Admittedly, it's Full of Nonsense, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. However, I Honestly Love Meghan's Festive Episode.
No concerned with the season, it's constantly open season for criticism on the Meghan Markle's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, expert and amateur alike, have hardly ever agreed so completely as when enthusiastically shredding the program's first and second seasons apart. The common opinion was that a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had hardly ever taken place than the notorious snack re-labeling incident.
Currently, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she is back once again with a "Holiday Celebration" (also known as a holiday episode). But this time, the dynamic has changed. The familiar ingredients viewers are accustomed to – meaningless jargon salads, extreme hosting – remain, but framed of a yuletide episode, the purpose becomes clear. The puzzle has come into place; it's a ideal seasonal storm.
At this stage, Meghan is like the quirky relative at most festive family gatherings – dispensing unasked-for guidance, and contributing the periodic peculiar declaration. ("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 an interesting figure, but her presence is familiar and strangely comforting. And she seems pleased; she's not doing a bit of damage.
She understands her all subtle gestures, syllable and glance will be dissected and criticised, but manages to seem relaxed and remarkably at ease.
It could be this is the first occasion in history where that well-worn saying – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – could actually be true. Because, let's face it, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels delightful. Granted, it's all cringily ultra-extra, nonsense and flamboyant – but isn't that precisely what Christmas is about? And the advice she gives might be laughable, but the example she sets appears to be shop-bought.
Whatever she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she accomplishes with style. Her culinary efforts looks delicious, the wreath she crafts is gorgeous, her presents are practically too exquisite to unwrap. Not a single thing is average or visually unappealing – including the way she ties her apron is creative and fashionable. She doesn't throw a dish in the microwave, it "goes for a spin", and she wraps gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself from start to finish. How could any skeptical viewer not be won over, overcome by festive joy and left with a powerful yearning for personalized Christmas crackers or a crudites platter where greens is arranged in the likeness of a Christmas ring?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, naturally, but even so, after the level of attention she has faced from the moment she met Prince Harry, the love child of two legendary actresses would find it hard to appear this naturally. Her unwillingness to change or even soften her persona, even though it being so persistently, internationally ridiculed, is weirdly comforting. In our unpredictable world, here is one thing we can depend on: Meghan will remain herself, come what may. We will consistently know where we are with her.
If you're remaining skeptical of her message, a point that will certainly come as a relief: you aren't required to. We don't have the draft these days, and should it be reinstated, it would be doubtful to include watching With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you willingly check it out and are gripped with jealousy about her idyllic Christmas, there is hope either. Be you a duchess or a office worker, no kid truly appreciates the time and energy their mum puts in in December. So you can console yourself by envisioning her children's faces when they reveal a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a handcrafted holiday countdown, instead of a chocolate.
