Another famous man with a very ambiguous attitude towards Christmas was the playwright and composer, singer and actor, Sir Noel Coward. He seems to have had a love-hate relationship with the celebrations. He too hated the 'commercial orgy", but it didn't stop him from itemising presents he had received in his diary for Christmas 1955.
On Christmas Eve 1954 he wrote:
"how nice it would be to be a little boy of five again instead of an ageing playwright of fifty-five, and look forward to all the high jinks. However, it is no use repining."
And again, in 1960:
This is the day of goodwill to all men and the giving and receiving of presents which nobody particularly wants. . . . . . . a commercialised orgy of love without heart. I fear I am becoming cynical, but how nice it would be if it were an ordinary day on which I could get on with my work.
Christmas in Beverley Hills in 1955 was different. He wrote:
"In the middle of it all again. The house is really very nice and I have a dusky Jamaican lady to look after me who is lackadaisical and hums constantly. There have been a series of parties as usual, each one indistinguishable from the other, culminating last night in the Bogart's Christmas Eve revel which was great fun and highly glamorous to the eye.
I have acquired some nice Christmas loot. Exquisite gold and ebony monogrammed links from Frank Sinatra, and a lovely black dressing gown and pyjamas to match from Marlene Dietrich and hand-worked bedroom slippers from Merle Oberon which are charming. A lot of other gifts too. But I do wish Christmas hadn't co-incided with 'Blithe Spirit'. There is so much to be done and so little time to do it."
It is almost as if Christmas 'forced' people to act in a way not of their choosing. There are parties at Valley's End too each year during December; far too many, to my mind. You meet the same people at most of them and exchange the same gossip. Why not get together during the long, dull days of January?
Then there are family visits. Families 'have' to visit at Christmas. Why? These are the shortest days of the year, you sit on top of each other confined to one or two rooms, without being able to go outside. Children can't play outside, it's too cold, too wet, or too something. We have family who visit only during the Christmas period, never in the summer. And they don't even like Christmas!
The snow and ice here at the moment are driving me insane; we have been unable to get the car out of the garage for two weeks. I could be having a really peaceful, relaxed time, doing lots of lovely things for which I don't normally have the time. So what happens? Instead of enjoying the enforced leisure I am fretting about all the shopping I am not doing! Just food and drink for the main part - we hardly buy presents at all nowadays - but there are people coming, they need feeding and watering, I need to get to the shops!
How else are we going to stuff our faces until we're sick?
smiles. i am glad you are providing all opinions though...i do think the holiday do that...there is almost a forced expectation...or maybe that is just part of the magic...
ReplyDeletefriko thanks for the insights into coward. i favour simplicity which is entirely reasonable if you avoid some of the less savoury features of christmas. hard to do in a world that spins events as quickly as this one.
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I do like this 'different' writing about the holidays. I think the Noel Coward had too much stuff in his life and not enough honest friends. I love that winter photo and I am thinking I should plan a Christmas in July?
ReplyDeleteAnd old Noel was even named after the holiday. How about that "I have a dusky Jamaican lady to look after me who is lackadaisical and hums constantly." Can you imagine someone saying that these days? How offensive was that?
ReplyDelete...I am enjoying your grumpy men. And I believe they chose to be that way. Probably each and every one of them were self-centered and not as giving as they could have been. Obviously, extremely talented, but wasted far too much time "enjoying" being bitter. At least, that is the way I see it.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting, too, that so many people travel and visit during Christmas when the weather is atrocious and time is limited. What about celebrating the "spirit" of Christmas long distance and then meeting up in July for a week-long, relaxing family get-together? Sounds perfect to me.
Ah Friko - your cranky men may just inspire a cranky post from me!
ReplyDeleteAnother amusing curmudgeonly view! I do know that feeling one gets when trapped by snow, so, yes, it may help to return to brighter views of the season. I must say, though, much as I'm glad we've not yet been trapped here, yours and Christine's photographs are so splendid it (almost) makes me wistful for snow . . . but only almost, as it will come soon enough.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed by Noel Coward's list of gifts - from Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich, nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteCrankiness comes for me when I don't get my own way about things - like today. Having to write an exam instead of baking or shopping or cleaning house - things that I'd really rather prefer doing. But I can't. The only thing I can change is my attitude and sometimes I don't want to do that.
Too , too awful to get presents ! .... not .
ReplyDeleteBut it's an eyeopener to see how jaded and blasè one could become about things . My dreams of suddenly becoming someone who is showered by luxuries by the Rich And Famous might have to be reviewed .
After the first heady delight , might I not find it too , too boring?
ah now Friko unlike darling Noel one must think of what we can give at this festive season not what we have got! In your case I imagine you give very good hostessing skills and make your guests very welcome. At the end of each day one should sit back and think of 3 positive things that have happenned to one that day and I am assurred one will then be a better person alround ( as opposed to all round whch is what happens when one over indulges at Christmas orgy until you are fit to burst!) The French concentrate on New year and the food is the thing and go for quality in small quantities a little bit of that a little of this all perfectly presented on matching china and before long you have a 7 course meal before you!
ReplyDeleteI don't know what you call it in Great Britain, Friko, but here in the upper Midwest of the US we call your current malady "cabin fever." Probably it comes from the days when the earlier settlers were "snowed in" in during the winter and stuck in a one-room cabin for three or more months. That's definitely how it feels - I've had it many times.
ReplyDeleteOh I am a curmudgeon and proud of it and thanks for reminding me of Noel and George and their sentiments, even though Noel spoke out of the two sides of his mouth.
ReplyDeleteWe celebrate Solstice and ignore Xmas apart from Irish Women's Christmas (12th night) which has far more meaning for me.
Catching up with you Friko!
XO
WWW
I like the part about getting together in January. January and July are my two toughest months, largely owing to the weather. Good post Friko.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that my comments of earlier in the day were lost in the ether, perhaps because I failed to put in the word verification. Who knows? In any event, my reaction is that Coward, albeit a bit cranky and grumpy, was more right than wrong when he described Christmas as a "commercialized orgy." How can it be otherwise when the marketing campaigns begin in late November and do not end until after New Year's Day. That said, I still try to keep my own Christmas anchored in a little peace, contentment, and gratitude.
ReplyDeleteThe best part about living far from extended family is the ability to form our own rituals. Playing games, taking walks, and the stress-less-ness of actually liking those we are with has been a blessing. There was a family Christmas a few years back where the tension in the house (in which we were visitors) was such that we could have cut it with a knife. I strive to avoid another situation like that one.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are able to get out soon and restock supplies. Perhaps you can be the one who suggests a mid-winter party in late January when all is bleak and dreary?
Yes! Why not spread the partys out?
ReplyDeleteAloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
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I am trying to stay up to date with your posts but you are so productive … Your tree is very beautiful but I guess when you have that much snow it can get a bit hard. Here today they said we may get some flurries but unfortunately it never went below 50 F (10 C.) I’ll try to make cranberry jam (my first, with my own recipe…we’ll see how it tastes.) Take many pictures as it must be so lovely in your village.
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