Snow, Christmas and consumerism

So yet again I am in the office at a stupidly early time of the morning. It's 0730 and pitch black outside, I've been up since 0600, and in work since 0700.

As I mentioned above, it's pitch black outside, it's also snowing so it's freezing and slippy. To top it off the bus I was going for this morning didn't show up, and I had to wait for the next one. Not happy.

Got into work to another busy day. They don't even seem that busy anymore, as christmas appoaches they're becoming standard. Personally I've never understood the frenzy that christmas manages to generate in people.

Once, perhaps, it reminded us of the spirit of giving, and being nive to one another, but these days it seems more like the holiday of deliberate self indulgence. We spend more money than we have, eat more food than we need, and drink more than is good for us. In my family anyway, no thanks is given for our luck, for the warmth we're sitting in, for the food we have to eat, the presents we have recived.

I guess it irks my social responsiblity bone. I can't help but feel guilty and angry. With thousands, millions even, in the world living in poverty I can't even begin to imagine how can we justify indulging our greed like that? You possibly think I refer simply to those overseas, in drought, famine and civil war ridden pockets of Africa, and Asia, but the truth is we see poverty in Scotland too.

In addition, I dislike the build up to christmas from a work point of view. This will be the 3rd christmas I have worked in a call centre over the festive period, and this will be the 3rd year that I have people hysterically crying down the phone that I have "ruined their christmas" because their turkey had gibblets in it, or we failed to deliver the Yorkshire puddings. This year I imagine myself getting called all sorts of grinch related names as I phone people to cancel thier order in the run up to christmas.

I feel like reminding these people of the single mother down the road from me, who can barely afford to feed her kids at the best of times, and now must be lying in bed at night, awake with worry about how to "afford christmas" as a result of the expectations society has placed on her, and filled her kids with. Or the people in Darfur, who are grateful to just be alive, and would like enough to eat, maybe some protection from their abusers, maybe they wish to just go home, or to have the loved ones they've lost back.

I'm ranting so I will draw this to conclusion: For chirstmas all I want is a nice day, with the people I love. I don't need, or want presents, and will be urging those who may be inclinded to give me one to donate the money to a charity of my choosing. I'd like to believe that this blog will encourage others to do the same but if not then I hope you, dear reader, spare a thought for those less lucky than you this christmas, and keep the season in perspective.