Admittedly, it's Brimming with Absurdity, Extreme Hosting and Self-Help Jargon. However, I Honestly Adore Meghan's Christmas Special.
No concerned with the season, it's always open season for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's TV show, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have hardly ever agreed so completely as when enthusiastically shredding the lifestyle show's earlier episodes to shreds. The general consensus seemed to be a more egregious regal scandal had hardly ever taken place than the much-discussed pretzel re-packaging incident.
Presently, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she has returned with a new offering with a "Festive Special" (or a yuletide episode). Yet now, the dynamic has changed. The standard components audiences anticipate – meaningless jargon salads, intense hospitality – are still present, but set of a yuletide episode, suddenly it all makes sense. The pieces have fallen perfectly; it's a ideal seasonal storm.
At this stage, Meghan has become the oddball family member at the typical holiday get-together – providing unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and supplying the odd random outburst. ("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 presence is familiar and oddly reassuring. And she looks pleased; she's not doing any harm.
She understands her every micro expression, word and glance will be dissected and judged, but nonetheless looks carefree and too blessed to be stressed.
Maybe this is the initial instance in history where that old chestnut – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – could actually be true. Because, let's face it, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is lovely. Admittedly, it's all cringily ultra-extra, nonsense and flamboyant – but doesn't that represent precisely what the holiday season is for? And the talk she's talking might be ridiculous, but the example she sets seems authentically beautifully curated.
Anything she attempts, she executes with flair. Her culinary efforts looks delicious, the holiday arrangement she crafts is gorgeous, her gifts are practically too exquisite to unwrap. Not a single thing is average or aesthetically displeasing – including the way she fastens her kitchen garment is artful and chic. She doesn't toss a dish in the oven, it "has a moment", and she folds wrapping paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself the entire time. How could any cynical observer not be convinced, overcome by festive joy and left with a intense desire for handmade crackers or a crudites platter where broccoli is organized in the shape of a Christmas ring?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, naturally, but nonetheless, after the level of attention she has weathered since she became involved with Prince Harry, even a hypothetical offspring of two legendary actresses would find it hard to appear this authentically. Her unwillingness to change or even moderate her persona, despite it being so constantly, globally mocked, is weirdly comforting. In our volatile world, here is one thing we can rely on: Meghan will remain herself, no matter what. We will forever know our position with her.
If you're still not buying her brand, a thought that will certainly come as a reassurance: you are not obligated to. There isn't mandatory conscription anymore, and were it to return, it would be unlikely to include watching With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you decide to tune in and are overcome with envy about her picture-perfect Christmas, there is hope either. If you are a royal or a data administrator, no kid completely grasps the effort and hard work their mum expends in December. So you can find comfort by imagining Archie and Lilibet's faces when they unfold a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, instead of a sweet treat.
