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!
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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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
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!!)
Sir John Timpson (shoe repairs,key cutting, etc) has a regular column in the Daily Telegraph Business Section.Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnK
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!
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
I met him a few times after that at a few functions. A good guy.
be careful. We wouldn't want to turn this thread political :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Wheeze
doh! rumbled!!!:D
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
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.
We made a pact with our familys donkeys years ago that we would not exchange presents at Christmas and it has worked well over the years and we can usually be found on a hill somewhere on Christmas day with a Flask of tea and a cheese sandwich, or in the campervan in the middle of a field surrounded by like minded folk (Glenmore Campsite is one of our Favorites for Christmas and New Year).
TBH we have always found that spontaineous gifting and family get togethers are a lot more meaningfull and much more appreciated than sticking to calender dates.:)
Friends and work colleagues know me well enough not to give me or receive gifts from me and TBH most of them are releived that is the case, a quick handshake and good wishes means a lot more than some tacky gift that is not wanted or needed.
Brilliant Christmas as my 2 lads are coming with us because others couldn't accommodate.
Beautiful and better food.
Must be the effect of climate change messing up the seasons, but my wife has been doing a Spring clean of the house for a few days around the Winter solstice (obviously I have been pressed into action to help with this). Or it may have something to do with the fact that (unusually) we are hosting the family (9 people) for Christmas dinner.
Happy Christmas to all the fellow forumites I’ve seen out and about this year...
DaveMole
PeteS
AnthonyKay
Tindersticks
DanGilbert
WheezingDonkey
CalFerguson
GazB
GeoffB and Mrs GeoffB
FellUpFellDown
JTinnion
TheChapFromBowlandWhoseNameIveForgot!
The mysterious guys from Springfield Striders who recognised me as a forumite at Cardington Cracker, even though I didn’t know you!
Apologies anybody I’ve forgotten, it’s certainly not deliberate!
Good roll call Travs. Sorry I could not join the list at skirrid.
Good tidings of the season to all. Let forum peace proceed.
Cheers Pete and I hope all forumites have a great Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
No selective list from me just a simple message to all:-
“And so, I’m offering this simple phrase to kids from one to 92. Although it’s been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you.”
Thanks Nat;)
Naturally I wish all forumites a happy Christmas, regardless of whether or not I’ve seen you out and about over the past year...!!Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnK
Happy Christmas to the forum and it's good people.
And a happy Christmas to you and yours stagger.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
All the best one and all.
Hope everyone has a good one, it's not raining :)
Merry Xmas all, light lunch done, 17 miles for Mrs DTR and me later this afternoon with single malt and mince pies at halfway :D
Pub done.
Now let loose the excesses of Christmas :)
Beef
Gammon
Chicken breast
Pigs in blankets
Roasts and Mash
5 different veg
Yorkshire puddings
Onion gravy
Cheese sauce
And a cracking family Christmas together.
Beautiful and lovely.
Rice, turkey and bacon for my xmas dinner.... not much of a traditionalist to be honest...!
We had a veggie breakfast with the kids as two of them were working and then went running, again not traditional, the plus side being that we haven’t got a fridge full of stuff today that we don’t really want to eat.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Too much food, but nice to have family round, who I don't see very often. Waste of good sunshine though, being indoors most of the day! Anyway, I'm off for a bike ride in the rain now.
Hope to see you at races next year. I'm sure you will be doing plenty, whereas I will as usual be trying to fit in a few in the intervals between injuries.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
I know. Lets have a crocked league for 2020!
Twas The Night before Christmas, and we've had ham and a lot of allotment veg followed by mince pies. Merry Christmas one and all. Chevin Forest Parkrun for me tomorrow, probably my 60th timed run of the year. So glad to be going to start my 51st year of competitive running, but I fear the surgeon awaits.
Didn't know chevin was on.
It was, and quite fair conditions. I had a steady run, after warming up doing the course check - but was still first in my age group. I was so happy I celebrated with a miniature of Islay Malt. Unfortunately my son didn't join me. A busy night for Leeds firefighters with the idiots performing, so he went for a sleep. He was delighted to receive some Mudclaws from Santa.