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| Luke Jackson - My family and Christmas |
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Christmas is a time of family; present-giving, relations you haven't seen in years coming over, and generally just mixing and socialising. Oh deep joy! (sarcasm)
To me, it is a retailer's delight. I've always thought that Christmas has been taken over by large companies and twisted so much by advertising that the true meaning has been lost.
Regardless of religious beliefs, it has traditionally been set aside as a time to be around friends and family, a time of giving. But now every advert is directed at enticing children to scream "I want that!!" at their increasingly destitute parents, who still manage to run up astronomical debts in a bid to line the retailers' pockets and be sucked in by the glitz and falseness of it all.
Sorry to sound cynical. Maybe having Asperger Syndrome makes me rather more logical and hence more cynical. But then again, maybe I am just realistic?
Asked what I want for Christmas, I merely dream of what type of computer I could get. So many choices. As yet though, my dream of a top spec computer has not yet come true. But around Christmas time you will still see me drooling over personal computers in electronics stores. Ah, well, a boy can dream!
 I think Ben's favourite present would be ... well, generally anything that lights up and spins a lot. He likes spinning a lot himself, you see. Before he started the GF/CF diet, it would have been autistic-style toys - that's anything he can line up or swizzle around on his feet. Since his complete turnaround from a seemingly vacant hyena that laughed hysterically and spun a toy garage round on his feet a lot to a funny, odd little boy (sorry Ben, meant in the nicest way) with a huge personality, he's become a little harder to cater for.
 As for Joe, I think a multi-gym or anything that would allow him to use up the vast amounts of excess energy he has (thanks to ADHD) would be fitting.
My older brother Matthew stomps along like an overgrown giant, his all-encompassing feet finding their way onto everybody else's presents and causing howls and punches to fly. Though 20 years old now, he still insists on having miniature figures to play with.
The girls, though easier to cater for, are increasingly expensive, wanting designer stuff (OK, not you Sarah!) and following fashion like dutiful sheep.
Christmas in the Jackson household is probably rather different to that of a stereotypical family - i.e. two parents and 2.4 children - but as many people know, stereotyping is almost never true (especially in this case, as nobody has point four of a child). If everyone was 'normal' and fitted the stereotypes, then the world certainly would be a very boring place!
Boring is one thing that Christmas here is not! The change and excitement and the presence of sacks of presents in the room turns Ben into our very own version of a spinning top (with a bit of flapping thrown in). If Ben knows what to expect he can now cope with change fairly well, but it is not easy to explain what is in each new present, so we take it in turns to be on 'Ben duty' in the other room and slowly get him used to all this chaos.
I issue a challenge to any toy/game designers here ... produce a toy that is Joe-proof! Joe would be the most tremendous tester. If it survives him, it will survive most things! Whatever is bought for him, Joe - who if rated on the hyper scale of one to ten, would score eleven - can destroy it, and he seems to make it his aim in life to do so.
I have to say a thank you to our grandad, who does a wonderful job of playing Father Christmas for us all on Boxing Day - whilst trying (and succeeding every year) to find presents that suit our, uh-hum, rather individual needs. Not an easy task.
For us, this year has been a busy year: making the documentary, Mum having her book published and starting her PhD, my book winning the book award and us all doing loads of awareness-raising and publicity ... yet nothing changes in our basic day-to-day family life.
I know that Mum worries about money and how to afford our presents, and I know that it is SO hard to buy for us boys. Each year we have the added interest of either Joe or Ben having an asthma attack or getting a chest infection. In fact, I think we have only had one or two Christmasses where we haven't spent the day visiting one or other of them [in hospital??] for many years. Like I say, at least things are always different around here!
Anyway, so as not to sound like Ebeneezer Scrooge, I will wish you all a happy Christmas!
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