As the festive frenzy reaches its peak, a celebrated British poet has offered a powerful counter-narrative to seasonal excess. Frieda Hughes has released a new poem, titled 'Christmas Shopping', which articulates a profound desire for less amidst the December rush.
A Longing for Less in a Season of More
Published on Friday 05 December 2025, the poem directly confronts the aggressive marketing and consumer psychology that defines the modern Christmas period. Hughes positions herself in opposition to the relentless push for the latest gadgets, from smartphones to air fryers, stating her old versions will suffice.
She describes a conscious retreat from the crowds and queues, choosing instead to clear her wardrobe of clothes linked to past selves. This act of giving away becomes a personal rebellion against the engineered desperation of pre-Christmas sales.
The Unconventional Christmas Centrepiece
The poem's most striking image emerges on a forecourt: a colossal machine that "some would rather have in their stocking than a pair of legs or a chocolate orange". This is no ordinary gift, but a symbol of raw power and agricultural ambition.
Higgins specifically names the John Deere Quadtrac 8RX 410, and even looks ahead to the mightier 9RX 830 model. She notes how the sheer, ungainly presence of these machine names disrupts the poem's rhythm, stunting its ability to "scan upon reading or end prettily".
Rejecting the Crowd, Embracing Space
Throughout the verse, Hughes expresses a deep aversion to the overcrowding of December. "Crowds make me long for the spaces in between," she writes, framing her entire perspective as a deliberate change of direction. If society is heading one way towards amplified consumption, she is firmly going the other.
The poem culminates by painting a vivid picture of farmers with Christmas lists "flapping" for these immense tractors. It contrasts the inflation of egos and the crushing of opposition that such machinery represents with the poet's own search for simplicity and meaningful space.
Ultimately, 'Christmas Shopping' serves as a timely meditation on value, suggesting that what we truly need for Christmas might not be found in a packed shop, but in a clearer sense of purpose and direction.
