Reply With QuoteI think some folks have too much time on their hands.
Well another Christmas has now gone by and I was just wondering what you think of it and was it all worth it etc.
Obviously covid had to rear its ugly head, one of my grand daughters had to stay away as she tested positive down in Plymouth.
I thought the TV was not particularly good expect for a 10 minute broadcast by the Queen which was brilliant as usual. She pulls it off year after year. That little broadcast really is important. We kept the TV on in the dining room and off in the lounge and hardly anyone watched it.
We always visit on Christmas Day and entertain about 25 people on Boxing Day. It's still mainly about the children/grand children and surprisingly the teenagers really want the traditional things kept alive food wise. The home made soup and crusty bread went down a treat as it always does and the mince pies got woofed down as did the cream trifle. The kiddies still believe in Father Christmas which surprised me in this day of social media and everyone just enjoyed the decorations and family gatherings.
The local churches are now broadcasting their services and evidently loads of new people tuned in so the religious side of it all seems to still be going well.
Overall I still like Christmas and I think most people do as well.
What do you think?
I think some folks have too much time on their hands.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I enjoyed seeing Kate plying piano on ITVs "Royal Carols: Together At Christmas"
One of my thoughts over Christmas was just how much packaging and general plastic stuff is generated in one day.
Presumably this being repeated in almost every household world wide.....hopefully most of it makes its way to being recycled !
Cheery right?
Never watched or listened to the Queen on Christmas Day ever. Or any other time for that matter.
We hosted this year and although it’s a nice day the best part was still everyone leaving.
Politeness expires after a few hours and before you know it your entire life is being picked apart by everyone in the room.
Never watch the Queen’s speech. Zero interest in that carry on.
The only time of the year that you give people the time of day where you don’t normally give them the time of day.
Bull crap really when you break it down.
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As a treat we eat Turkey! Probably the worst tasting meat imaginable and if it was sooo tasty you’d be eating it every week
We buy shit for others that they want and they return the favour, why not just buy what you need, when you need it!
Never pray or go to Church so about as much chance of me celebrating Jesus as doing Divali or Ramadan
We visit each other’s house normally greated with ‘Oh so nice to see you’ its a lot nicer seeing them leave more like
The pubs full of amateur drinkers demanding obscure drinks whilst blocking the bar
Then the sales start and we buy more tat as its cheap so therefore a bargain.
Then we decide we have indulged and spend a week trying to get fit followed bu 3-4 months of pointless gym membership before realising we were always a lazy fatarse before the Celebrations and Ferraro Roscoe got hold of us.
RIAC
I did watch the Queen this year as my Mum wanted to watch it, so we tracked it down on on-demand.
Didn't seem particularly inspiring, informative or revelationary, but I was still pleased to see Liz looking fairly well and hopefully staying that way for a few more years.
Christmas Eve was a drive to pick up my Mum and then KFC for her, us and my daughter and her partner (my son was out with friends that evening).
Christmas Day, son and daughter (and her two dogs) joined us for presents, lunch and most of the evening. My wife does a good roast dinner, so lunch was great, helped down by the gift of a good bottle of Chablis. We squeezed in a walk with the dogs before lunch too. Lauren's partner joined is late afternoon after lunch with his family.
Boxing Day everyone was back for our traditional Fry Up brunch and then we had the evening alone, just my wife, mum and I.
Today, was a shopping trip to M&S for my mum and then the drive to take her home.
Final step for today is to drive home in the heavy Eastbound traffic.
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Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
A highly unusual thread, positivity from Mick.
Cap doffing was exactly as expected.
Last edited by number2; 27th December 2021 at 14:28.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I enjoyed the Queen's speech. It's just a tradition isn't it?
As far as Christmas TV, the only other thing I watched was a feature length Death in Paradise and what a load of crap that was.
We had the Grandson's to us on Christmas afternoon and they stayed until Boxing day.
Seeing Christmas through their eyes livened up the whole day for us.
Possibly some of the Grinches on here could do with some youngsters for company instead of spending the day pawing over their expensive watches like some latter day Scrooges.
Cheers,
Neil.
Did see bit of the Queen as my Mother was here for the day and likes to watch it. Just thought she's looking more and more like her Spitting Image puppet and rather self-indulgent, said nothing of substance but to be expected I suppose.
Usual recycled films on TV but one I always enjoy watching is Click and Collect (Stephen Merchant and Asim Choudhray).
Sitting watching TV after dinner with my Mother she asked 'what are you having for Christmas dinner this year, turkey or goose?". Dementia is a terrible thing...
Enjoy turkey myself, especially Boxing Day with baked potatoes, bubble and squeak, pickles and such like. Eldest son spent his first Christmas Day with his partner in their new house but they joined us for this.
I do enjoy Christmas but will be happy when things are quieter later in the week, can just relax from the constant preparation of food and clearing away.
The wife came home from a Christmas Eve night shift and tested positive for Covid, so no visiting anyone this year for her, we opted to not go to my parents as my step grandparents are not in good health, but my parents brought around Christmas lunch for us.
It was an odd day but spent the day watching films with my daughter.
Boxing Day the kids went to my wife’s auntie as normal, I had the duty phone for my SAR team so coupled with my wife being laid in bed used it as an excuse not to go, that’s five years on the bounce I’ve escaped.
Today I popped in to town to get some supplies before chilling and a few diy jobs.
Tomorrow I’m off with a mate hiking for the day either Dartmoor or Exmoor.
Got up, opened presents with the missus, her mum and brother. Watched The Godfather, got a bit pished. Watched Die Hard, got a bit more pished. Had Christmas dinner, got a bit more pished. Watched The Devil Wears Prada, maintained a decent level of pished.
Got the kids Boxing Day, opened more presents, made another Christmas dinner, watched kids stuff on telly.
Was bloody great to be honest, I get the adult Christmas and the kid Christmas without the bad parenting crossover.
An odd Crimbo for us this year as we were due to have a baby on Xmas day so we didn’t do the usual of staying with family…. but typically we are still waiting for baby to arrive!
To keep lunch simple we bought everything from Cook, and it was delicious. Would recommend it.
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Hi, her indoors mam and dad came, here mam kept moaning about how cold it was and that there dog got the shits (nothing to do with her giving him constant "titbits" whilst she was eating!
Oh let's get back to how cold she was, wore a wholly had whilst eating Xmas dinner!
On a brighter front bought her indoors a shark hoover (half price) and she got me a cordless iron.
Happy days.
A few days away in relative solitude- just the two of us.
Christmas Dinner was turkey and trimmings.
Followed by a relaxing afternoon watching films and napping.
Just how we like it really. Shame we has to cancel our fortnight in Berlin but we're happy if we can switch off and spend time in each other's company.
My 3rd Christmas since I split with my now ex wife. Daughters are both adults now but opted to stay with me this Christmas. Spent Christmas Day at my brothers and got fed and watered. Then had the joy of the ex turning up to pick the daughters up, I did have a little smile to myself as she refused to return my merry Christmas or ask how I was, probably one of the best presents was the reminder of why I got divorced 😁
Having travelled over to Cornwall to spend Christmas on our own I have to say we've really enjoyed it so far.
No relatives or friends to cater for and the freedom to do exactly what we wanted and when we wanted to do has been a real treat. No 'enforced' TV and as a result we've hardly watched anything: the Queens Speech and a film in the evening has been about all. Every day has involved being on a beach tiring the dogs out, plus short drives along the dramatic coastline.
In short, a great Christmas holiday.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Of all the gripes that's the best.Originally Posted by 100thmonkey
Blue sky! WOW!
It`s been 3 or 4 days of dreadful, dreary, drizzle here.
I think the ad men must of got something wrong this year because instead of a spectacular snowy winter wonderland with woolly hat-donned children skipping down a thatched-cottage-lined village street with lanterns draped over their shoulder and robin redbreasts singing merrily perched on white picket fences all i can see is a dank, miserable, grey, cloudy, filthy, wet and depressing vista which matches the vibe indoors, too!
Is it any wonder christmas isn`t my favourite time of year.
Should`ve gone to Tenerife - friends there say it`s 25 degrees and there are only 30 other gusets at the hotel..
Walked the dog, fed the dog, played ball with the dog, swam in a very lively North Sea, snack lunch with my good wife, walked the dog again, watched the Queen's speech - I think she did a great job after losing her husband of 73 years - opened our presents, walked the dog yet again, watched SCD - surprisingly enjoyable - curry for supper, watched something on iPlayer because there really is a load of rubbish on the box over the festive period, went to bed. Overall a pleasant day :)
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Well, future generations will need to change their mindset if we don’t want to be living in Bladerunner.
Let’s face it - yesterdays Christmas tat - the lights, baubles, decorations etc - are just next years landfill. I suspect globally that is a noticeable percentage of the rubbish we cheerily poison the planet with. And whilst we are at it, Christmas lights. What a total waste of precious energy. How long until it’s banned?
Actually I’m not as miserable as it sounds but we do need to start being a bit more sensible so future generations get to enjoy life. Mind you, 3 days of grey drizzle and 8 hours light a day never really chimes with the allegedly most wonderful time of the year!!! - roll on springtime!!
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Strange one for me,
Xmas eve, few excellent pints in a nice comfy pub
Xmas day, reduced size family gathering at ours, couple of drinks and family quiz games.
Late Xmas day started feeling very grotty.
Boxing Day woke up with symptoms so isolated in the bedroom all day whilst family who were staying and needed to drive sobered up and went home.
Today still isolating and symptoms worse ( sore throat, chest infection, headache, tinnitus, taste of metal)
Tested negative lateral flow three times but called off going into work today and tomorrow and booked a pcr test to be sure.I’m still isolating in bedroom to keep wife and her older sister who is vulnerable and lives with us safe. Chest feels like a dead weight sat on it, dry cough intermittent. Tinnitus annoying, sleeping only fitfully Hopefully will be here weds! I am triple jabbed.
We are all different. I enjoy the rich heritage that England holds so would, of course, enjoy seeing the queen's speeches and other Royal events
(As opposed to most others!!!:0) )
* Other parts of the UK are available.
I generally agree but it doesn't have to be. I'm using a set of Philips Christmas tree lights from the 1960's.
Overall I had a great Christmas. Great food and drink. Nice time with extended family. Some down time from work. A few thoughtful gifts. I enjoy this time of the year. It is always a little out of time, a little different from the norm. I'm not religious but I usually go to a midnight service and I did this year. Walking there in the rain was part of the experience. I would have watched the Queen's speech (not British BTW) but was caught up in cooking lunch. Not a turkey fan, but this years was excellent, might have been all the wine beforehand. Not an earlier riser, but the kids had me up at 6.30 (a lie in this year!!) to open gifts. I like tradition, it makes us step outside of ourselves.
...and that jolly old tradition of starting a thread about Black people on Boxing Day.
Someone who lies about the little things will lie about the big things too.
A very quiet one this year, just us two on the day. As always we agree to not buy anything for each other and as usual on Christmas morning she will open the gift I bought her and she'll tell me off because she thought we weren't doing that this year.
Then we walk the dog along the beach on Christmas morning which is now an annual family tradition we started just last Saturday. There we watched lots of other families enjoying their annual Christmas swim in the sea. Mad!!!
Back home again with a wet but happy hound the missus starts the cooking, she always cooks a wonderful Christmas dinner and it's my job to keep the alcohol flowing during the day and into the evening.
Phone calls and video chats after dinner to the rest of the family before we get too sloshed then time for a bit of telly in the evening, couldn't find anything so started the Marvel series Hawkeye, which is pretty good, then watched the film Pavarotti which was produced by an old school friend of mine.
That was it as she had to work on Boxing Day.
We saw my mum and all our grandkids today (Monday) and then we're both back to work tomorrow.
I don't mind some parts of Christmas because its Christmas :) my wife loves Christmas.
Finally, my wife and I agreed not to buy each other anything because we never know what to buy and if we want something and can afford it we buy it anyway without waiting for Christmas.
Happy New Year.
Official figures released today show that the Queens Speech was the most watched programme on Christmas Day at 7.4 million. One in the eye for the usual old moaners.
On the 23rd of December I and a group of friends went out collecting food for distribution via food banks, we practiced social distancing and collected the best part of a ton, Britain now has over 2000 food banks and rough sleeping is rife, watching some over- privileged scrounger telling the nation about "Christian values" - is never going to float my boat.
However, pleased to hear that most of you enjoyed Christmas,
Last edited by number2; 28th December 2021 at 11:30.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
No TV at all on Christmas Day.
Had two old friends over (already had a zoom call with UK family before as it was my nieces birthday on the 23rd).
Cooked a duck (a l’orange) and roast potatoes, brussels, roast carrots for the day - all well until I went to carve it up. Bit of a mess but everyone said it tasted good. Guests arrived at 1pm and stayed over to Boxing Day. Still have lots of chocolate boxes left over. Simple presents - wife made chutney for friends.
Rainy season here in PT (yes there is one) so no Boxing Day walks.
Quite a surreal experience. One we will get used to I guess.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
You're funny. She wouldn't let you clean her boots yet you fawn over her like an obsequious court jester.
Good to see the Guardian calling for proper debate and a parliamentary committee to discuss what next for the nation's favourite free-loaders.
She won't be around forever, Mick, and it's high time we got rid entirely.
You can ramble on all you like, the indisputable fact is that the Queens Speech hit number 1.
Is that a sign of quality for a program?
Emma Raducanu’s NY final was watched by 9.1 Millions. Should she go to Windsor and take the crown?
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
You're the one rambling, almost drooling, with pathetic patriotic pride. As I say, you're funny
Once again reaffirming that you're "a winner" Mick, or perhaps that you're incapable of seeing the bigger picture.
Last edited by number2; 28th December 2021 at 13:04.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Just accept the fact you are in a minority. You are good at making a racket but it stops at that.
You speak as the leader of the silent majority?
Someone who lies about the little things will lie about the big things too.
No, as El Presidente
Roll on 2022 ! ASAP !
Of the ex-Postie Pats Conservative Club
Mick you're a one trick pony, you're a voice of the establishment, an establishment that has little to be proud of, anyhow as we're straying into politics I'll leave it there.
Last edited by number2; 28th December 2021 at 13:32.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Despite my missus working in an office where COVID is ever present and my sister in a school we kept an eye on the lateral flow tests and got lucky.. so had a family Christmas with our kids, her kid and mum and dad and it was the family gathering we have waited the better part of 20 months for. I even pulled a blinder cooking the Christmas lunch so, for me, it was a great Christmas.
Was there anything in it about her favourite son’s frequent flyer status on his bosom buddy Epstein’s Lolita Express?
Quiet Christmas here. My wife and youngest son both have worked só hard the weeks before Xmas that my wife decided to buy an Xbox for her and my son. (Both big fans of 'shooter games'...). So they spent most of the time killing virtual enemies (How's that for Christmas spirit). I spent most of Christmas Day walking the dog and cleaning my workshop and maintaining my garden tools.
Christmas dinner was very modest and not traditional but we went overboard with desserts: home-made limoncello bavarois and pana cotta with red fruit.
Our King's speech was full of air, as always. Telling that we have to 'unite' etc, but fails to apologize for the way he and his family do not comply with Covid rules. (Earlier this month: Government: 'Invite only 4 persons in your home during a party. Royal Family: 'Oh daughter, you're 18 now. Let's throw a party with 100 guests').
I really miss the Christmas holidays of the past: when we and the kids went to Sanibel Island where my Canadian inlays had a home (recently sold, they're getting older). Nothing beats a Christmas Morning drinking coffee with your feet in the Gulf.
We had a box of chocolates to share and as usual my wife took the hard ones (her favourites matron) and left me my favourite soft centres.
Unfortunately this morning naughty Dot devoured my half, the greedy cow!
Chocolate is bad for Dogs but she has eaten it before with no ill effects so I'm not worried.
"They were delicious!"
Cheers,
Neil.
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