Nicky Rennie: I’ve found myself in a Christmas funk this year

Christmas is just a great big sleigh of things to tick off a list, writes Nicky Rennie. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION

I’ve been looking everywhere for my Christmas spirit, but I can’t seem to find it.

I’ve looked in all my normal hiding places, but have come up empty. I even work with a woman named Joy and it still hasn’t helped.

As soon as the word was mentioned and the bells started playing on TV commercials, and we were yelled at to buy, buy, buy, I just felt an overwhelming sense of pressure, which has now manifested itself as inertia. I thought if I closed my eyes tightly enough it would all go away. Not on your Nelly. Christmas doesn’t work like that; once that sucker starts rolling, there is no stopping it. It’s just a great big sleigh of things to tick off a list.

Normally the tree comes up and I’m well organised but this year, for some reason, I just feel devoid of joy because there is so much talk about the cost of living leaving so many people without.

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The thought of trying to buy a Christmas ham seems laughable when cheese and eggs are now luxury items that are almost beyond reach in your weekly shopping. Who would have thought cheese on toast would be a delicacy? It sure as heck is in 2022. I think the reason I feel so bad is that I can’t see an end in sight with price rises and it’s quite frankly depressing.

Add to that Co-ho-ho-vid numbers. One statistic I read this week said they think one in 20 will get Covid during this festive season. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. So, what I’ve decided to do is to list the things I’m grateful for to try to happy myself out of this funk that I’ve found myself in.

• I have a daughter whom I love living with me. She’s expensive to run, but what child isn’t? I’m lucky to be able to be called Mum.
• My parents are alive and kicking as are my siblings.
• I have a car that hasn’t broken down before Christmas to add more pressure (I can’t say the same for my daughter’s lemon; no amount of open-car surgery will fix what ails that).
• I haven’t had Covid.
• I have a job I love.
• I have lovely friends.
• I have a roof over my head.
• I can afford a small amount of cheese.

Lots to be happy about, so it might be time to finally put up my tree. I’ll consider I’ve given myself a jolly good talking to.

For my friends who have lost loved ones this year and will be feeling very sad, I’m thinking of you. One less at family dinners will be felt keenly by so many.

Be kind to your neighbours, kiss your kids (and that weird rellie who turns up out of nowhere to Christmas dinner), and be grateful because the little things are the big things.

Merry Christmas from St Nick.