[Note: Some years back I served a year as president of the Psychological Society of Ireland. As well as presiding over psychologists, I had the task of producing a monthly column for the Irish Psychologist, the Society's house journal. The following is my column from the December issue, my first contribution to the 'science of Christmas' milieu. Unfortunately, the statute of limitations has expired, so you can't sue me for jumping on bandwagons. Sorry!]
If you have been concentrating, you might have noticed that each year the month of December is interrupted by a major cultural, sociological, and media festival. As far as I can tell, the main features of this festival include the festooning of public spaces and domestic dwellings with foliage, plastic, and illuminations; the obligatory winding down of workplace activity and the resultant diminution in the efficiency of support services; the rampant consumption of high-fat, high-sugar, high-additive foodstuffs that are mass produced and yet only temporarily available in retail outlets; the near-compulsory exchanging of cards, gifts, and pleasantries with carefully collated selections of personal acquaintances; and, lest we forget, the suddenly available opportunity to catch up on James Bond movies on television. Interestingly, despite the late nights, the office parties, and the annual peak in domestic alcohol consumption, we are habitually informed that all this fuss is really a time for the children. Awww. Continue reading →
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