Admittedly, it's Packed with Nonsense, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Love Meghan's Christmas Special.
No concerned with the time of year, it's always open season for criticism on the Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, expert and amateur alike, have seldom found such common ground as when gleefully ripping the series' first and second seasons to shreds. The common opinion held that a greater royal outrage had seldom occurred than the now-infamous pretzel re-packaging incident.
Currently, like a merry renegade master, she makes a comeback for another round with a "Christmas Special" (or a Christmas special). But this time, the dynamic has changed. The usual elements audiences anticipate – psychobabble word salads, intense hospitality – persist, but within the context of a Christmas special, suddenly it all makes sense. The pieces have fallen perfectly; it's a perfect snow storm.
By this point, Meghan is like the quirky relative at the typical holiday get-together – providing unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and contributing 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 a bit of a character, but her presence is familiar and unexpectedly soothing. And she seems pleased; she's causing a bit of damage.
She is aware her each tiny facial movement, utterance and gaze will be picked apart and criticised, but still appears relaxed and remarkably at ease.
Maybe this is the only time in history where that clichéd phrase – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – could actually be true. Because, in all honesty, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is charming. Yes, it's all awkwardly over-the-top, foolishness and extravagant – but doesn't that represent precisely what Christmas is for? And the talk she's talking might be ridiculous, but the example she sets genuinely looks impeccably styled.
Anything she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she executes with style. Her recipes looks delicious, the festive decoration she creates is stunning, her gifts are nearly too beautiful to tear into. Nothing is ordinary or aesthetically displeasing – including the way she fastens her kitchen garment is artful and chic. She doesn't toss a meal in the oven, it "goes for a spin", and she folds gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself the entire time. How could any hate-watcher not be convinced, bursting with holiday spirit and left with a intense desire for crafted festive snaps or a crudites platter where broccoli is arranged in the likeness of a festive circle?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, naturally, but even so, after the degree of scrutiny she has weathered ever since she met Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of acting royalty would struggle to act this authentically. Her unwillingness to alter or even tone down her shtick, regardless of it being so relentlessly, globally mocked, is strangely reassuring. In our uncertain world, here is something we can rely on: Meghan will remain herself, come what may. We will forever know our position with her.
If you're still not buying what she's selling, a point that will certainly come as a relief: you are not obligated to. There isn't mandatory conscription these days, and should it be reinstated, it would be unlikely to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, however, you choose to watch and are overcome with envy about her idyllic Christmas, there is hope either. Be you a duchess or a everyday person, hardly any child completely grasps the time and energy their parent does in the holiday season. So you can find comfort by picturing her children's faces when they open a calligraphy note that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a handcrafted holiday countdown, rather than a chocolate.
