Posted December 28, 2011
Zürich was covered in snow at least one foot deep already, yet it kept on falling from the sky in great, white flakes.
"8 days until christmas, and I still haven't bought a single present," I thought to myself as I walked sligthly hunched, looking at the window displays.
"Don't worry about it," I told myself as I entered a store, "you'll have plenty of time if you just get started".
Jovial looking santas walked around the store saying "ho, ho, ho", largely ignored by the stressed out people rustling about. Maybe it got some people into the christmas spirit, but certainly not me.
Year after year I hunt for those special gifts, the things the recipients actually wants, what they secretly wished for.
"Expectations, expectations," I murmured to myself, "that's what christmas is about - not the actual gifts, food and company, nor some child being born a long, long time ago."
"5 times higher suicide rate than any other holiday, yet everyone keeps telling everyone, including themselves, that it's such a joyous holiday," I thought sourly to myself.
"Sure, it's not all bad; you get to catch up with relatives you hardly ever see the rest of the year, watch lots of movies, eat too much candy, get so drunk you need to get pumped at the hospital, and so on. Great way to celebrate.. well, what do most people celebrate anyway?" I asked myself.
"Religion is no match for commerce, that's for sure," I conluded, "try asking someone where the nearest church is and you'll be met with a blank stare, but if you ask about the nearest ATM they'll point you in the right direction."
"Perhaps I should just skip the presents this year," I wondered, although I knew I wouldn't get away with it.
"6 business days left to spend as much as I can afford - or more; it's supposedly good for the economy to over-spend. 5, actually, as I won't have time on the day before christmas eve," I added to myself as I remembered last year.
Glumly joining the line to pay for the two miserable excuses for christmas presents I'd picked out, idly contemplating to become part of the statistics, I suddenly had an epiphany - I knew what had to be done.
3 failed attempts later, I finally felt the near-mythical christmas peace slowly sink into me - my credit card was locked, useless.
"8 days until christmas, and I still haven't bought a single present," I thought to myself as I walked sligthly hunched, looking at the window displays.
"Don't worry about it," I told myself as I entered a store, "you'll have plenty of time if you just get started".
Jovial looking santas walked around the store saying "ho, ho, ho", largely ignored by the stressed out people rustling about. Maybe it got some people into the christmas spirit, but certainly not me.
Year after year I hunt for those special gifts, the things the recipients actually wants, what they secretly wished for.
"Expectations, expectations," I murmured to myself, "that's what christmas is about - not the actual gifts, food and company, nor some child being born a long, long time ago."
"5 times higher suicide rate than any other holiday, yet everyone keeps telling everyone, including themselves, that it's such a joyous holiday," I thought sourly to myself.
"Sure, it's not all bad; you get to catch up with relatives you hardly ever see the rest of the year, watch lots of movies, eat too much candy, get so drunk you need to get pumped at the hospital, and so on. Great way to celebrate.. well, what do most people celebrate anyway?" I asked myself.
"Religion is no match for commerce, that's for sure," I conluded, "try asking someone where the nearest church is and you'll be met with a blank stare, but if you ask about the nearest ATM they'll point you in the right direction."
"Perhaps I should just skip the presents this year," I wondered, although I knew I wouldn't get away with it.
"6 business days left to spend as much as I can afford - or more; it's supposedly good for the economy to over-spend. 5, actually, as I won't have time on the day before christmas eve," I added to myself as I remembered last year.
Glumly joining the line to pay for the two miserable excuses for christmas presents I'd picked out, idly contemplating to become part of the statistics, I suddenly had an epiphany - I knew what had to be done.
3 failed attempts later, I finally felt the near-mythical christmas peace slowly sink into me - my credit card was locked, useless.
