This month, three readers discuss whether the festive season has become too commercial or if people are more generous at this time of year
What does the Christmas season mean to you? Helen: “For me, Christmas is all about spending time with family. I’ve got three children and seven grandchildren, aged between eight months and 12 years. On Christmas Eve we take the older ones to church for midnight Mass, which they love, then on Christmas Day we have a lovely family meal and play games.” Bev: “I’m not married so I’ve always spent Christmas with my parents. One of my sisters is married and the other’s going through a divorce, but we all try and come together to reconnect and enjoy each other’s company. We’ll go for a big walk and watch the Queen’s speech before dinner. We do buy each other gifts, but for us it’s very much a time of Christian celebration, remembering the true meaning of Christmas, which I suppose is quite rare now.” Rosemary: “To me, Christmas is about the coming together of families and communities. My two daughters and their children live in Leeds, so we get together early rather than travel on the day.” Has Christmas changed from when you were a child? Helen: “It’s changed tremendously. One of the biggest differences is that
now people start preparing for Christmas months in advance. The shops put their decorations up and start stocking food and gifts from September, but it never used to be that way.” Bev: “Yes, it used to be
December before you started getting excited, counting how many sleeps there were. Also, Christmas is supposed to be a religious event and when I was at school everyone was very much aware of that, even if they didn’t believe in God. But I don’t think children even think about that now – they just see Christmas as a holiday and a time for presents.” Rosemary: “Yes, and the kind of gifts children get has changed