What exactly is the meaning of Christmas now? What does Christmas mean to you and how do you spend Christmas Day? We spoke to a few people from the Inverness area to get their views
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Name: Andrew Leaver.
Age: 54.
Address: Aigas, Beauly.
Occupation: Head of fundraising at Highland Hospice.
“Christmas is a special time for people of all faiths and none. I like the decorations and the Christmas songs that bring light and fun when the days are at their shortest and temperatures are falling.
“In my job, it’s a time when most people I work with also stop and so I know I can truly relax, and enjoy time with family.
“We have a relatively quiet day. The usual presents in the morning. A trip to my in-laws but home again for dinner. If we’re organised we might also fit in a walk in our local community-owned forest.
“There is no doubt that Christmas is highly commercialised and the original Christian meaning is often lost, but I do think those who are fortunate do stop and consider people with harder personal circumstances.
"At the Hospice we see a big increase in donations and support. For example, parcels arrive daily from Amazon, sent by people checking our wish list of items to support patients, families and staff.
"Most people who have the resources will support a charity or cause at Christmas and this shows that it is still a time for hope and compassion.”
Name: Gavin Johnston.
Age: 57.
Address: Carron Street, Nairn.
Occupation: Company director at Inverness Taxis.
“Christmas is very much family time.
“I will spend some time with the children and then go to work as our services are very much in demand on Christmas day.
“Yes I think it’s very commercial. Too much stress on the parents to keep the children happy.”
Name: Jo de Sylva.
Age: 52.
Address: Friars Lane, Inverness.
Occupation: Chairwoman of Visit Inverness Loch Ness and a company director – but in the company director role the reality is just about every job you can imagine within the business.
“Christmas is a time when no work is on the cards and when we can focus on spending time with people who are important to us.
“Christmas day is usually spent surrounded by good people. Sometimes that is just my own family, sometimes it’s organising a get together for an eclectic bunch of friends and family.
“My son often talks about a Christmas spent, when I was a single mum, where we bought loads of party food, didn’t have a traditional dinner and we played games just the two of us. It’s about making memories, no matter who you are with.
“We desperately need to get away from the idea that the way to show you love someone is about spending lots of money on them. Yes, there is a place for presents, but not at the expense of putting yourself into debt.
“My favourite presents have always been those made with love. Give me a jar of home made jam over a diamond ring any day.
“We also need to get over the idea that things have to be done in a particular way. Does it really matter if there are carrots instead of brussels sprouts, as long as you get to spend time with people you care for.
“There is so much pressure to conform to the marketing ideal, that Christmas can become an incredibly stressful time. We need to get away from that.”
Name: David Richardson.
Age: Younger than I look.
Address: Dornoch.
Occupation: Highlands and Islands development manager at the Federation of Small Businesses.
“Christmas means family time. Christmases for me – and for my wife – have not changed since our childhoods.
They remain a time to relax and enjoy ourselves with four generations of loved ones, strengthening family ties and relationships in the process.
“Christmas Day is always the same: breakfast; compulsory walk on Dornoch beach for all family members, no matter what the weather; presents; a late afternoon Christmas dinner; clear up and then collapse in front of the TV – or play games if anyone has the energy.
“While many high streets face uncertain futures, Christmases do start ever-earlier, making the great day more pressurised than ever. However, Christmas Day’s core, family-first values remain much the same.
"It’s all about focussing on what really matters – and ditching personal electronic devices for the day!"
Name: Donna Smith.
Age: 49.
Address: Saltburn, Invergordon.
Occupation: Director of my own business consultancy company and board member.
“Christmas is about family for me.
It’s the one time of the year when everybody seems to stop and spend some quality time together.
“Christmas Day is generally spent eating, drinking, playing games and watching films with the family.
“Although I love the season, for me it has gone a little over the top with shops carrying Christmas products far too early and TV advertising bombarding us for too long.
“I would rather it was just a December thing and there was less focus on everyone having the ideal gift and mountains of food.
“For some, the ideal gift is just having basic food on the table so all the commercial, in your face stuff must be very difficult for some to cope with and looking after those people should be much more important.”
