Yes, it's Full of Absurdity, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Self-Help Jargon. Yet I Truly Love Meghan's Holiday Special.
No concerned with the time of year, it's constantly hunting season for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's TV show, With Love, Meghan. Critics, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have seldom found such common ground as when eagerly tearing the lifestyle show's initial installments apart. The prevailing view seemed to be a greater royal outrage had never been witnessed than the now-infamous pretzel-bagging incident.
Now, as a festive rebel, she makes a comeback with a new offering with a "Holiday Celebration" (or a Christmas special). However on this occasion, the dynamic has changed. The familiar ingredients audiences anticipate – vague self-help platitudes, extreme hosting – remain, but framed of a yuletide episode, it all clicks into place. The pieces have fallen together; it's a perfect snow storm.
At this stage, Meghan has become the oddball family member at the typical holiday get-together – dispensing 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 quite a personality, but her company is customary and strangely comforting. And she looks happy enough; she's causing any harm.
She is aware her each tiny facial movement, word and look will be picked apart and judged, but manages to seem carefree and serenely untroubled.
Maybe this is the initial instance in history where that clichéd phrase – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – could actually be true. The reason is, in all honesty, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is lovely. Granted, it's all awkwardly over-the-top, nonsense and over the top – but isn't that precisely what Christmas is for? And the advice she gives might be ridiculous, but the walk she's walking genuinely looks shop-bought.
Anything she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she executes with flair. Her cooking looks tasty, the festive decoration she creates is gorgeous, her gifts are nearly too beautiful to tear into. Nothing is ordinary or visually unappealing – including the way she secures her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't throw a dish in the microwave, it "takes a twirl", and she creases wrapping paper like an craft master. She also seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself throughout. How could any skeptical viewer not be charmed, overcome by festive joy and left with a deep longing for handmade crackers or a crudites platter where greens is arranged in the likeness of a festive circle?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, of course, but nonetheless, after the level of examination she has weathered ever since she became involved with Prince Harry, even a hypothetical offspring of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would struggle to act this authentically. Her decision to change or even moderate her shtick, regardless of it being so persistently, widely parodied, is strangely reassuring. In our unpredictable world, here is one thing we can depend on: Meghan will stay true to form, no matter what. We will consistently know where we are with her.
If you're not yet convinced by her message, a thought that will certainly come as a relief: you aren't required to. The UK has abolished the draft in this country, and if there were, it would be doubtful to include watching With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you choose to watch and are gripped with envy about her picture-perfect Christmas, you can take solace either. Be you a duchess or a everyday person, no kid truly appreciates the effort and hard work their mum expends in December. So you can find comfort by imagining her children's faces when they open a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, rather than a sweet treat.
