I have never read Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art Of War’ because Amazon doesn’t have a “Chinese military texts” category. I did however Wikipedia it and have a summary of the chapters and that seems substantial enough for me to discuss a couple of them like I know what I’m talking about; I should have taken an English Literature degree. As it’s Christmas, I’ve been trying to think of a way in which I can write something about it that isn’t about how much I love snow and what I plan to buy people/ what I would like people to buy for me. I’m avoiding the latter two because I simply have no idea.
The Calculations
Christmas is apparently made easier when you create some sort structure around it. Finding gifts for people and planning what you’ll be doing on the actual day beforehand is probably better and less stressful than running around Tesco’s and Debenhams’s on Christmas Eve with all the other people who don’t have their lives together. We don’t function well as a crowd.
The Challenge
“This section advises that successful military campaigns require limiting the cost” [‘The Art of War’, taken entirely out of context, Very Reliable Wikipedia Source]. Do you know how much the average family spends on Christmas each year? Neither do I, but I bet it’s more than £23.40 which is about as much money as I have to my name. Regardless, if you’re going to purchase gifts for those close to you it’s important to try and express how much they mean to you via the thought you put into it. Which is why I once bought someone a sack of chocolate potatoes and someone else a Marshall amp. So although it’s not very festive to limit the costs, sometimes it’s necessary. This doesn’t mean the gifts are going to be restricted to soap, Tesco boxed wine and Blockbuster gift cards, you just have to put some thought and Googling into it.
Tactical Positioning
Hopefully, you have a lovely family that all love being together on Christmas Day because you live in an advert.
Reality couldn’t handle that beard.
Congratulations for living in such an extended family with the necessary amount of diversity thrown in T K Maxx people. If your family is segregated into several groups depending on those that can occupy a room without throwing turkey and cutlery at each other like average people however, it may help to timetable them into the day. Thankfully, I only have four local family members that I’m likely to see on Christmas Day and only two of them are likely to cause conflict. Score.
The Attack by Fire
I can’t make this loosely link to Christmas; I just like the title.
In case I’ve given the impression that I don’t enjoy Christmas as I’m aware, you spam bots and people who have googled “drunk university girls”only to end up here, I often imply a general dislike for everything, but I really do. Enjoy Christmas that is. Mostly, this advert which I just had to keep somewhere so I can watch it forever and ever.
