Commercial Christmas

Almost twelve hours of deep, deep sleep later, I was fresher, livelier than before. The sun was shining, it was a new day.

A friend invited a bunch of us to go to her place for lunch. A nice little village close to Leiden, and for the first time ever I rode in a car which came with a diplomatic license and driver. Speed, honk, drive carelessly, and the moment people see the license plate they keep their distance. But being (self-proclaiming moral) international lawyers we knew not to abuse diplomatic immunities.

Turned out I was the only guy there. Well, it wasn't so bad, not when they were babbling about how and where to get a perm, what lotions to use, facials, back-scrubs and toe-nail painting. We did talk about other more normal things.... swinger clubs (which was apparently just around the corner in the middle of farmer country), mistresses, sugar-daddies, trios, drink and drugs. Funny.

One of them is about to give birth soon, so we talked about tips and exchanged experiences. To them I seemed like the 'perfect' guy... caring, kind, can cook and sensitive. When we somehow got onto the topic of star signs, the fact that I'm a Pisces made them swoon. "Oooh, Pisces are the most romatic guys".

I couldn't help but blush.

Well, Christmas shopping still had to be done, so afterwards we headed into town. For the next few hours wandered the streets prowling, with bank cards ready to swipe, and swipe again. To be honest, I don't like shopping, especially when you have to fight your way to the cashier with people hauling bigger bags than Santa Claus himself. But somehow Christmas has become a shopper's worst nightmare, and sacred heaven at the same time. Just look around you... where does it seem immune to the spread of that age-old Christmas spirit of commercialism and buying binges? Christmas carols that normally seemed so tranquil and so soothing had somehow morphed into the hypnotising songs of mercantilism conveying the subtle message of buy, buy, buy!

I got what I wanted for my mother-friend, her little baby, and some others. Beaten, tired, drained of money, I headed home, with full bags of goodies and gifts, yet emptily wondering whether Christmas meant much more.

And my doubt was, somehow, just answered by a beautiful, beautiful song...

Till I had you I didnt know
That I was missing out
Had to grow up and see the world
Through different shades of doubt
Give me one more chance to dream again
One more chance to feel again
Through your young heart
If only for one day let me try

I wanna see Christmas through your eyes
I want everything to be the way it used to be
Back to being a child again thinking the world was mine
I wanna see Christmas, Christmas through your eyes

I see the rain, you see the rainbow hiding in the clouds
Never afraid to let your love show
Wont you show me how
Wanna learn how to believe again
Find the innocence in me again
Through your young heart
Help me find a way, help me try

I wanna see Christmas through your eyes
I want everything to be the way it used to be
Back to being a child again thinking the world was kind
I wanna see Christmas, Christmas through your eyes