'First Christmas Tree!'

I saw my first lit Christmas Tree of 2014 today! Love Christmas as much as I do I thought Noooo! Its way too early! HA HA

I think the speed of modern life and the inability it seems of people today to wait for or look forward to anything has a lot to do with it. Everything today is 'instant', the news flashes at us on the train and from advertising boards everywhere and its only going to get worse the further into the future we go.

I for one actually LIKE the idea of 'videoing' something to watch later and HATE it when everywhere you go its impossible to avoid information on 'latest scores' or news items. Christmas should not be something we 'fast track' it should be something precious that we look forward to and plan for.

On my forthcoming Christmas album there is a track entitled 'Tradition' and its one I'm expecting to get a bit of flack for. It must be the first Christmas song ever to include 'The Last Post' and at almost 10 minutes long is not going to be for everyone. I am proud of it, however, as it has a lot to say about the way I feel Christmas is beginning to die out. Not just in the hearts and minds of people but as an event itself. I know quite a few people who either work on Christmas Day (nurses, care home workers, waitresses etc) or who get only Christmas Day off and are then thrust straight back into the money making process until New Years Eve/Day.

Christmas should be a time to be together. Families need time to gather and spend quality time with each other and that is just not possible when crazy working schedules and awkward hours are all the rage. I feel that ALL staff (with the exception of essential medical/emergency services) should get at least three days PAID holiday for Christmas. Life is over fast enough as it is and there isn't always a tomorrow to be able to 'see you tomorrow' in.

While I am glad to see the Christmas spirit is alive and kicking in at least one home in Hastings I just wish we as a community could learn to celebrate things together and at the same time again...