Yes, it's Packed with Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Self-Help Jargon. However, I Honestly Adore Meghan's Christmas Special.
No considering the time of year, it's perpetually open season for commentary on the Meghan Markle's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Critics, expert and amateur alike, have seldom found such common ground as when gleefully ripping the series' earlier episodes to shreds. The general consensus held that a more egregious regal scandal had seldom occurred than the notorious pretzel re-packaging incident.
Now, like a merry renegade master, she makes a comeback for another round with a "Festive Special" (or a holiday episode). However on this occasion, the dynamic has changed. The usual elements we've come to expect – meaningless jargon salads, overzealous entertaining – remain, but framed of a Christmas special, suddenly it all makes sense. The pieces have fallen perfectly; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
By this point, Meghan is like the quirky relative at Christmas celebrations everywhere – offering unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and contributing the occasional strange exclamation. ("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 quite a personality, but her presence is familiar and unexpectedly soothing. And she appears content; she's inflicting any harm.
She is aware her all subtle gestures, utterance and glance will be analyzed and judged, but nonetheless looks unburdened and too blessed to be stressed.
Maybe this is the initial instance in history where that clichéd phrase – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – could actually be true. The reason is, let's face it, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels delightful. Admittedly, it's all cringily ultra-extra, nonsense and extravagant – but is that not exactly what the holiday season is all about? And the talk she's talking might be absurd, but the example she sets appears to be shop-bought.
Anything she sets her mind to, she executes with panache. Her cooking looks delicious, the holiday arrangement she crafts is stunning, her gifts are practically too exquisite to unwrap. Nothing is ordinary or aesthetically displeasing – including the way she ties her kitchen garment is artful and chic. She doesn't bung a dish in the microwave, it "has a moment", and she creases gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be completely savoring herself throughout. How could any cynical observer not be charmed, overcome by seasonal cheer and left with a deep longing for crafted festive snaps or a crudites platter where greens is arranged in the shape of a wreath?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, naturally, but even so, after the level of attention she has faced ever since she started dating Prince Harry, the love child of two legendary actresses would find it hard to appear this genuinely. Her refusal to change or even moderate her shtick, despite it being so constantly, globally mocked, is oddly heartening. In our uncertain world, here is one thing we can count on: Meghan will remain herself, no matter what. We will forever know what to expect with her.
If you're remaining skeptical of what she's selling, a point that will surely come as a comfort: you are not obligated to. We don't have mandatory conscription these days, and were it to return, it would be improbable to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you decide to tune in and are consumed by envy about her picture-perfect Christmas, you can take solace either. Be you a duchess or a office worker, hardly any child fully understands the time and energy their parent expends in the holiday season. So you can find comfort by envisioning Archie and Lilibet's faces when they open a calligraphy note that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, rather than a chocolate.
