Editor’s Desk: The stressful lead-up to Christmas makes me wonder if it’s all worth it

Is your head spinning that it’s nearly the end of the year? Six weeks to Christmas this Sunday!

Is it just me or does it feel like we’ve only got a foothold into 2022 and there’s already Christmas decorations in the shops, end-of-year engagements piling up in the diary and too much work to be done in not enough time before we all break for the year.

I don’t know about you, but isn’t the point of getting to the end of the year all about resting, relaxing and recuperating for the past 12 months, and if so, why does the lead-up to it come with so much stress and busyness?

I’m a firm believer that anything Christmas-related should be reserved for the month of December. We don’t need reminders to start in November. A whole month of spruiking Christmas surely should be enough for the retail powers that be.

And what is it with so many events happening this time of year? I’m not talking about just Christmas functions or work parties, but general events that could be held any time of year. Why pick the months of November and December when so much other stuff is happening, and let’s be honest, everyone’s energy levels are nearing empty and in need of a recharge?

The lead-up to Christmas just feels like one giant box-ticking exercise which makes you even more tired than you need to be.

Don’t even get me started on having to navigate the utter craziness that is shopping in the lead-up to Christmas. I’m not good with crowds at the best of times so the thought of Christmas shopping makes me feel like crawling in the foetal position in a corner somewhere.

I may sound like a Grinch, but I’m not. I enjoy actual Christmas Day (if I don’t have to work) — the traditions, spending time with family, feasting at lunch and all the leftovers.

Is it all worth it? I guess if we can get through the pre-Christmas storm, we all get to enjoy the calm that follows it (hopefully).