Christmas has exploded all over us

It never ceases to amaze me how early the 'Christmas brand' starts being brandished about in the UK in order to, in one way or another, get people into the 'spirit' which ultimately lures them into the mother of all modern activities: consumption galore. This year, more than ever, shops are desperate for our custom in order to make up for the slump in the economy so Christmas is, literally and metaphorically, a God-send; the perfect excuse to achieve that golden goal of persuading shoppers to buy unnecessary things spending more than they set out to do. Hence the abundance of 'buy one get 1 half-price'; ' buy 1 for £1.50, two for £2' and other marketing techniques that, we have to admit, manage to successfully dupe us into thinking we are getting a bargain when, in actual fact, we are probably buying stuff we wouldn't get if these 'offers' weren't shoved in our faces. The thing is, deep down, we know we spend too much and we know there will be lots of food uneaten and presents unused...However, and especially in times of crisis, we cling on to any excuse that can suspend disbelief for a while and pretend all is well so long as fridge is packed full of nice food, the tree shiny and surrounded by prezzies and all terrestrial worries pushed aside at least until the New Year...

I guess for the Christians, Christmas can be a bit of a bittersweet time. On the one hand, they are probably pleased that the birth of Christ has become so mainstream and widely celebrated by most in one way or another (albeit for some, just through buying presents for friends who do celebrate it or partaking in the office Christmas dos). On the other, many are unhappy about the fact that the 'true' meaning of Christmas has somewhat been diluted and 'commodified' into a feast of all things commercial which, clearly, goes against the Christian tenets. But, unfortunately, that is the price to pay for being the 'dominant' religion as far as the Western world is concerned. You cannot have one without the other and as the Western 'ideals' are so intertwined with consumerism, anything and everything becomes part and parcel of this modality. For me, as you probably have guessed by now, it is a great time as, for once, the UK is full of Christmas markets with lots of lovely foods that I normally wouldn't buy (being quite the thrifty type) but now you can't really deny yourself pleasure over the festivities, can you?

So yesterday I was in London again and as the friend I was supposed to meet up with took a rain-check (her words, not mine..you know who you are missy!), I found myself with all this time in my hands, a gorgeous day (no rain by the way) and a very Christmassy London. As my Argy friend is coming over to visit this weekend, I was determined to get some dulce de leche without which no Argy get-together could ever be complete. In case you don't know what it is, well...you haven't lived! It's not too late, though so I'd strongly suggest you try it but if you become an addict, it wasn't me! There are loads of blogs, sites and, yes, Facebook groups (surprise, surprise) devoted to the stuff and it is easy to see why...As I wandered around Borough Market taking in all those lovely sights and smells, I was looking down and suddenly my eyes stumbled upon some Argentinian empanadas...as I looked up I realised that I had come to find the Argy stall full of goodies from back home including the above-mentioned elixir! And not just any brand (there are loads) but one of the poshest, nicest ones...As I was rummaging through my purse to find the £6 for a kilo of my 'fix' my fellow compatriot, the stallholder, announced that it was £5 for Argies! As I said to him, it must have been the first time in my life that I'd ever felt at an advantage for being from Argyland and what better reason than to purchase the divine antidepressant commonly known as dulce de leche? I will definetely be going back to the stall whenever I'm next in the area or in desperate need of some home comforts.

After that, I walked all along the South and North banks from London Bridge to Victoria, admiring the beautifully-lit trees, the German Christmas market, a jazz band playing 'Sex Bomb' and other cheesy hits (funnily enough, it sounded fantastic), a bagpipe player and the stunning sunset over the Thames. After my previous experience in London when Sod's Law seemed to have been invented just to spite me, this time I was reminded of the reasons why it can be such a great place to be, especially around Christmas.