Crisis in Winterland? I think not...

Word on the street says it is very nearly Christmas. With every degree that drops, the sleigh bells come nearer. Nowadays this time of year is no longer just a celebration for all those religious. In fact, and I think many of you would agree, it turned into a children’s holiday about the time Coca-Cola decided Santa Clause ought to be red instead of green. I kid you not, he used to be green, but something about clashing with the snow and the reindeers got his suit changed.

Santa and his wardrobe are beside the point. The point is, it is Christmas! Yay! Yay? We are after all in the biggest financial crisis since Jack had to sell his cow for a magic bean! The entire world is short of a bob or two, yet Christmas has not been scrapped.

In fact, it would appear that The People of the World, yeah, all of you, have finally decided to have a good rummage between all the sofa cushions and produce enough spare change to have a quick cheeky Winter holiday!

Roughly 4.500 (Scots – though nationality is irrelevant here), decided to up and leave the crisis riddled UK to pre-Christmas themselves in the sun! Smashing idea, I think.

Ahh, but what goes up must come down I hear you say. And if you didn’t, you will in a minute. All 4000 of them fannied off in search of heat and ended up getting stranded in their hot destinations! I laugh, but do feel a tad bit bad for those who feel it is wrong to do a hot Christmas. Christmas should be snow and freeze and all things requiring one to wrap up and light the chimney!

Well now, apparently the Scottish travel agency that had shipped off all these sun seeking Scots around the world went bankrupt. Just like that, from night to day. And as a result, left thousands of people stranded and no longer loving their sneaky hot holiday. One would think this to be a good thing, wouldn’t one? Extended holiday, perfect. But no, people were not amused and it has made international news.

It would seem as well as Christmas being in the air, planes would be too. But as it turns out, there is a bit of a lack of them cruising the clouds lately. What with British Airways trying to stage a strike, only to have it overruled by a judge! Democratic society anyone? So with one strike under its belt, one travel agency out of business, one world with a crisis…heavens, I think we’re all due a holiday! Oh! And not to mention all the Madrid taxis getting together and making the city come to a stand-still with their own 24 hr strike!

You would think that in a time riddled with financial issues people would be working overtime and not planning strikes or exotic get aways! Unless of course, the world leaders are lying and our economy is actually not doing too badly…hmmm – there’s food for thought.

In a time of crisis, I have seen more Series One BMW’s cruising the streets than ever before. There is a reputedly higher number of businesses starting up and Spain, who is in worse financial trouble since sliced bread, is still building and planning [luxurious] golf resorts – what’s wrong with this picture?!

Don’t get me wrong, I did read somewhere that if more businesses start up than eventually more money will be made, thus more jobs, thus better for all in long term. BUT what I do not understand, is if people have such little money, where are they getting the capital to start up these businesses? (It is a completely rhetorical question, as I do not actually lose sleep over this matter.)

What does cause me a little more interest and perhaps a little less sleep is that the answer to the financial crisis appears to be so simple and yet no one has grasped it yet!! The problem is that not enough people are spending money and so the shops go bust, people out of jobs etc etc – the answer glaring us all in the face, is to bloody well shop some more! I can only promise I am doing my bit to get society into shape…but it is hard going sometimes.

So for now, Christmas will serve as the perfect excuse to shop till you drop and be my way of helping the world overcome its financial crisis. Whether it actually exists or not.