Christmas

What other title could I possibly have used for such a day? The cynics reading this may wonder why I am writing this as it slowly shifts over to the official day of Christmas, but I would argue that what better time to consider my feelings about such Christmas issues, like the ones I'm going to be covering in this post?

Christmas number ones have lost all meaning in recent years. It may be true that the last number one to have actually meant anything, was actually a close call between the years of 1994 and 1995, East 17's Stay Another Day and Michael Jackson's Earth Song respectively. The former, though technically just another song, still retains the aura of being a festive single even after all these years have passed, regularly getting played around the month Decemeber year after year, while Michael Jackson had a go at criticising everybody for the cost of what we're doing to our planet. Both songs I will happily admit to enjoying, both because they bring up special memories of when I was younger and more innocent. However, recent years have seen such reality crap take over the charts, starting with Girls Aloud and currently standing with Leona from X Factor, using a completely un-Xmas related tune to secure the top spot. I hope she regrets that, and hope that if the formulaically created popsters that churn out from the many series continue to take the pole position in the charts on the big day, let's hope they at least make an effort to include some bells and references to Santa and/or mince pies.

Does anyone go to Church on Christmas Eve? I haven't ever been with my family, as we wouldn't really consider ourselves religious, but I know there are still some out there who religiously [The pun was completely unintentional, but I left it in even after I noticed ;) ] attend midnight mass. I ask this because I am intrigued about what it means to them. I find it much more difficult now than when I was a youngster because I know stuff about the birth of Jesus being on a different day, possibly even a different month than the day we celebrate it on, and know how it has, despite my enjoyment of this very fact, become commercialised in the worst sense. They even have a Christmas 2 sometime later in the year, but thank god people haven't really accepted that. Maybe that's on Christ's real birthday, who knows? If you do have an opinion on this subject, feel free to leave a message or comment.

I have been roped in to work on Boxing Day, and all I know is that I really should be doing it as my current financial situation is a bit of a struggle. I do have a job, and I will be getting a job when I get back to University, but for now I must play the waiting game as the payment for my good labour has yet to come to fruition. It's tough. Those who have jobs don't really appreciate them until they lose them and are searching for another, and when you're moving back and forth between different countries, corporations aren't very helpful [I was looking for a better word to use here, but I am at a blank at the moment!] in being accomodating to this fact, even when it's in the same Kingdom! As evidence of the fact that me and jobs just never were meant to get along, I turned up yesterday, or Christmas Eve Eve as it is also known, to work at 6pm. I even turned up a little early, but the big surprise was that my boss had told me the wrong time to work, so I was sent away, no lift arranged and no money on me, hoping to get a lift home when my Mum had only just gone far out of her way to drop me off there. What a bastard. And I'm not even getting paid that much now because of it.

Illness is a big part of Winter, but why god why does it have to fall around the same schedule of my Christmas? Not that I, as of this very moment [meaning I am not subject to the Law of Sods, by stating something only for the opposite to come true], could be considered 'ill', but the rest of my family is. One has a headache, throat infection and neck stiffness combination, one is coughing and sniffling and sneezing their way through a bad cold [Had to be the youngest too, who hasn't quite got the sense to cover her mouth and wash/wipe her hands after getting phlegm all over them X-( ] and frightening the life out of me everytime she handles communal food such as the box of maltesers/chocolate snaps :p, one has a ear infection thing, another has migraines and a milder but still phlegmy cold and the other is generally tired and downtrodden. I've had minor headaches and a very mild blocked nose syndrome, but as long as I get to tomorrow and taste my wonderful Christmas Dinner [Which my Mum makes the best of!] and watch the cheesy trash that is on in the evening and spend the whole day not throwing up, I will be happy as a man can be, and that is the truth. be bloody grateful if you have a completely healthy family this Christmas!

And this is all I'm going to write, as I've spent more time on this than I planned to, and my lovely warm bed is calling out to me, ready for the sleep that will take me straight to Giftsville. Have a good day, or as they say in my country, Nadolig Llawen!