Yes, it's Packed with Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Self-Help Jargon. However, I Honestly Adore Meghan's Holiday Special.
No concerned with the season, it's perpetually hunting season for commentary on the Duchess of Sussex's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, both professional and armchair, have seldom found such common ground as when eagerly tearing the series' earlier episodes apart. The common opinion held that a more egregious regal scandal had seldom occurred than the now-infamous pretzel-bagging incident.
Currently, as a festive rebel, she has returned once again with a "Christmas Special" (also known as a Christmas special). However on this occasion, the dynamic has changed. The usual elements we've come to expect – meaningless jargon salads, intense hospitality – persist, but framed of a Christmas special, the purpose becomes clear. The pieces have fallen perfectly; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
By this point, Meghan resembles the eccentric aunt at Christmas celebrations everywhere – providing unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and delivering the occasional strange exclamation. ("I love spinach!" … "A tradition has to have a beginning." … "A tree is part of my memory and love of the holiday season.") She's a bit of a character, but her presence is familiar and unexpectedly soothing. And she seems happy enough; she's inflicting the slightest hurt.
She knows her every micro expression, word and gaze will be analyzed and scrutinized, but still appears unburdened and serenely untroubled.
It could be this is the only time in history where that old chestnut – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – may well be true. Because, you know what?, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is lovely. Granted, it's all awkwardly over-the-top, nonsense and over the top – but is that not just what the holiday season is about? And the words she speaks might be ridiculous, but the example she sets appears to be shop-bought.
Anything she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she pulls off with style. Her cooking looks tasty, the wreath she creates is breathtaking, her gifts are practically too exquisite to open. Not a single thing is ordinary or visually unappealing – including the way she fastens her apron is artful and chic. She doesn't bung a dish in the oven, it "goes for a spin", and she wraps wrapping paper like an craft master. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself the entire time. How could any cynical observer not be charmed, filled with festive joy and left with a powerful yearning for personalized Christmas crackers or a crudites platter where broccoli is arranged in the shape of a Christmas ring?
Meghan was once an actress for a living, naturally, but nonetheless, after the level of scrutiny she has faced since she met Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of two legendary actresses would find it hard to appear this naturally. Her unwillingness to modify or even moderate her shtick, even though it being so relentlessly, internationally ridiculed, is strangely reassuring. In our uncertain world, here is one thing we can count on: Meghan will stay true to form, whatever happens. We will consistently know where we are with her.
If you're not yet convinced by her brand, a thought that will surely come as a relief: you aren't required to. The UK has abolished mandatory conscription in this country, and if there were, it would be doubtful to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you choose to watch and are gripped with jealousy about her picture-perfect Christmas, you can take solace either. Be you a duchess or a data administrator, hardly any child truly appreciates the effort and hard work their mum expends in December. So you can take heart by picturing the young royals' faces when they unfold a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a DIY festive calendar, rather than a chocolate.
