by KATE HUNTER
Let me say, right at the outset: This post is full of big, fat generalisations. So please, gents who do, in fact, trouble over whether a turkey buffe or an entire bird makes more sense, forgive me.
British retailer ASDA this year eschewed the tradition of presenting Christmas in it’s usual joyous light, and released an ad that reflected what many women feel – Christmas is hard, invisible work.
The ad has elicited had mixed reactions – scores of women have cried, ‘YES! That’s MEEEEEEEE!’ While some men have called, ‘SEXIST! How dare you say that when I’m the one who assembled the new bikes and filled the gas bottles.’
Have a look, see what you think.
I’m in the ‘That’s Me’ camp.
I believe it’s mostly women who create Christmas magic. Remember Sleepless in Seattle? Even though he’s a bit of a drip, we all fell a little in love with Tom Hanks when he talked about his late wife and how, ‘she made Christmas beautiful.’ What Tom didn’t mention (because it would have ruined the movie) was how she had been a screaming banshee right up until 3pm on Christmas Eve, when miraculously, it was all done and Christmas could begin in all its tinsely magic.
That women shoulder the burden of Christmas isn’t often talked about – mainly because we don’t want to cause a fight and spoil all that peace and goodwill. I’ve never heard men discuss whose bringing the salad and who’s making the pav. They enjoy having houseguests but don’t worry that the fitted sheets are a bit yellowed and your brother’s new wife is sure to comment.
Men do not take part in the tense, UN style negotiation regarding whose place to spend Christmas morning with and where to go for the afternoon – although they are happy to impose conditions on proposed plans, “I am not going to you sister’s on Boxing Day if she is going to make us play charades when the cricket is on. You can tell her.”
I suspect one of the reasons Hillary Clinton has made such a brilliant Secretary Of State is her experience in juggling the political nightmare that is Christmas (Americans also have its troublesome twin, Thanksgiving to contend with so they are experts).