Admittedly, it's Full of Nonsense, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Self-Help Jargon. However, I Honestly Cherish Meghan's Christmas Special.
No considering the season, it's perpetually open season for criticism on the Meghan Markle's TV show, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have rarely been so united as when gleefully ripping the lifestyle show's earlier episodes apart. The prevailing view was that a greater royal outrage had hardly ever taken place than the notorious pretzel re-packaging incident.
Presently, like a merry renegade master, she has returned with a new offering with a "Festive Special" (or a Christmas special). Yet now, it's different. The familiar ingredients audiences anticipate – vague self-help platitudes, overzealous entertaining – are still present, but within the context of a Christmas special, suddenly it all makes sense. The elements have slid perfectly; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
Now, Meghan resembles the quirky relative at the typical holiday get-together – providing random tips, 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 an interesting figure, but her company is customary and oddly reassuring. And she looks content; she's causing a bit of damage.
She knows her all subtle gestures, word and look will be analyzed and judged, but manages to seem carefree and remarkably at ease.
It could be this is the initial instance in history where that clichéd phrase – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – might be true. Because, you know what?, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is delightful. Yes, it's all cringily ultra-extra, foolishness and over the top – but doesn't that represent exactly what Yuletide is all about? And the advice she gives might be ridiculous, but the example she sets seems authentically impeccably styled.
Whatever she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she pulls off with flair. Her culinary efforts looks tasty, the holiday arrangement she creates is stunning, her gifts are almost too pretty to tear into. Not a single thing is mediocre or ugly – even the way she fastens her kitchen garment is creative and fashionable. She doesn't toss a dish in the microwave, it "has a moment", and she wraps gift paper like an paper-folding expert. She also seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself throughout. How could any hate-watcher not be charmed, overcome by seasonal cheer and left with a deep longing for handmade crackers or a vegetable display where greens is organized in the shape of a Christmas ring?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, naturally, but even so, after the intensity of scrutiny she has endured from the moment she became involved with Prince Harry, even a hypothetical offspring of two legendary actresses would find it hard to appear this naturally. Her unwillingness to change or even tone down her persona, regardless of it being so relentlessly, globally mocked, is oddly heartening. In our unpredictable world, here is one thing we can rely on: Meghan will remain herself, whatever happens. We will consistently know where we are with her.
If you're not yet convinced by her message, a reminder that will surely come as a comfort: you don't have to. We don't have the draft in this country, and were it to return, it would be improbable to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you decide to tune in and are consumed by longing about her flawless Christmas, you can take solace either. Be you a royal or a data administrator, few children completely grasps the effort and hard work their mum puts in in the holiday season. 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 handcrafted holiday countdown, in place of a chocolate.
