[Closed] Who is looking forward to CHRISTMAS........

You're a cheerful little camper, aren't you?

not me - i'm skint and moving into a new house (not actually new, needs a heating system among other things)!

Bah humbug!

Humbug.

Me, can't wait, it's the most wonderful of the year.

rewski , you 12 then,

[i]"Happy Christmas your arrse, I pray to God it's our last..."[/i]

But FWIW, yes, I am.

No westlife xmas single either.

These funny Christian festivals mean nothing much to me

Blimey Project, you'd better hope you don't get any of these as pressies for christmas:

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I am, 3 and 5 year old boys, first proper bikes for both and Wii dance, lighten up guy did you not grow up with the threat of nuclear war? I've had 20 odd Christmas dinners since then and the world keeps on turning, enjoy life mate

rewski , you 12 then,

No I have to start working for a living!

El bent never had a need for razor blades, have an electric shaver, got it for christmas, when i was 16,

Funny capitalistic festivals, sureley thats what you mean dont you TJ.

CHRISTMAS THE TIME OF STEALING AND THEN GIVING......

These funny Christian festivals mean nothing much to me

funnily enough i find that i can enjoy the nativity story element to christmas and along with practicing the good will to all men bit i find that i enjoy a christian xmas without really being a christian.

besides, i think that the whole solstice/turning the corner thing and the chance to catch up with all my family will always be worth celebrating.

it's my favourite week of the year, made even greater this year because i just scored some work in the nick of time.

It's usually the only time that the family (we three kids and mum and dad) are all together, so I suppose that's rather special.

solstice is different to Christmas and I celebrate it every year

MASSIVELY looking forward to it. First time the twins, nearly 3, get it. They are mega excited about it already.

solstice is different to Christmas and I celebrate it every year

not really, same festival transplanted.

sort of, but not yet. we've only just had bonfire night FFS

i am, cos all those things that you quoted dont really concern or affect me. 8)

Me but I'm working so we'll do some of it on boxing day.

I'm fairly certain I'm working 300 miles away from home on Christmas Day this year so if you don't mind, can we delay it a couple of days?

Tj, its just a mid winter festival nicked by the Christians. We should nick it back.

I'm going to be about 4486 miles from home for Christmas, and I can't wait.

(bit the bullet and booked a Snnowboarding holiday, got to say I'm more exciterd about Xmas than I have been fo a long time)

Yep, luv it, making puddings and decs and stuff already, driving gf mad with all my plans, had a lush time last year, and I fully intend to do it all again this year.

What emsz said (welcome back btw!)

I'm an evangelical atheist, but I bloody love Christmas.

People who moan about Christmas are usually surly, miserable tossers who genuinely despise anyone else having a good time.

This sums it up for me:

Now how did I guess
You were going to express
Your disdain at the crane
With the bright fairy lights
And you moan at the snow
‘Cos your car wouldn’t go
Oh it’s cliched
To be cynical
At Christmas

You don’t have a tree
And your smile has a fee
All the same, here’s a card
For your boring facade
Jingle Bells, piney smells
All the boys and the girls
Say it’s cliched
To be cynical
At Christmas
Oh it’s cliched
To be cynical
At Christmas

See how we yawn
At your bile and your scorn
It’s a beautiful day
Peace on Earth has been played
Make a noise with your toys
And ignore the killjoys
‘Cos it’s cliched
To be cynical
At Christmas

From: Half Man Half Biscuit: It's Cliched to be Cynical at Christmas - lyrics http://www.chrisrand.com/hmhb/trouble-over-bridgwater/its-cliched-to-be-cynical-at-christmas/#ixzz1d3rMNoNI

Oliverd1981 and myself have the right idea for Xmas...to get the f away from the UK! I've chose sun rather than snow though! 😛

Meeeeee I love christmas, not for any religious reason so feel free to call me a hypocrite but I just love hot mincepices with brandy butter.

Nowt cynical from me - I do my best to ignore it and I will have no lunch on the 25th at all - instead I will send money to famine relief.

solstice is (usually) the 21st and that will be a time for a little quiet contemplation to mark the changing of the year

People who moan about Christmas are usually surly, miserable tossers who genuinely despise anyone else having a good time.

^^This^^

Welcome back and happy christmas Emsz

When I were a lad, Christmas didn't mean much Dad was usually working and, apart from pressies for my brother and I, it was just like any other day. New Year was the big party and get-together.

Funny how we've adopted English culture in the same way that folk now complain about US culture invading the UK.

I like Christmas but will try and ignore anything to do with it until after December 1st at least.

I'm not at all religious but I think it can only be a good thing that once a year people make the effort to meet up and see their families and friends etc, this is what I look forward to most really.

It's a shame it's so ridiculously commercialised but on balance it's still worth it.

Why on Earth would you ignore something that brings a little fun to so many people?

Don't care what you think of it, but why isolate yourself from a little communal happiness?

Not big, clever or special.
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druidh - Member

When I were a lad, Christmas didn't mean much Dad was usually working and, apart from pressies for my brother and I, it was just like any other day. New Year was the big party and get-together.

Funny how we've adopted English culture in the same way that folk now complain about US culture invading the UK.

Works both ways - New Years Eve used to be a quiet contemplation of the year past and a time to plan for the forthcoming twelve months.

Just another excuse for a piss up now.

true but why does it have to start 8 weeks before the big day?

I think to a degree the US has it about right - let's get Thanksgiving out of the way before we start thinking about Christmas/Hannukah/Yule or whatever you want to call it.

I do enjoy getting together with the inlaws for a couple of days, and also a guaranteed week off (you see, there [i]are[/i] some advantages to working in the manufacturing sector!).

Going to be a little bit difficult this year turning down anything sweet though, first christmas as a diabetic 🙁

I'll be in the Alps on my snowboard so it will be the best Christmas ever.

Rusty Spanner - Member

Why on Earth would you ignore something that brings a little fun to so many people?

Don't care what you think of it, but why isolate yourself from a little communal happiness?

Not big, clever or special.

I am assuming that is aimed at me?

Its a hypocritical orgy of consumerism. I dislike the "traditional" meal, I dislike the huge pressure to spend spend spend especially the waste of money in buy people stuff they don't need or will ever use. There is huge pressure on people to eat drink and be merry and I find it quite sickening actually. Because of this pressure there is a huge rise in suicide, domestic and other violence.

I get my family to give money to famine relief charity rather than buying me presents and I send the money I would spend on Christmas lunch to famine relief charities.

I do buy or make small token presents for people - something imaginative and nice and appropriate.

Over the years I have usually worked on Christmas day so my colleagues could have the day off. Its unlikely I will be working this year so I am considering volunteering to help in the homeless hostel. Thats a Christian charitable thing to do. Otherwise I will spend at least some of teh day cycling or walking out in the countryside

solstice I will mark and new year is the time for me to party with friends.

None of my family will be in the UK and none of Mrs TJs immedaite family is alive.

Ouch! I can see where TJs coming from and in the past I prob would have agreed with a lot of that, espicially the rampant consumerism. Hate that about Christmas. Not so up on my solstices but I do on the other hand enjoy a good Beltaine!!
My wife loves Christmas, her infectious enthusiasm for it has rubbed off on me a bit and although my family can be a pita sometimes I can't wait for both our families getting together to spend some time together..
Oh aye, working nightshift Christmas night so will get to jump ship before it all gets too tipsy and rowdy..

TandemJeremy - Member

These funny Christian festivals mean nothing much to me

TandemJeremy - Member

Nowt cynical from me - I do my best to ignore it

Your last post (below) seems to contradict the previous two (as quoted from above):

I get my family to give money to famine relief charity rather than buying me presents and I send the money I would spend on Christmas lunch to famine relief charities.
Its unlikely I will be working this year so I am considering volunteering to help in the homeless hostel.

You're allowed to enjoy yourself too you know - it doesn't make you a bad person.

Some people get pissed, knock each other about and indulge in an orgy of consumerism all year round.
They might do the same at Christmas, but at least they smile at each other whilst they're doing it. 😀

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+1 for duggan and TJ has the same idea. I hated Christmas and all it stood for after childhood right up until 4-5 years ago (37 now) I met someone who wasn't messed up, didn't have a load of baggage and had a family that still was together. It took a few forced Christmases to see that families can actually spen it together an have a great time without getting ****ered and arguing. I actually look forward to it now but iv spent many a year just taking myself off away camping just to get away from the incessant commercial shite.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Merry Christmas everybody. Except TJ, who has adopted the 'dour scot' persona completely.

If "little Englander" is racist, then so is "dour Scot".

Post reported!

I think what TJ wants to do for Xmas is entirely his own business, and what he plans to do, 'specially working in a homeless hostel is about the closest you could get to the real meaning of it all I think. So lay off a bit you lot!

me and gf are both students, so most of our pressies to people have been made by us, all the foraging we did is now jam or chutney, and gf makes amazing bags and I'm busy with the knitting needles, so pressies don't have to be expensive. we'll make puddings and cake, and we're veggie so no big lunch anyway (plus we can rely on parents for all the chocs and stuff anyway!!)

rather than have a pop at each other for being consumers or grumpy, why don't we just wish each other all the best?

Did you really stick possible war with Iran alongside Best Buy closing 😀

As it happens I am looking forward to Christmas, my wife is expecting a child of yet unknown gender on the 21st Dec so it will be a nice surprise for both of us (fingers crossed)... going to be a pretty mental festive period mind!

good luck maxray.
Our twins will be exactly two and a half years old christmas day.
Things will be hectic but great fun 😀

Not going to be here this Christmas, but generally it's magic.

Brass bands playing carols in the town, roast 'tatoes and chestnuts from that bloke who normally sells the papers, German market with mulled wine and lots of things involving cinnamon and/or cured meat sausages, open air skating rink in the Princes Street Gardens, probability of snow, pubs absolutely rammed with smiley people, etc....

What's not to like?

I'm off to Lanzarote on Dec 18, returning 5 weeks later at the end of Jan and I hope to thoroughly enjoy Christmas away from the cold for a change

Take no notice of TJ he's just contrary for the sake of it, if everyone said they hated it, he'd claim to love it.

We start to get going here after 10 December when the last birthday has passed. It is family tradition as me and Sandwich Jnr both have our birthdays in early December.
Must make a cake and check the puds over though.

Am I in the right place.. ?

Am I?

Golly you lot (some, not all) are grumpy as.. Whydatden?

Me, well me and MrsBouy, will be spending time with our families which on a scale of 10 is a Mahooosive 10. Regardless of spend per sibling/family member we'll have one heck of a good ol' jolly time hanging around, poking fingers in mince pies, chasing kids around the farm, choosing which lamb to have for lunch/dinner/tea for the following week (hahaha) and eat free range freshly lain eggs, Aga Toast splattered in Marmite, sausages covered in pigs blankets all piled high in a pyramid the size of a small house, brandy and whisky drunk and shared and giggled over, port passed, cheese (ohh wonderful cheese) tenderly melting on the tip of our tongues, pantone munched, lindt chocs gobbled, local roasted chestnuts roasting, jams from this summer, apple pies too..Kids going bonkers over cardboard boxes and leaving their toys around, flickering lights, candles blown out by the wind, wet soggy socks and feet steaming by the wood burner, all adults huddling around the Aga..

Fekme it’s going to be one helluva’n Xmas

As an atheist in a family of atheists the religious aspect of Christmas completely passes me by. We've also managed to negotiate the very worst aspects of the consumerism - presents are exchanged but they are not excessive and often home made. Family limit of £15pp keeps everyone from feeling the urge to overdo it. It's quite nice thinking about personal gifts that means something or are particularly suited to that person. As I rarely go anywhere near an actual shop or watch live telly the overt consumerist aspect of the season completely passes me by.

The best bit of Christmas (or winter festival or whatever you want to call it) for me is the opportunity to get family together and spend quality time. This can (and does) happen at other times but it is so easy for it to be the first thing to get jettisoned from busy lives. The fact that most families are doing the same gives the nation a different feel. 10 months ago I didn't think my father was going to still be around for this one (he might still not make it) and I think we all recognise that this will be the last time we will all be together. That alone makes it a lovely time of year for me and something to look forward to.

Also - best day of the year to go biking on the road! 🙂

Cant wait this year. I'll be home with the wife and kids, very unexpectedly ( i was scheduled to be stuck at work in South Korea), so i'll be taking the opportunity with both hands. Normally i despise Christmas due to the commercial aspect of it all, but the kids know they wont be getting the usual daft amounts spent on them, and they seem quite happy with it, and lets face it, no matter how scrooge you are (and god knows i am), Christmas morning is special like no other day, IF you have loved ones to spend it with. I suspect its pretty horrible if you are alone.

As above, ignore TJ, he would argue black is white (even though the bastard is usually correct...grrr).

New Year i have no time for at all.

2 weeks off work

Time with the family

Parties

Seeing friends

Going away to Eastern Eurpope for New Years Eve

WHATS NOT TO LIKE????

Christmas day will be spent out in the hills ... 'cos they'll be lovely and even quiter than usual 😀

Yep, down on the beach, back to the cottage for lunch with the Mrs and the dogs, not doing the "family" being told "Your having mother over for lunch tomorrow" thing this year... 😀

I get my family to give money to famine relief charity

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What emsz said +1

(good to see she didn't stay away too long 🙂 )

emsz - Member

I think what TJ wants to do for Xmas is entirely his own business, and what he plans to do, 'specially working in a homeless hostel is about the closest you could get to the real meaning of it all I think. So lay off a bit you lot!

She's right you know.

Genuine apologies TJ if I offended you - not meant that way I can assure you.
I really should keep my mouth shut sometimes.

Rusty - no worries - takes a lot more than that to offend me. Ta all the same.

If we all kept our mouths shut it would be a duller place

This Christmas will be the first one without a mum or a dad. And that, along with big brother moving to the other side of the country late last year means that what was once a house full of people on Christmas Day is now just me, my wife and our two young children (too young to properly be excited about it this year).

However my little brother (who is also my best friend) and the in-laws have said they will come to ours for dinner so I am doing my first ever Christmas Day meal and I am actually really looking forward to it - trying to make the best of a sad situation and looking forward to being the one doing the cooking and supplying the free-flowing booze.

Our twins will be exactly two and a half years old christmas day

I'm really looking forward to it. A time to put down, chill out and maybe even pig out a little. Also an opportunity to do some riding with wider visiting family members. And its my birthday on the Winter Solstice!

I love Christmas!

I always have done ever since I was really little and have now started to look forward to this one. This year should be a belting (pardon the expression) festive period. The gf and I are heading to Boston for 5 days in december to celebrate our 4 year anniversary which will hopefully be cold, snowy and very festive, then looking forward to uni mates visiting for the christmas markets which are brilliant, and then an early christmas party with her family before heading off to Switzerland to spend christmas with mine skiing. Then were back inbetween christmas and new year to spend more time with her folks.

Im very lucky to have such a good christmas period lined up, its really giving me something to look forward to in my bleak days out on Site in glorious Ellesmere Port!

Hedonistic orgy of stuff, booze and food. What's not to love?

It is a little concerning that so many of you need an occasion to spend time with loved ones.

It is a little concerning that so many of you need an occasion to spend time with loved ones.

Perhaps you could think on a little as to *why* people get together at Christmas and why they might not always be able to do so at other times of the year.

Going to be great mini Loco is old enough to enjoy it as is her cousin and we're all in the St Ives house for a week or two with the whole family, riding and surfing, could do with a guide for some local riding if anyones up for a pootle and will repay with beer 😀

Most certainly am, my wife has bought me a Park tool set and can't wait to set up the tool board and she won't let me have it early!!!

Perhaps you could think on a little as to *why* people get together at Christmas and why they might not always be able to do so at other times of the year.

I know this one. Obligation in a debt and greed driven society.

Obviously I'm generalising.

I honestly don't see what the problem is. Don't like turkey? Eat something else. Have a problem with consumerism? Don't buy presents. Don't like what's on TV? Read a book.

Sheesh.

Christmas is for kids and alcaholics and profits.

I honestly don't see what the problem is.

That's not to say I wish any of you anything other than the best time ever.

I just think we should make more time for eachother and kids shouldn't be writing present lists in autumn

Rusty Spanner - Member
[s]What emsz said (welcome back btw!)

I'm an evangelical atheist, but I bloody love Christmas.[/s]

People who moan about Christmas are usually surly, miserable tossers who genuinely despise anyone else having a good time.

Hi.

Waves a Turkey leg at Woppit.
Mince pie, oh miserable one?

Like I say, I love Christmas, even sing along with some of the carols.

I don't believe in ghosts either, but still sing along to Hotel California and Don't Fear the Reaper when they're on the radio. 🙂

I just think we should make more time for eachother and kids shouldn't be writing present lists in autumn

Then do the former and not the latter. Most of the things complained about on here are easily remedied.

If "little Englander" is racist, then so is "dour Scot".

excellent, someone has finally got the message. keep it up.

hardly a need to report though.

no one died.