Yes, it's Packed with Absurdity, Extreme Hosting and Self-Help Jargon. However, I Honestly Cherish Meghan's Holiday Special.
No matter the time of year, it's constantly hunting season for commentary on the Meghan Markle's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have rarely been so united as when enthusiastically shredding the lifestyle show's earlier episodes to shreds. The common opinion held that a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had hardly ever taken place than the notorious pretzel-bagging incident.
Now, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she is back for another round with a "Holiday Celebration" (aka a yuletide episode). However on this occasion, it's different. The usual elements audiences anticipate – meaningless jargon salads, overzealous entertaining – are still present, but set of a yuletide episode, it all clicks into place. The elements have slid into place; it's a ideal seasonal storm.
At this stage, Meghan has become the oddball family member at most festive family gatherings – dispensing unsolicited, unnecessary advice, and delivering the occasional strange exclamation. ("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 unexpectedly soothing. And she appears happy enough; she's not doing the slightest hurt.
She knows her every micro expression, syllable and gaze will be picked apart and judged, but still appears carefree and too blessed to be stressed.
Maybe this is the only time in history where that old chestnut – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – might be true. Because, let's face it, all aspects in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is delightful. Granted, it's all painfully excessive, nonsense and flamboyant – but doesn't that represent exactly what Yuletide is about? And the advice she gives might be laughable, but the walk she's walking seems authentically beautifully curated.
Whatever she sets her mind to, she pulls off with flair. Her recipes looks scrumptious, the holiday arrangement she creates is stunning, her presents are nearly too beautiful to open. Nothing is mediocre or visually unappealing – even the way she secures her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't throw a dish in the oven, it "has a moment", and she folds gift paper like an paper-folding expert. She also seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself the entire time. How could any hate-watcher not be convinced, bursting with holiday spirit and left with a deep longing for crafted festive snaps or a crudites platter where broccoli is arranged in the form of a festive circle?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, naturally, but despite that, after the degree of scrutiny she has weathered since she started dating Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of acting royalty would have difficulty behaving this authentically. Her decision to modify or even tone down her persona, even though it being so persistently, internationally ridiculed, is weirdly comforting. In our uncertain world, here is something we can rely on: Meghan will stay true to form, come what may. We will always know our position with her.
If you're still not buying what she's selling, a point that will certainly come as a relief: you are not obligated to. We don't have mandatory conscription in this country, and if there were, it would be improbable to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you decide to tune in and are overcome with envy about her picture-perfect Christmas, all is not lost either. If you are a royal or a office worker, few children completely grasps the effort and hard work their parent expends in December. So you can find comfort by picturing her children's faces when they open a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, rather than a chocolate.
