Merry Christmas

Witton, we alternate between all family plus grandkids or, last year for the first time, no one. We actually enjoyed having a total rest from it all. No tree, no decs, nothing. Went out for a lovely walk instead. This year will be back to mayhem!

Travs, it was people buying actual decorations after Christmas I don’t get!
How sad is that?

We sometimes buy grandkid pressies months early if we see them.

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Originally Posted by Travs

I must admit to stocking up on xmas presents throughout the year for family... I certainly wouldn't make a dedicated trip out in February, but if I'm out and about and spot something, then i'll buy it and keep it stored away.

Usually forget what I've bought throughout the year and then have to raid the cupboard around this time of year to see what's left that I need to buy...!

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Yeah that's pretty bad...

I'd not even bother to decorate the house (bah humbug, etc!) if it wasn't for my nephew.

But times are a-changing. This year there is a ban on fancy wrapping paper and disposable rubbish gifts. Home made are best. Our Chrissy Dinner will be meatie/veggie/vegan so will be calling in an italian chef, Marco Spencario, to help out! Then we will settle down at 3pm to Watch Mrs Queen (obviously on iplayer to catch up from the Morning Transmission that JC watches!!)

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Originally Posted by JohnK

Nope I have no interest in the commercial aspects of Christmas, but love the peace and quite on the hills over the 25th and the early hrs of the 26th before the madding hung over/overweight crowds emerge

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Sir John Timpson (shoe repairs,key cutting, etc) has a regular column in the Daily Telegraph Business Section.

Yesterday he recalled that when he ran a chain of shoe shops (Timpsons!) they used to make half their annual profits at Christmas (slippers I suppose) so it used to approach Christmas with "all the insincerity of a company shamelessly using a religious festival for commercial advantage".
He added that stores like Harrods now present fabulous displays to encourage shoppers to buy things that nobody needs and for people who already have everything.

I like his style!

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Originally Posted by Graham Breeze

Sir John Timpson (shoe repairs,key cutting, etc) has a regular column in the Daily Telegraph Business Section.

Yesterday he recalled that when he ran a chain of shoe shops (Timpsons!) they used to make half their annual profits at Christmas (slippers I suppose) so it used to approach Christmas with "all the insincerity of a company shamelessly using a religious festival for commercial advantage".
He added that stores like Harrods now present fabulous displays to encourage shoppers to buy things that nobody needs and for people who already have everything.

I like his style!

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In my early days as a sales rep, Timpsons was one of my first calls and I met John. Must have been around 1989/90 when they still had the shoe shops.
I met him a few times after that at a few functions. A good guy.

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Originally Posted by Wheeze

But times are a-changing. This year there is a ban on fancy wrapping paper and disposable rubbish gifts. Home made are best. Our Chrissy Dinner will be meatie/veggie/vegan so will be calling in an italian chef, Marco Spencario, to help out! Then we will settle down at 3pm to Watch Mrs Queen (obviously on iplayer to catch up from the Morning Transmission that JC watches!!)

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be careful. We wouldn't want to turn this thread political :D

doh! rumbled!!!:D

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Originally Posted by Travs

I must admit to stocking up on xmas presents throughout the year for family... I certainly wouldn't make a dedicated trip out in February, but if I'm out and about and spot something, then i'll buy it and keep it stored away.

Usually forget what I've bought throughout the year and then have to raid the cupboard around this time of year to see what's left that I need to buy...!

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I do buy things as and when I see them throughout the year. I then stash them away somewhere where Mrs S won't find them but by Christmas have usually forgotten where they are... I classically only found one item when I came to sell my last campervan, cleared it out and found it hidden at the back of a cupboard.

Traditionally I am always Ill at Christmas, lurgy strikes and turns me even more grumpy than I would be without lurgy. Not a Christmas fan at the best of times.
Last year (suffering the traditional man-flu), we spent it with friends down the road. A kind of grumpy old peoples celebration, he has a couple of original juke boxes loaded with 45s (if you are young you will have to look up the terminology, it was cutting edge technology at the time) that went on auto play. I didn't have to put money in all day, so they must be proper friends.
Then we played board games and then went to sleep on the sofa.
In a few years we shall have to employ a matron to take us home.