A Christmas Trick…
Clearly everyone knows that Crimbo is the best time of the year. All the hustle and bustle of the gift giving, the holidays and the time with loved ones. We work hard all year just for this special and magical time.
Only, its not always like that is it?
The marketing guys ply us with the idea of family bliss, warm fires and seasonal cheer but by now we know that there a degree of stress involved. A little angst during this ‘most magical time of the year.’
A few common scenarios that may resonate:
Secret Santa decisions – who did you get? How strict will they be about the budget? How can you buy something interesting at that budget? Will he be okay getting the suggestively shaped cream filled chocolate? How secret is this Santa…oh the dilemma!
Seasonal travel – everyone is trying to get home, half stressed from not having finished even half the work they had agreed to. The train is over packed, it is freezing cold outside and stifling hot inside. And why oh why do I always get the merry drunk guy sitting next to me!
The Christmas party and all the politics of those things!
The over ambitious chefs: Having not cooked all year, people then decide to become a Jamie or a Nigella and get panicked when things aren’t going to plan.
Kids with ever more demanding lists and folks burdened with delivering on the expectations lest they be classed as ‘bad’ parents. Brexit be damned we must have a PS4 – or whatever the cool kids want these days.
I honestly think that people look forward to going back to work in January just to re-balance the ‘fun’ of the festive time off.
Having said all that, I still would not change it. Although not of the Christian faith myself, for me there is something magical about this time. The look of awe and wonder on the kid’s eyes when they get a gift or speak to Santa; the seasonal films on TV and the Chocolates – oh yes the chocolates, yum!
The best bit; it’s the only time of year when virtually everyone has holiday off together and you don’t need to worry about going to work in the morning.
Obviously, I am not counting the Queen is this group – the speech won’t speak for itself now will it! But I don’t think this blog is quite at the Royal patronage stage…yet!
So yes, all your loved ones are off and will be at home at the same time. Ah, bliss….only; it isn’t always bliss is it?!
You see, for 90% of the time, most families only spend fleeting moments with their loved ones. A quick morning peck goodbye and then possibly a bit of grub in the evening. Other than that, you probably spend more time with people on the commute and at work.
Christmas, however, means that you are almost forced to spend entire 24 hour periods together. And because of the cold outside, you are effectively trapped in a sealed container (lets call this home). Suddenly the building that can comfortably sleep 20 is no longer spacious enough for even 4.
The telly becomes repetitive – a phenomenon still present in this day of Netflix and Amazon Prime – and the chocolates, having lost all their allure, become almost a chore to finish off. (But finish them I must!)
A few years ago I found myself grumbling about this to a friend, only to be given a marvelous tip for handling ‘the most wonderful time of the year.’ So good in fact, that I would like to share it with you now…
Mr TaT: “Ah man, here we go again!”
Friend: “What’s that now?”
Mr TaT: “Its Crimbo and all that pressure to be perfect. Especially on Christmas Day.”
Friend: “What pressure?”
Mr TaT: “You know; peeps stressing whether they have enough food - when clearly they have enough to feed a small army. Others worried whether they have chosen the right gifts. And then all those ‘loved ones’ in your home.”
Friend: “Wow!”
Mr TaT: “I know its…”
Friend: “I meant WOW, look at you!” He cut me from the pity party I was rather relishing.
Mr TaT: “Look at me? What you mean, me?” What is the point in having a pal who doesn’t nod in sympathy during a ‘poor me’ session!
Friend: “Yeah, I never thought of you as a grinch.” He was smiling at my childishness.
Mr TaT: “Oh, and I guess you are at peace with the whole thing are you!” The smarmy git was gloating at me from his more enlightened state.
Friend: “More so than I have been in the past.” On closer inspection the gloating was in fact something more sincere.
I bit…
Mr TaT: “Okay Mr Buddha, what do I need to do to be as at peace as you?” I could not outright ask him for help without the hint of a jibe. (One for the brain doctors among you…)
Friend: “Peace and Buddha? Dude, I ain’t as lofty in my aims. I am simply saying I have a trick that may help. Peace – hehe, you may be so lucky! As for Buddha – may I be so lucky!” Yes, his modesty was sickening.
Mr TaT: “Yeah yeah, Christmas…Stress….Trick…”
Friend: “Anyway, yes I have this thing I do. It helps. Question: what is your favourite song?”
Mr TaT: “Umm, that Jay Z tune…” I got cut off, again.
Friend: “Not the song you tell everyone else. Your ACTUAL favourite song, you know, the one I sometimes catch you humming.”
He was right, I did really like another song. Trouble was, it felt girly and not something I wanted to shout about.
Mr TaT: “Yeah, okay, its that one from the film. What about it?”
Friend: “What’s the song TaT?” This time he was really smirking.
Mr TaT: “You know, the one from that film…” Ah man, he couldn’t just give me the trick – he had to make me squirm.
Friend: “Go on, you can do it.”
Mr TaT: “The La La Land song.” For those that don’t know; its an amazing film with great acting and production and direction. Oh, and it’s a romance film…and oh it’s a musical.
Friend: “That wasn’t so hard was it. So, the trick; on the big day ‘stressful’ day get your best headphones out and listen to the track.
Mr TaT: “That’s it? Dude, that ain’t going to cut it!”
Friend: “I mean really listen to it.”
Mr TaT: “Okay…?”
Friend: “Listen to it like you are in the movie. You know they have movie soundtracks, well this is your movie, and this is YOUR song.”
Mr TaT: “You want me to film myself listening to La La Land?!”
Friend: “No you PRAT! I mean imagine you are in your own movie – and you are in charge of your own soundtrack. In fact, go deeper; imagine the girl in the film is actually dancing with you while you are listening to the song.
Mr TaT: “This works?”
Friend: “Yeah it works, try it for yourself. And like pets, this trick ain’t just for Christmas.”
Mr TaT: “Huh?”
Friend: “When you see it works, you will probably start using it all the time.”
Cut a long story short; I did try it on the 25th and it really did work for me. Like magic; I was more upbeat, and no one could break my smile and blah blah. The only thing was…
My friend had also let my sister know what I was going to do. She had a camera phone. Oh, how they laughed watching me being “special”; coming down the stairs with headphones on, dancing with joy and flair.
He is now my ex-friend.
Takeaways
Do not care for what other people think of your favourite song. It is yours, own it, it is part of your soundtrack, for your movie
The trick works for everything. The commute into work, the warm up before the presentation. Get your favourite happy track and imagine its being played just for you.
There is always someone watching…