Indeed, it's Brimming with Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Adore Meghan's Christmas Special.
No matter the season, it's always fair game for criticism on the Meghan Markle's TV show, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, both professional and armchair, have seldom found such common ground as when eagerly tearing the series' initial installments apart. The common opinion seemed to be a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had never been witnessed than the now-infamous pretzel re-packaging incident.
Presently, like a merry renegade master, she has returned for another round with a "Festive Special" (also known as a Christmas special). Yet now, the dynamic has changed. The familiar ingredients audiences anticipate – psychobabble word salads, extreme hosting – are still present, but framed of a Christmas special, it all clicks into place. The puzzle has come perfectly; it's a perfect snow storm.
By this point, Meghan resembles the oddball family member at Christmas celebrations everywhere – providing unasked-for guidance, and supplying the periodic peculiar declaration. ("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 oddly reassuring. And she looks content; she's not doing the slightest hurt.
She understands her every micro expression, syllable and gaze will be picked apart and criticised, but nonetheless looks relaxed and remarkably at ease.
It could be this is the first occasion in history where that old chestnut – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – could actually be true. Because, let's face it, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is delightful. Granted, it's all painfully excessive, foolishness and flamboyant – but is that not precisely what Christmas is all about? And the advice she gives might be absurd, but the life she leads appears to be impeccably styled.
Whatever she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she executes with panache. Her recipes looks tasty, the festive decoration she makes is gorgeous, her gifts are almost too pretty to tear into. Nothing is average or visually unappealing – including the way she fastens her apron is creative and fashionable. She doesn't toss a meal in the microwave, it "goes for a spin", and she creases gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself the entire time. How could any skeptical viewer not be convinced, filled with holiday spirit and left with a intense desire for crafted festive snaps or a crudites platter where greens is organized in the likeness of a wreath?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, of course, but nonetheless, after the intensity of attention she has weathered since she met Prince Harry, the love child of two legendary actresses would have difficulty behaving this naturally. Her unwillingness to alter or even moderate her persona, regardless of it being so relentlessly, globally mocked, is weirdly comforting. In our volatile world, here is one thing we can rely on: Meghan will be like this, whatever happens. We will always know what to expect with her.
If you're still not buying what she's selling, a point that will surely come as a comfort: you don't have to. There isn't mandatory conscription these days, and if there were, it would be unlikely to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, however, you choose to watch and are consumed by envy about her idyllic Christmas, there is hope either. Whether you're a duchess or a everyday person, hardly any child fully understands the time and energy their mum does in December. So you can console yourself by envisioning Archie and Lilibet's faces when they reveal a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a handcrafted holiday countdown, instead of a chocolate.
