are you looking forward to christmas this year?

lufties

Personally, I'm dreading it. Its a very lonely time of the year for some people. If I could get a few weeks off work I'd shag off to Asia somewhere in mid december and come back in january when its all over. My birthday is xmas eve and I still can't stand that time of year.

solomafioso

Yup.

Sir Arthur Daley

Get Halloween out of the way first op.

Summer wind

I always used to love Christmas when I was younger. All the giving and receiving presents and going out with your friends and snuggling on the couch with a roasting fire and the Christmas movies. My dad died in early December a few years ago and Christmas has kinda lost its sparkle now but I know he would want us to be happy so we do try.

It's a lovely time of year for the children it's lovely to see their faces light up when they see the tree going up and the lights being switched on. And on Christmas morning of course:)

The Backwards Man

I'm looking back to the year Christmas Day and New Year's Day fell within the one calendar year. That was an awesome year.

jimgoose

Yes, always did. I love it, and so did my Dad, who died last year. We remember the Night-Rider.

Sir Arthur Daley

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I'm looking back to the year Christmas Day and New Year's Day fell within the one calendar year. That was an awesome year.

1976 i remember it well.

catallus

Christmas is great.

Vojera

Yep, although it's the first year I'll be spending Christmas day away from my family and staying with the wife's instead. We went to my home place last year so it's only fair. It'll be some change though.

corner of hells

Yes I am ,I'm looking forward to the ex falling out of the attic when she tries to get the tree and decorations out of it .
That,ll learn the mad cnut.

Lyger

Yes, I LOVE Christmas!

lufties wrote: »

Personally, I'm dreading it. Its a very lonely time of the year for some people. If I could get a few weeks off work I'd shag off to Asia somewhere in mid december and come back in january when its all over. My birthday is xmas eve and I still can't stand that time of year.

Ah that sucks... It is a very hard time of year indeed for a lot of people - it's all about being happy and jolly, and that's hard enough under normal circumstances when you're aching inside.
I've had those Christmases too, which makes the good ones all the more sweet.

Ghekko

I like it to a point. Love when the decorations are up. Hate the fuss over dinner, whether to ask the parents or secretly hope they go to other siblings. Swear every year we are not having turkey but always end up having it anyway. Ya its an emotional time of year when family have passed away, but nice to remember with fondness the times they were there. In my case our firstborn died near Christmas and it took a good 9 years for that pain to ease and for me not to be a phsycho around his anniversary! I enjoy the Santa shopping and though one is too old for it now, have another one just getting in on it so will have that for another few years. And when they are all grown up and willing each other to ask Dh and I for Christmas dinner, I will remember with fondness the way I too used to do that - but will still go regardless to the house with the best cook :-)

Macavity.

It's not the same as it was when I was younger, and can in fact be quite a sad time of year. I won't be alone for it, but it's not something I'm looking forward to.

Lyger

Ghekko wrote: »

In my case our firstborn died near Christmas and it took a good 9 years for that pain to ease and for me not to be a phsycho around his anniversary!

I'm so glad to read the pain has eased a bit and that you can deal with it more easily. :-)

Lyger

Macavity. wrote: »

It's not the same as it was when I was younger, and can in fact be quite a sad time of year. I won't be alone for it, but it's not something I'm looking forward to.

Yeh I felt like that for a few years - just that the thrill had faded compared to when I was younger (which is natural) and then because of personal stuff making it a hard time.
But then... it started to get magical again! I don't know why, but I feel lucky! Didn't think I'd ever recapture that. :-)

jimgoose

Lyger wrote: »

Yeh I felt like that for a few years - just that the thrill had faded compared to when I was younger (which is natural) and then because of personal stuff making it a hard time.
But then... it started to get magical again! I don't know why, but I feel lucky! Didn't think I'd ever recapture that. :-)

kowloon

Love Christmas dinner, one of the times I'm happiest.

Lyger

We always have walking-bird - with all the trimmings.

lufties

Lyger wrote: »

Yes, I LOVE Christmas!

Ah that sucks... It is a very hard time of year indeed for a lot of people - it's all about being happy and jolly, and that's hard enough under normal circumstances when you're aching inside.
I've had those Christmases too, which makes the good ones all the more sweet.

As a single person it can be annoying when you are alone in a foreign land. Also, my folks live in a small paraochial town in ireland that I left nearly 15 years ago. 2 nights is enough, after that I start to get extremely restless. It gets so boring. Ugh.

Lyger

Being single in and of itself at Christmas isn't an issue for me personally; being single following the heart being broken though... extremely difficult at Christmas; especially when you see all the happy couples - friends, family, even strangers, and you're trudging home on your own Christmas Eve...

jimgoose

Lyger wrote: »

Being single in and of itself at Christmas isn't an issue for me personally; being single following the heart being broken though... extremely difficult at Christmas; especially when you see all the happy couples - friends, family, even strangers, and you're trudging home on your own Christmas Eve...

Light a huge coal fire on Christmas Day, and that night put your feet up in front of it with a bottle of four-star port, a sh1t-load of mince pies and Dickens' "A Christmas Carol".

KERSPLAT!

Have a little one due around Christmas so really looking forward to it! Big fan of Christmas anyway, lots of food, drink and craic with friends and family

jimgoose

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Have a little one due around Christmas so really looking forward to it! Big fan of Christmas anyway, lots of food, drink and craic with friends and family

Ah! A Tiny Tim!! :):)

toastedpickles

Nah not really, it's not a big deal in my house at all, it's just another date on the calender, we throw up a tree and all that, but we don't do anything christmassy as such

Lyger

jimgoose wrote: »

Dickens' "A Christmas Carol".

Each year I vow to watch every version of A Christmas Carol possible. Haven't succeeded yet. It really does make the auld heart sing.

One eyed Jack

I LOVE Christmas - the one time of the year when I don't have to do anything for anyone else only sit on me hole and eat and drink all round me!




Oh yeah, presents too, they're always nice

shuffles88

I am but not for the presents and all that, I'm in college as a mature student and felt like Christmas had lost the 'magic' when I worked because I was always in work right up to and straight after Christmas. We were also incredibly busy in the run up to Christmas so the whole season would pass you by as you sat staring at a computer screen. Now that I have a Christmas Break I get to spend time with my family, it's almost like having Christmas when you were a child again.

jimgoose

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I LOVE Christmas - the one time of the year when I don't have to do anything for anyone else only sit on me hole and eat and drink all round me!




Oh yeah, presents too, they're always nice

Google Images "david mann santa" for an idea of my mate delivering toys to hospital Christmas Eve on his Harley-Davidson. Ho ho ho!!

PizzamanIRL

Yes 25% social welfare bonus wooooo thank you everyone!

One eyed Jack

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

Yes 25% social welfare bonus wooooo thank you everyone!

Gets you an extra pizza this year, how bad!

Mrs Garth Brooks

I don't know. I might buy myself a George Strait CD.

jimgoose

Lyger wrote: »

Each year I vow to watch every version of A Christmas Carol possible. Haven't succeeded yet. It really does make the auld heart sing.

It's wonderful, isn't it? "Man," said the Ghost, "if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered what the surplus is, and where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be that in the sight of Heaven you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child. O God! to hear the insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust!"

Buona Fortuna

Enjoyed it as a kid - pressies, food, sweets and a sneaky beer or a snowball

Teens and Twentys were good for the parties and general frollicking.

Now its all rather meh. Someone will have the idea (ffs they have it every year) of going to mass, I'll pull a face and be told "You don't have to, if you don't want to".

Roll on 2015

Turtyturd

Yep, I have always enjoyed it. There is always something nice about shopping around that time of year with the lights, and the music playing. I don't think it loses it's magic as you get older, it just changes from being about Santa, to families/friends catching up, to playing Santa for the kids.

Between school, college and my old job I always had a good break of at least two weeks off over the period and you could really get into the spirit of things. Last year I only started a new job and had 2 days off which was a bit of a downer, gonna make sure it doesn't happen this year.

token56

Working a toy shop so not really.

Lyger

token56 wrote: »

Working a toy shop so not really.

Worked in a toy department the year of Tellytubbies. Crikey... war, I've seen it!

lufties

People go bananas spending money each year, losing the run of themselves

Dozen Wicked Words

Working again this Christmas day but looking forward to the days around it.

GalwayGirl26

Going away for Christmas this year, and tbh I think that'll be the plan for the next few. Really looking forward to it! The family aren't big into it, and I just think there's so much build up to nothing.

branie2

Very much so!

Lyger

lufties wrote: »

People go bananas spending money each year, losing the run of themselves

Yeh that's the part I dislike. Not the buying loved ones gifts, but the hysteria and chaos.

Lyger

jimgoose wrote: »

It's wonderful, isn't it? "Man," said the Ghost, "if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered what the surplus is, and where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be that in the sight of Heaven you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child. O God! to hear the insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust!"

I love the depiction of him (Ghost of Christmas Present) in film/animation as a cross between Jesus and Santa, and the way he's kindly and so on, but then gets kinda bad-ass with Scrooge... and as a violent fairy-godmother in Scrooged.

lufties

I love that christmassy vibe around towns and cities, people happy and jolly drinking and being merry. Going for the odd pint here and there with friends. After christmas day its just boring..hate all the hysteria though and endless consuming. Think I will avoid telly and deactivate my fb account again this year.

boobar

Vojera wrote: »

Yep, although it's the first year I'll be spending Christmas day away from my family and staying with the wife's instead. We went to my home place last year so it's only fair. It'll be some change though.

I go to my wife's home place every year...have done for over 10 years.

Always make out like I'm giving in, but secretly like it, no cooking, no prep and her mother is a great cook.

So stress free Christmas again this year!

jimgoose

boobar wrote: »

I go to my wife's home place every year...have done for over 10 years.

Always make out like I'm giving in, but secretly like it, no cooking, no prep and her mother is a great cook.

So stress free Christmas again this year!

Ninja! Vanish!!

jimgoose

Lyger wrote: »

I love the depiction of him (Ghost of Christmas Present) in film/animation as a cross between Jesus and Santa, and the way he's kindly and so on, but then gets kinda bad-ass with Scrooge... and as a violent fairy-godmother in Scrooged.

I think he's actually supposed to be God. When I get around to playing him in the movie, I'll wear a $3,000 Boss suit and drive a Lamborghini Miura Jota!

Rubberchikken

my mom died christmas morning 16 years ago. have very little memory of that christmas. just kept going because the kids were young.
but it hasn't ruined it for us. she wouldn't have had us miserable at that time of year, so we always enjoy the season and remember the good times.

i do appreciate that it is a lonely time for a lot of people though.

corner of hells

jimgoose wrote: »

Thats my favourite Christmas tune , starting to get a bit Christmassy now.

Lyger

jimgoose wrote: »

I think he's actually supposed to be God.

Ah ok. In the Muppets one, he's totally a Santa-like character, but makes references to the god/Jesus stuff about himself.
In the version with George C. Scott as Scrooge, Edward Woodward plays him - totally Jesus-looking with a crown of holly, and wearing a Santa-esque suit.

Lyger

corner of hells wrote: »

Thats my favourite Christmas tune , starting to get a bit Christmassy now.

As Bing sang himself... "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmaaaaas".

Oh wait, it's not - it's 18th October.

But it is the time of year that you start thinking about it all right.

jimgoose

Lyger wrote: »

Ah ok. In the Muppets one, he's totally a Santa-like character, but makes references to the god/Jesus stuff about himself.
In the version with George C. Scott as Scrooge, Edward Woodward plays him - totally Jesus-looking with a crown of holly, and wearing a Santa-esque suit.

I think the role needs a bit more "Fun-Lovin' Criminals".