Bah Humbag: Slowing Down Christmas

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

Well, it is December and I have lifted my self imposed Christmas embargo. I refuse to even think about Christmas until now, no matter how much adverts and Tesco try and make me (I am sat here watching Love Actually. It is the one film that cannot fail to make me feel Christmassy!).

I don’t like Christmas. Well, that is not strictly true. I don’t like what Christmas has become. It seems to have become this secular celebration of consumerism.

All people care about is what presents to get, what presents they will receive, what food they need to buy (and, boy, do they buy! It is only 2 days, yet people seem to shop like they will never be allowed to buy food again), it is all spend, spend, spend…

Go and walk around your local high street now and you won’t see much the “season to be jolly” (or much “good will to all (wo)men” for that matter), all you will see is crowds (and crowds, and crowds…) of stressed and angry shoppers shuffling around.

It is ridiculous, and about as far removed from the original meaning of Christmas as we can get…

What is Christmas? Really?

What are the ancient roots of Christmas and the festivities that surround it?

Well, I am sure you are all aware of the song “12 Days of Christmas’”…

“Fiiiiiiiiiiivvvveeeee Gooooooolllllldddd Riiiiiinnnnggssss….” And all that.

That was because Christmas would last 12 whole days! It would start on the 25th December and finish on the 6th January (12th Night). Originally Christmas Day was celebrated on January 6th, when presents were given in honour of Saint Nicholas (the forefather of Father Christmas).

It was a time of merriment, feasting and general festivity (but still a holy day, with 3 masses on 25th December to start the ball rolling), with plays, processions and merry-making. It was not the family orientated affair we know today, but a celebration that involved the whole community.

Christmas (or Yule, or Christmastide, or the festival of Epiphany, or the Winter Solstice!) was a time of revelry, of community spirit, of celebration and feasting that lasted days (some sources say they started in November!), ending on 12th Night, or the Feast of Epiphany on the 6th January. It combined pre-Christian traditions and Christian elements to give thanks and distract ourselves from the cold, dark winters…

The Christmas We Know Today

The Christmas we know today (with the 2 days – Christmas Day and Boxing Day) was really an invention of those lovers of speed; the Victorians, to reduce the festive period into a manageable 2-day holiday so we could all get back to work as soon as possible (this was in the midst of the Industrial revolution).

However the rot set in a long time before those harebrained Victorians got their mitts on Christmas, around the time of Reformation, when Martin Luther created the Protestant Church (and the gave name to the dreaded “Protestant Work Ethic”) and started to cull the Pre-Reformation holidays and festivals as they deemed them “hedonistic” and “superstitious” (Christmas was even BANNED in Britain in 1647).

The blueprint for the modern Christmas celebrations was laid down in Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” (thanks Charley), with the idea of the one-day of feasting and celebration (Boxing day wasn’t traditionally classed as holiday unitl 1871, when the Bank Holidays Act in the UK was designated a Bank Holiday). It is suggested that Dickens (being a popular author of the time) was unofficially employed to do a bit of PR job on the new, shorter Christmas celebrations, as the workers were somewhat reticent of giving up their festivities (and who can blame them?).

Because of the truncated nature of the celebration and the fact that people were moving into the cities and away from the traditional village community, the onus moved away from the community as whole and focused much more just on the family (remember, most families all lived under one roof back then…).

When you describe Christmas like that, and discover the modern celebrations cynical roots, can you see why I am not a huge fan?!

How Can You Slow Down Christmas?

“We’re all dreaming of a pre-Reformation Christmas, when the festival really did last twelve days and during which time work and trade were forbidden, and instead we all danced, sang, ate, drank and generally made extremely merry. The sour-faced Parliamentarians of the Cromwell state actually tried to ban Christmas altogether, considering it Popish, old-fashioned and far too much fun. Luckily Charles II brought it back in 1660 and the medieval spirit of Christmas has survived.” - Tom Hodgkinson

The fact is, we are going to celebrate Christmas aren’t we? And why shouldn’t we?! I am not against Christmas as festival, I am just not too comfortable with it as the modern celebration of consumerism and speed that it has become.

Christmas should be a little bit of a revolt against the increasing pressure and stress of work and the consumer society and, in my humble opinion, the old Pre-Reformation celebrations were a much “Slower” than our current ones.

The idea here is to introduce (or re-introduce) some of the Pre-Reformation intentions that you may find will reduce you Christmas stress and turn it back into a time for you to enjoy!

1) Celebrate the full 12 Days!

Try and plan to do something for the full 12 days, rather than rushing to get everything done in the 2 days we have allotted to us. The time between Christmas and New Year is often a bit of an empty space and we are not sure what do to with ourselves. Well by celebrating the full 12 days you can use that time to catch up with friends and family at a more leisurely pace.

There are still some organisations that shut between Christmas and New Year (and good on them!), but if not, you can still do something in that time.

2) Go carol singing (or Wassailing as it was traditionally known)

Ancient carol singing was a bit of a rowdy affair, where people would go from house to house and sing and be offered alcohol by the inhabitants. I am not suggesting you go and harass your neighbours for booze, but a spot of drinking and singing does wonders to lift the spirits!

3) Don’t bow to pressure to do things that are “expected” of you

Christmas is a time for celebration not “duty”, if you don’t enjoy it at the rest of the year, why do it now?  Spend it with people you really want to, not people you think you should.

4) Buy gifts that mean something, not that cost the earth

The giving of presents seems to have become the central tenant of the modern Christmas with people stressing and panicking about what to buy people and often going into debt to pay for it.  Don’t buy pointless gifts just because you think you should, take some time to consider what that person would really appreciate and it (or make it!) for them. Presents don’t need to be expensive to be good.

5) Don’t go shopping

The internet is a godsend for this. You can do all your Christmas shopping from the comfort of your own sofa without needing to go out and face the hordes (unless fighting your way through crowds of angry shoppers makes you feel Christmassy).

6) The thorny issue of Christmas Cards

Hand written? Electronic? Don’t bother? Every year we seem to have to send cards to more and more people; work colleagues, neighbours (who we often don’t even know the name of), distant relatives we can barely remember. It gets more and more expensive, it is strain on the poor postal service and all that paper is hardly good for the planet (even if it is recycled or from a sustainable source).  I like the idea that seems to have sprung up of recent years (at least with people I know), and that is to donate the money you would have spent on cards to charity and then just send a generic email telling everyone that is what you have done. Of course, still send cards to people who are close to you!

7) Give something to the community

Boxing day got its name from giving gifts (or Christmas “boxes” to the poor) and Christmas was traditionally a time for community. So why not give something back? You can do anything you want from giving a donation to a charity (see the suggestion about Christmas cards), to getting more involved in something, it is up to you. Giving something back honours the Christmas spirit and will make you feel surprisingly good!

This is will probably be my last post of 2009. So I wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (and, in fact, the new decade) and I will see you in the 2010.

Matt

PS, If you liked this post, please bookmark it on Digg, Stumbled Upon, Twitter, etc. I would really appreciate it

The ideal Christmas Present for the Harebrained person:

The Slow Coach is Off to See Banksy

Sorry for no post again today, not been great recently. Been busy, busy, busy (and as I said in this post, “busy” rarely means “productive”!). Still, remember the 1st rule of slow blogging  – “it happens when it happens”!

I am off to see the Banksy exhibition at Bristol museum.

Will be back tomorrow,

SC

PRESS RELEASE: Effects of snow beneficial to health

The wintry weather which brought much of London to a standstill at the start of the week forced many people into living a ‘slow’ lifestyle for the day according to lifestyle expert and slow coach Matt Caulfield:

“Slow is a philosophy recognising that time is precious and that rushing to try and fit more in is not the answer. On Monday morning, many Londoners initially panicked at not being able to get into work, but then soon gave up on the idea and took to parks and gardens to enjoy the snow with their children.

“Taking the time and effort to appreciate what is now much more satisfying than filling your days doing things just to get somewhere in the future. Giving up on the futile battle against the weather, and turning it into an opportunity for enjoyment is a great example of appreciating the here and now. ”

Slow is not about being slothful, lazy or ignorant. In fact just the opposite, it is about being mindful, aware and intelligent in your actions.

When we are forced to slow down, downsize or change our lifestyle, we have a choice, we can get stressed, despondent and panic or we can use it as an unprecedented opportunity to embrace a Slow Philosophy. With more snow forecast, now is the perfect time to be slow.

The Slow Philosophy is not about doing everything at a snail’s pace. It’s about seeking to do everything at the right speed. Savouring the hours and minutes rather than just counting them. Doing everything as well as possible, instead of as fast as possible. It’s about quality over quantity in everything from work to leisure time.

A slow lifestyle manifests itself in different ways for different people, depending on their interests and experiences, but shared slow values include finding the right pace to do things. Appreciating, community, co-operation, manners and meaningful connections with people.

Slow embodies the spirit of the tale of the Hare and the Tortoise – “Slow and steady wins the race” and can lead to people doing less and achieving more. A deliberately ‘Slow’ person tends to be more centred, relaxed and unhurried as well as being unrushed and unflustered. Acting spontaneously in the right way and at the right pace in a given situation.

Learning how to develop a tortoise mind can allow people to increase focus and concentration, to relax and de-stress. They can become calm and collected, focus on the things they really want to get out of life and reconnect with life and appreciate the present moment.

The positive effects of becoming ‘Slow’ can include improved health and energy, better sleep and even the ability to get control of spending and finances.

I hope that Londoners enjoyed Monday and learned that there’s more to life than the seemingly endless rush. What they need to do now is learn to be slower and work smarter without relying on the weather to force it upon them.

ENDS

How to be Slow in a Fast Environment Part 2

I started this theme a few months ago on my last trip to London. You can find that post here.

I have just recently returned from a trip to London once again, so I thought now would a good time to carry on with this theme. As I said last time, Slow is not about be dull witted, crawling along and not paying attention, it is in fact the exact opposite and can be defined by words like “unhurried”, “unflustered” and “mindful” other key traits of a slow person is to have impeccable manners (because they are mindful and unflustered they don’t snap and are kind and considerate), and be cheery and optimistic.

I like the term “Hilaritas” that I learned from Robert Anton Wilson. “Hilaritas” allegedly derives from a Greek word, meaning “live joyfully and be proud of who you are” (although I have never found any evidence to back this up, so I think it may be a made up word. But who cares? All words are made up really aren’t they?).

I am sure you have seen people like this, (I usually see them at the airport – and am always very envious, as I haven’t perfected this yet!) they stroll through a busy and disorganised environment, remaining calm and cool as a cucumber, they are polite and always seem to get there before you even though you have been rushing and they have seemingly been strolling long. They often get served fist too, and end up with an upgrade!

And look just damn cool… See, this slow lark is worth it isn’t it?

They are living embodiment of Slow. Even in a stressful environment they are slow and unflustered.

Envious? Well with a bit of practice you can be just like them! I have taken some time to study these people and have elicited their key traits of that if you integrate them into your behaviour and thinking, very quickly (ironically) you can become one of those people too!

I have already spoken about the first trait in my last “How to be slow in a fast environment” post. Which was centring. Personally I believe this is the number one behaviour to develop. Everythign else on the lsit below begins there. Practice this one and the rest will become more easily. Below I have listed other key traits. That I will go into detail with in the next few posts:

• Optimism. PMA is where it is at!
• The power of posture
• Breathe!
• A gentle touch.
• Look good, feel good, look good (The Trinny and Susannah effect)
• Mindful awareness (now where you are and where you are going)
• Courteous thinking (manners are their own reward)

Until then, have a good weekend and speak to you again on Tuesday!

SC

The Little Things

I live just south of the Brecon Beacons in Wales, it is a beautiful part of the country, walking the dogs this morning I could see the snow on the peaks in the distance.

Unfortunately I can’t get up there walking, as I have to go off to do a talk for a corporation (I still have bits and bobs of work from my “old life” as a corporate trainer and coaching and NLP bloke – they obviously don’t know my superhero identity of “The Slow Coach”…)

One of things that really turned me off this current coaching scene is the constant striving, the “be the best you can be” rhetoric, the constant need to improve and prove yourself (to who?), it is the domain of the desperately insecure and why it seems to attract the nerdier (and needier) element of society. Who often end up just kidding themselves that they are better, cooler, smarter and more capable than they actually are. Who over use adjectives like “excellent” and “outstanding” and have fake smiles plastered across their faces, afraid to admit they feel a little tired, or a bit down occasionally…

I was watching spooks last night (strange how things crop up in the most unexpected places) and one of the characters said the following quote:

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want, it is about appreciating what you have.”

You think you life is really bad and there is nothing to appreciate? Allow me to draw your attention to my very good friend Steve, who has done a good bit of media lately. He is a tetraplegic, basically he his paralysed from the neck, has been for 25 years (we recently celebrated his anniversary – anything is a good excuse for a party, right?!). He was interviewed because of the sad story of the rugby player Daniel James who died in assisted suicide. Steve was asked his opinion on it. And he said his advice to people in the same situation? Don’t do it, you can always find something you appreciate in what you have got, friends, family, doing something for the community, it could be even more simple than that, a favourite food, activity, film.

We seem to think things need to be BIG to be good, we have lost the appreciation of the little things. But the “little” things are often much bigger than the BIG things. It is just the way we look at things. Think about it.

Me? Seeing the beautiful sight of the snow on the Brecon’s was enough for me today. What more do I need. What about you? Why not make a list of the things, the little things, that you do or have now, that you may over look or take for granted that make you happy.

SC