagers with expectations of the latest and greatest gadget, the most up to date pair of trainers and their younger siblings are indoctrinated into the culture of gifts, promoting characters from early years viewing. This is an initiation into the world of brand awareness that will shape their buying preference for a lifetime.
In most towns and cities there is a shop open on Christmas Day. The larger supermarket stores are open again on Boxing Day. Perhaps 50 years ago the instrument of retail and its logistics from docks to warehouse to corner shop took a break for 5 to 10 days, but not today.
“In a world where we are being encouraged to consider our environmental footprint and to recycle, why at this time of year does it all stop”
In a world where we are being encouraged to consider our environmental footprint and to recycle, why at this time of year does it all stop? Why is the public still encouraged to stock up for a siege that won’t take place? In the last few days before Christmas people will be panic buying like a natural disaster is coming or the end of the world. These are my thoughts on the day Tesco pledges to be food waste free by February of next year. How much food waste does the consumer create at this time of year? I hope to see a campaign of education on buying for the Christmas season next year to end this annual routine of purchase, binge and waste, that has not been good for us or our planet but has served for decades to lines the pocket of the supermarket
Matthew 21/12 tells of Jesus going into the temple and driving out the merchants who are selling. In our time the season of Christmas is that temple and those engaged in commercial enterprise the merchants. Perhaps it is time for the merchants to have another lesson and for the church to make a stand to reinstate its values into our lives. I doubt there are many religions that would allow one of their most sacred times to be turned into a commercial circus.
For me this time of year is about peace and acceptance, so the Christmas message from this old queen is “Peace on earth and goodwill to all men, bisexual men, lesbians too and all of our other friends who go to make up LGBT+”
Disillusioned and back in the closet man who likes other men.
Strongly opinionated, possibly outdated. Genuine, cynical, candid and consider I have a humourous outlook.
Older than acceptable in Gay circles, larger of frame than is fashionably desirable.
Looking for a platform to share my views and listen to others
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