Indeed, it's Packed with Gibberish, Extreme Hosting and Psychobabble. However, I Honestly Adore Meghan's Holiday Special.
No concerned with the time of year, it's always fair game for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have rarely been so united as when enthusiastically shredding the series' earlier episodes apart. The common opinion held that a greater royal outrage had never been witnessed than the notorious pretzel-bagging incident.
Now, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she has returned with a new offering with a "Festive Special" (also known as a yuletide episode). However on this occasion, it's different. The standard components we've come to expect – vague self-help platitudes, overzealous entertaining – remain, but set of a Christmas special, it all clicks into place. The pieces have fallen perfectly; it's a perfect snow storm.
Now, Meghan resembles the quirky relative at the typical holiday get-together – dispensing unasked-for guidance, 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 a bit of a character, but her presence is familiar and oddly reassuring. And she seems happy enough; she's not doing the slightest hurt.
She is aware her every micro expression, utterance and gaze will be analyzed and scrutinized, but still appears relaxed and serenely untroubled.
Perhaps this is the initial instance in history where that clichéd phrase – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – may well be true. Since, let's face it, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is delightful. Admittedly, it's all cringily ultra-extra, silliness and flamboyant – but is that not precisely what Yuletide is all about? And the talk she's talking might be absurd, but the walk she's walking seems authentically beautifully curated.
Whatever she sets her mind to, she pulls off with style. Her culinary efforts looks delicious, the festive decoration she makes is stunning, her presents are practically too exquisite to tear into. Not a single thing is ordinary or visually unappealing – even the way she fastens her apron is artful and chic. She doesn't throw a dish in the oven, it "goes for a spin", and she creases gift paper like an origami guru. She also seems to be completely savoring herself the entire time. How could any skeptical viewer not be convinced, bursting with holiday spirit and left with a powerful yearning for personalized Christmas crackers or a crudites platter where broccoli is positioned in the form of a wreath?
Meghan was once an actress for a living, obviously, but despite that, after the level of scrutiny she has weathered ever since she started dating Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of acting royalty would find it hard to appear this genuinely. Her unwillingness to modify or even tone down her shtick, regardless of it being so persistently, globally mocked, is oddly heartening. In our uncertain world, here is one thing we can depend on: Meghan will remain herself, come what may. We will consistently know what to expect with her.
If you're still not buying what she's selling, a point that will undoubtedly come as a relief: you aren't required to. We don't have mandatory conscription in this country, and were it to return, it would be improbable to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, however, you willingly check it out and are overcome with jealousy about her idyllic Christmas, all is not lost either. Be you a duchess or a data administrator, hardly any child completely grasps the dedication and labor their parent puts in in December. So you can take heart by imagining the young royals' faces when they reveal a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a DIY festive calendar, in place of a candy.
