Bah Humbug!

ChrisLS

...Christmas ads on TV...the Beckhams flogging expensive scent, Lulu's gonna eat her self the size of a house at bloody Morrisons...

Christmas-does it mean anything if you're not a christian?

TheGreatGatsby

well I'm catholic and feel exactly the same as you. Its basically for the lil'uns these days as most of us are lucky enough to be able to afford the things we want when we want them so the whole gift giving thing is a little pointless to us. The magic kind of disapates as you get older and its easy to get jaded about the whole thing.

Every year my folks make these grand plans and every year they never come to fruition to the point that this yearwe have all agreed a £20 limit on gifts for each other and when I said I didn't want anything but would rather everybody donated the money to Livestrong they all scowelled at me. Can't win. Its just an excuse to get the family round for much food like any other sunday but this time you have a tree! Woo-hoo. Whats the point?

This christmas I will mostly be going for a very long ride and missing the so called festivities of the family arguements and tears as people descend into a drunken stupur.

Gats

popette

yes but what about all those christmas parties - I can't wait. I'm think I'm going to splash out on a new party dress and heels in the next week or two.

In our house, the day starts with the kids waking up and running in to tell us that "he's been". I love getting classic fm on when I'm peeling carrots and drinking sherry and blasting out a few carols. The kids are playing with their new toys and my husband is building lego or similarly fiddly gadget. Christmas dinner is a bit stressful - getting it all out on the plates while it's still hot. Then it's to the sofa for a nice film. Tea is eating cold leftovers with loads of pickled onions and cheese. Then when the kids are all in bed, its back to "snuggling" on the sofa. It 's a great day.

I'm not keen on all the adverts and crap either but some parts of it are really good.

TheGreatGatsby

Last year we ran a chalet in france for christmas and yeah it was a bit stressful having to do christmas dinner for 16 people two of which were celiacs of mixed ages but it was nice to sit back as an observer and watch a family really enjoy themselves.

for us it was rubbish as we started work at 5 in the morning and dint finish until passed midnight we actually forgot to celebrate it ourselves - didnt even get each other gifts or anything! Still the others had a good time and that was cool.

Gats

heavymental

popette wrote:

yes but what about all those christmas parties - I can't wait. I'm think I'm going to splash out on a new party dress and heels in the next week or two.

In our house, the day starts with the kids waking up and running in to tell us that "he's been". I love getting classic fm on when I'm peeling carrots and drinking sherry and blasting out a few carols. The kids are playing with their new toys and my husband is building lego or similarly fiddly gadget. Christmas dinner is a bit stressful - getting it all out on the plates while it's still hot. Then it's to the sofa for a nice film. Tea is eating cold leftovers with loads of pickled onions and cheese. Then when the kids are all in bed, its back to "snuggling" on the sofa. It 's a great day.

I'm not keen on all the adverts and crap either but some parts of it are really good.

My sentiments exactly!

A few days off work, an excuse to sit around and eat goodies with your loved ones, watching Oliver on tv, a family walk on a cold day, a couple of nice pressies, singing along to Drivin' Home for Christmas, watching the dogs kill the balloons, christmas pud on fire, a smelly tree, munching on stilton and chutneys, needles in your socks.....

What would you prefer to be doing? Sitting at work waiting for summer? Christmas is great.

Crapaud

Christmas??? I've grown to detest it over the years. Not the day itself, but all the crap that surrounds it. I decided a while ago that I'm not playing, again, this year - I'll be working on Christmas and New Years day anyway.

A few years ago my family decided that we were all spending money on things for each other that we didn't need, so decided to put the money into a pot and use it to go for a right good meal together. We reasoned that it was a time for family and not for consumerism/commercialism. Now we only buy for the kids. For me the acid test of a good Christmas is if the kids have a good time. If they have a good 'un, we have a good 'un.

Clever Pun

Crapaud wrote:

Christmas??? I've grown to detest it over the years. Not the day itself, but all the crap that surrounds it. I decided a while ago that I'm not playing, again, this year - I'll be working on Christmas and New Years day anyway.

A few years ago my family decided that we were all spending money on things for each other that we didn't need, so decided to put the money into a pot and use it to go for a right good meal together. We reasoned that it was a time for family and not for consumerism/commercialism. Now we only buy for the kids. For me the acid test of a good Christmas is if the kids have a good time. If they have a good 'un, we have a good 'un.

this.. I was disgusted to see christmas stuff in the shop alongside halloween crap as well... it's just not right

at least wait till december

iainf72

I don't mind Xmas - It does work better when there are kids involved IMO.

But what I cannot stand is the parties. Well, not so much the parties, but the way people go on about them. I hate going to parties, I really do. I'm not very socialable at the best of times so why do people insist on going on about it when I decline all invitations to parties? If they want to go, great, have a good time, I hope they enjoy themselves but can't they just leave it when I say I don't want to go? I don't spend my time trying to convince people not to go. The worst is when I get the "oh, won't your missus let you go" Grrrrr.

bagpusscp

Office parties..........photo copiers....... :twisted: :twisted: :shock:

popette

bagpusscp wrote:

Office parties..........photo copiers....... :twisted: :twisted: :shock:

now that's what I'm talking about

ChrisLS

...oi, steady you two you're not meant to be enjoying Christmas, we're havin' a moan here... :?

SteveR_100Milers

Christmas is ace. I like the way it creeps up on you and surprises you by realising you have run out of time to buy loved ones decent pressies in all the fun and frolics of parties and general alcoholic <groping> erm socialising.
That said the bikes for my kids have just arrived, and I panicked about having to order them months in advance etc etc. Thank you again sir Woggle......now where the chuff do I store them for 5 weeks or so..

heavymental

popette wrote:

bagpusscp wrote:

Office parties..........photo copiers....... :twisted: :twisted: :shock:

now that's what I'm talking about

Well, how about having a go on the office scanner and posting the results here so we can all enjoy the festivities!?

popette

I've never actually been to a works party where I would have access to a photocopier, or a broom cupboard for that matter - we always go out into town as HSE would never allow us to get p'd up in the office. ha ha ha :twisted:

popette

or a scanner! I do have a very good scanner at home but of course, I would never do such a thing (well not for you lot anyway - that's for Mr Popettes eyes only!)

Crapaud

Shouldn't this thread be in' Christmas cake' Stop?

bagpusscp wrote:

Office parties..........photo copiers.......

Aaaaaarrrgghhh! Pretending you're having a good time with drunken twonks you hate throughout the year!!!*








*Maybe it's just the last place I worked.

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe

Having kids I find Christmas bearable but its News Year Eve I hate. Loads of pissed up people wearing stupid outfits wishing you a happy new year, relatives phoning and texting you just after midnight. I wish they would all just *** off.

heavymental

popette wrote:

or a scanner! I do have a very good scanner at home but of course, I would never do such a thing (well not for you lot anyway - that's for Mr Popettes eyes only!)

oh come on...its nearly christmas! Have an extra glass of sherry and a couple of rum truffles and have another think nearer the time

tardington

Why was Santa kerb crawling? For Hoes hoes hoes!

My family are doing a £15 limit on gifts... Last year degenerated into a 'stuffed animal-o-thon' thanks to eBay and an strange second hand shop

I got a stuffed toad playing the bongoes. It smells of marzipan, and a not-very-lifelike stoat... Called Stoatie!

Clever Pun

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe wrote:

Having kids I find Christmas bearable but its News Year Eve I hate. Loads of pissed up people wearing stupid outfits wishing you a happy new year, relatives phoning and texting you just after midnight. I wish they would all just *** off.

oh that's a whole nother thread of ranting right there

ivancarlos

With regard to the OP it has nothing to do with Christianity anymore. Nowadays It is a commercial festival. That said it is fun if you have kids.

SteveR_100Milers

ivancarlos wrote:

With regard to the OP it has nothing to do with Christianity anymore. Nowadays It is a commercial festival. That said it is fun if you have kids.

Hate to sound like Ned Flanders but it's what you make of it. If all you can see is commercialism then thats what it is. I'm no Christian in the religious sense, but there is a sense of specialty to that one day, when the world is just ever so slightly different. That's enough for me.

peanut

popette wrote:

In our house, the day starts with the kids waking up and running in to tell us that "he's been". I love getting classic fm on when I'm peeling carrots and drinking sherry and blasting out a few carols. The kids are playing with their new toys and my husband is building lego or similarly fiddly gadget. Christmas dinner is a bit stressful - getting it all out on the plates while it's still hot. Then it's to the sofa for a nice film. Tea is eating cold leftovers with loads of pickled onions and cheese. Then when the kids are all in bed, its back to "snuggling" on the sofa. It 's a great day.
.

sounds like my ideal Christmas day too. I used to love going to the Ex's family Christmas lots of kids lots of presents. Always got some great books and I'd nab a comfy armchair quick before the kids after lunch and enjoy a good old movie and a good read.... something nice to drink bliss

Shavedlegs

I loved Christmas as a child (who didn't) then started to hate it, two families and too much alcohol. Just light the blue touch paper and boom. One year my wife kicked everyone out! It was nicer once they had gone but I was left with a 3 course for lunch for 18 in the oven.

We now have it with the just the 4 of us and it is great again. More time to be with the children, very relaxing, no worries and I can start drinking at 8 am without anyone commenting.