The Duchess of Sussex has unveiled her vision of the perfect festive season in a new Netflix special, but the result may leave viewers feeling more numb than filled with Christmas cheer. 'With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration' landed on the streaming platform, promising a glimpse into Meghan Markle's personal holiday traditions. However, the programme has been criticised for feeling more like a form of 'numbing content' than an informative or genuinely enjoyable watch.
A Glossy, Unattainable Christmas Fantasy
The special, released in early December 2025, follows Meghan as she prepares for a series of impeccably styled holiday gatherings. From the outset, the show establishes a tone of unattainable perfection. The Duchess is seen writing 'Tis the season-ing' on a kitchen chalkboard and preparing a mysterious snack called 'Reindeer Chow'. She demonstrates wrapping Christmas lights around a tree twice and crafts personalised, refillable felt advent calendars with love notes for her family.
Yet, the programme often fails to provide practical guidance. 'For the most part, Markle makes Christmas food and decorative items for your benefit without actually showing you how to do things or listing the ingredients you need,' the review notes. This lack of tangible instruction leaves the viewer as a passive observer of a flawlessly curated, and somewhat alien, world.
Celebrity Guests and Awkward Encounters
The special features a roster of guests, but their interactions with the Duchess sometimes feel strained. New York restaurateur Will Guidara is the first to arrive, with an awkward energy that prompts questions about whether there's 'sexual tension between them? Or just the feeling of Netflix having put a gun to his head?' Their segment includes a lesson on British Christmas crackers, which Guidara meets with a bemused 'No way'.
Later, Meghan changes into personalised red pyjamas embroidered with 'Meg' to host two female friends, who arrive in matching PJs and hairstyles. The final guest is Italian-American chef Tom Colicchio, with whom she makes a beet salad she jokes Prince Harry will hate. Tennis star Naomi Osaka also makes an appearance, offering a relatively mundane insight about loving to see family at Christmas, in a conversation that feels unconvincing.
Lifestyle Advice and The Final Verdict
Amidst the crafting and cooking, Meghan's core festive message is one of self-care. She advises viewers to 'find something meditative for yourself' during the busy season, suggesting that even yuletide chores can serve this purpose. One of the few practical takeaways is a clever gift-wrapping technique involving folding paper outwardly to create a braided effect, which even the sceptical reviewer admits is 'actually really nice'.
Ultimately, 'With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration' is described as less of a traditional TV special and more akin to background YouTube content or radio. It is deemed 'not informative, fun, enjoyable or even aspirational', largely because the lavish, stylised Christmas it portrays is far removed from the reality of most viewers. The review concludes that the special embodies a 'Stepford Wives' aesthetic, serving as white noise to dull the senses rather than ignite holiday spirit. For those seeking a realistic guide to the festivities, this may not be the Netflix special to unwrap this year.
