| The first week of December means the lure of a | | | | negativity as we endure the worst economic |
| Christmas in Ireland should be getting more | | | | meltdown in the history of the state. We have, in |
| magnetic. Traditionally the 8th of December was | | | | such a short space of time, gone from almost |
| the beginning of the real run into Christmas as | | | | arrogant affluence and confidence to downbeat |
| shoppers from the countryside descended on | | | | pessimism and sullen fear of the future. Jobs are |
| Dublin city to devour up the fare on offer. Shops | | | | being lost by the thousands, mortgages are not |
| would be packed with the likes of Clerys, Arnotts, | | | | being paid, house prices have tumbled and the |
| Brown Thomas and Roches Stores brimming with | | | | consumer is afflicted with a dread of spending |
| adrenaline-filled customers picking their presents | | | | any money with this being reflected in empty |
| and bring a fantastic warm atmosphere to | | | | shops and desolated retails parks that are fast |
| Grafton Street and Henry Street. | | | | becoming empty monuments to the glorious |
| Sadly, this great occasion has gradually diminished | | | | credit-filled past. Many towns are not putting up |
| in recent years as large shopping centres and | | | | Christmas lights this year and there is a surreal |
| retail parks opened in towns all over the country | | | | feel to it all, as though one were watching a |
| during the building boom. Because of this, one did | | | | movie that embraced and imparted all your worst |
| not need to catch train or undertake the long | | | | fears in slow motion. |
| drive to Dublin to find the latest and most trendy | | | | Resilience is a wonderful Irish attribute that has |
| gear - they had come to a shopping centre near | | | | seen us through wars and famine and the most |
| you. In a sense the magic of the 8th of | | | | desperate of times. Never more do we need it |
| December evaporated with these developments. | | | | than we do now to bring back the spirit of an |
| In Ireland, the 8th December is a Feast Day, or | | | | Irish Christmas and to conquer those fears of the |
| Holy Day of Obligation, and thus all schools are | | | | future which will become self-fulfilling if we |
| closed. Entire families, young and old, used to | | | | continue to believe in them. Now is the time to lift |
| make the journey to Dublin and young wondrous | | | | our heads and invoke the spirit of that 8th of |
| eyes would view the Christmas themes in the | | | | December pilgrimage to restore the wonder of it |
| windows of Brown Thomas with gaping awe. | | | | all. |
| This year the country is in a state of complete | | | | |