In the supermarket earlier this evening I was suddenly struck by how subdued the whole Christmas thing seems to be this year. It was when I noticed the attendants working the checkouts were wearing those silly little Santa hats that the lack of overly intrusive Christmas muzak became happily apparent. In fact, I can't think of any shopping centre I've been in recently has done more than pay a sort of discreetly superficial attention to the season.
I'm not sure if this is related in some way to the pandemic, but if it is it's one of the more positive effects. I'm sympathetic, of course, to those all around the world whose sincere celebration of Christmas will be affected by all the necessary restrictions, but it seems to me that our various festive occasions become more meaningful in the light of the tribulations faced by so many. Somehow the sense of them being driven by essentially commercial interests is usefully dissipated. I forgot to mention the other day that one of the highlights of our visit to the Botanic Garden was the delightfully kitschy display of trees decorated for Christmas by various organisations who partner the Garden. How refreshing it was that nothing there was on sale.
I think it's time to give the Dylan Christmas album a spin.
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