Christmas Spirit, anyone?

Where is the Christmas spirit? I, for one, am having trouble ‘getting into it’.
Over-consumption is evident all around and yet it’s rare to see people smiling or laughing - or being ‘joyous’.
I watch the shoppers with their over-laden trolleys, sporting scowls of determination but there’s little joy to be seen.
Christmas music is screaming from shopping centre loudspeakers and colourful baubles are everywhere, but few smiles.
 
Newspapers and TV reports are full of scandals, revolts, inequity and political impropriety.
Australia’s politicians are mostly discreditable and some are simply liars, out to benefit only themselves.
The UK is in a Brexit mess, Paris is full of upheaval over political ineptitude and the US is reeling from yet another example of Trump outrageous misconduct.
What’s to be happy about?
 
“Peace on earth and good will to all men” ?
Seems there is currently not much peace -  and certainly very little goodwill.
 
I looked up a definition of ‘goodwill’ as I wasn’t really sure what we were supposed to be experiencing at this particular time of year.
This is what I found:
 
“Goodwill:   friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.
 
Synonyms: benevolence,
                compassion,
                kind-heartedness,
                big-heartedness,
                goodness,
                kindness,
                kindliness,
                consideration,
                charity…”
 
So I will start looking for evidence of these attitudes in my day-to-day life over the next week or so.
(I think I’ve already experienced some!)

Maybe the only chance I have of avoiding negativity - and experiencing ‘goodwill’ instead is to stop watching TV news bulletins, to turn off all electronic media and react only with whatever I see and hear that is positive.
No more Twitter, no more Face Book (unless it's happy!), no online or TV news and no more Google of any sort.

Yes, I can already feel some Christmas happiness beginning!
 
And, in the hope that a joyous Christmas spirit might appear far and wide, soon, in lots of ways, I graciously wish everyone a
Happy Christmas –
But, most of all
My wish for everyone is a positive and excellent 2019.