Admittedly, it's Full of Gibberish, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Cherish Meghan's Festive Episode.
No considering the time of year, it's constantly hunting season for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, both professional and armchair, have rarely been so united as when enthusiastically shredding the series' first and second seasons to pieces. The general consensus held that a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had hardly ever taken place than the notorious snack re-labeling incident.
Presently, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she makes a comeback with a new offering with a "Holiday Celebration" (aka a yuletide episode). But this time, things have shifted. The usual elements we've come to expect – meaningless jargon salads, overzealous entertaining – remain, but within the context of a yuletide episode, it all clicks into place. The puzzle has come together; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
At this stage, Meghan resembles the oddball family member at most festive family gatherings – dispensing unasked-for guidance, and delivering 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 company is customary and strangely comforting. And she seems happy enough; she's causing any harm.
She understands her each tiny facial movement, utterance and gaze will be picked apart and criticised, but still appears relaxed and too blessed to be stressed.
It could be this is the initial instance in history where that clichéd phrase – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – might be true. Because, in all honesty, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is charming. Yes, it's all cringily ultra-extra, nonsense and extravagant – but is that not precisely what the holiday season is about? And the words she speaks might be ridiculous, but the life she leads appears to be shop-bought.
Anything she attempts, she pulls off with style. Her cooking looks tasty, the wreath she makes is breathtaking, her gifts are nearly too beautiful to unwrap. Not a single thing is average or visually unappealing – including the way she ties her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't throw a dish in the microwave, it "goes for a spin", and she creases wrapping paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be completely savoring herself throughout. How could any hate-watcher not be charmed, filled with seasonal cheer and left with a powerful yearning for crafted festive snaps or a crudites platter where broccoli is organized in the form of a festive circle?
Meghan was once an actress for a living, naturally, but even so, after the degree of attention she has weathered ever since she met Prince Harry, the love child of acting royalty would find it hard to appear this naturally. Her unwillingness to change or even tone down her routine, despite it being so persistently, internationally ridiculed, is oddly heartening. In our uncertain world, here is something we can rely on: Meghan will be like this, come what may. We will consistently know what to expect with her.
If you're still not buying her message, a thought that will surely come as a relief: you don't have to. We don't have national service these days, and were it to return, it would be unlikely to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you willingly check it out and are overcome with jealousy about her picture-perfect Christmas, all is not lost either. If you are a royal or a data administrator, hardly any child fully understands the time and energy their parent expends in December. So you can console yourself by imagining the young royals' faces when they unfold a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a handcrafted holiday countdown, rather than a sweet treat.
