Admittedly, it's Packed with Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. However, I Honestly Love Meghan's Holiday Special.
No matter the season, it's constantly hunting season for scrutiny on the Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, both professional and armchair, have rarely been so united as when enthusiastically shredding the lifestyle show's initial installments apart. The common opinion seemed to be a more egregious regal scandal had never been witnessed than the now-infamous pretzel-bagging incident.
Presently, as a festive rebel, she is back once again with a "Holiday Celebration" (also known as a Christmas special). But this time, things have shifted. The familiar ingredients viewers are accustomed to – meaningless jargon salads, extreme hosting – are still present, but set of a yuletide episode, the purpose becomes clear. The puzzle has come together; it's a perfect snow storm.
Now, Meghan resembles the quirky relative at most festive family gatherings – providing random tips, and contributing the odd random outburst. ("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 an interesting figure, but her aura is known and unexpectedly soothing. And she looks happy enough; she's not doing any harm.
She understands her every micro expression, syllable and look will be dissected and criticised, but still appears carefree and remarkably at ease.
It could be this is the initial instance in history where that well-worn saying – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – might be true. Since, let's face it, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is lovely. Granted, it's all painfully excessive, foolishness and extravagant – but isn't that just what Yuletide is about? And the advice she gives might be absurd, but the example she sets appears to be beautifully curated.
Anything she sets her mind to, she accomplishes with style. Her cooking looks scrumptious, the holiday arrangement she crafts is gorgeous, her presents are nearly too beautiful to open. Nothing is ordinary or ugly – even the way she secures her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't bung a meal in the microwave, it "goes for a spin", and she wraps gift paper like an paper-folding expert. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself throughout. How could any hate-watcher not be charmed, overcome by seasonal cheer and left with a powerful yearning for personalized Christmas crackers or a crudites platter where greens is organized in the likeness of a wreath?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, obviously, but despite that, after the degree of examination she has endured from the moment she became involved with Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would have difficulty behaving this authentically. Her refusal to modify or even soften her shtick, even though it being so persistently, widely parodied, is strangely reassuring. In our volatile world, here is something we can rely on: Meghan will remain herself, come what may. We will always know where we are with her.
If you're still not buying her brand, a reminder that will certainly come as a relief: you aren't required to. We don't have the draft in this country, and if there were, it would be improbable to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, however, you choose to watch and are overcome with longing about her idyllic Christmas, you can take solace either. If you are a duchess or a data administrator, no kid truly appreciates the effort and hard work their parent expends in the holiday season. So you can take heart by envisioning the young royals' faces when they open a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a DIY festive calendar, in place of a candy.
