Know Your Elves - The Red Robin Round

Toto Wolfcastle

We have some lovely decorations, and my favourite definitely isn't the nicest one we have, but we bought it in a Christmas shop in Carmel, California when we were on honeymoon so I love it.

Scarinae

Loughc wrote: »

Today's question is, What is your favourite Christmas Decoration you have?

My Granny has always been very crafty and good at things like knitting and patchwork, and she brought me along to a craft fair in the RDS when I was a kid. While we were there she bought me a kit for making a reindeer Christmas decoration out of a polystyrene ball, sequins, pipe cleaners etc, and I was so excited about it that I made it almost as soon as I got home. It is one of the few homemade decorations that is allowed onto the ‘nice’ tree each year (all the rest are consigned to the small tree in the TV room, along with the tacky 90s decorations!). Granny has dementia now and doesn’t know who I am anymore.

This isn’t a great picture of it (pulled from facebook) but it gives you an idea!

washiskin

I have so many that are dear to me it would be impossible to pick one. What I will say is it's become the norm for me to write where & when I got the decoration so in years to come I won't be standing at the tree wondering where I got them..

Loughc

Todays Question, What is your favourite Christmas Cracker Joke?

Into The Blue

Where do snowmen go to dance?

Loughc

Into The Blue wrote: »

Where do snowmen go to dance?

The Snowball?

Into The Blue

Loughc wrote: »

The Snowball?

Bah dum, tish

Toto Wolfcastle

A snowman walks into a fruit and veg shop and says 'I'm here to pick my nose.'

Scarinae

How did Darth Vader know what Luke got him for Christmas?

He felt his presents!

Into The Blue

Deffo separate thread!! One day of Christmas cracker jokes is never enough!!

scream

Damn it. I didn't even buy crackers this year.

...i feel soo ashamed!

Loughc

If you could recommend someone one thing to buy that's essential for Christmas, what would that be?

baby and crumble

Loughc wrote: »

If you could recommend someone one thing to buy that's essential for Christmas, what would that be?

A turkey. I'm sorry, but NOTHING else cuts it in my opinion. My sister-in-law cooked a roast beef one year and it was BIZARRE.

Toto Wolfcastle

Plenty of lights. Not just tree lights, but if you can put some on the mantelpiece or the bannister or whatever then it's well worth it to make the place look festive and warm.

Toto Wolfcastle

What's your favourite Christmassy alcoholic drink?

Hufflepuff

Anything bubbly ! Champagne , Cava , Prosecco :-) :-)

scream

Brandy. I only have it at Christmas so it's become something of a tradition.

Scarinae

Mulled cider! It is so much nicer than mulled wine, is lovely on cold winter days and just tastes teally festive.

Into The Blue

Sherry,. Leave the bottle..

Loughc

Buck fizz

washiskin

Winter Warmer cocktail - Southern Comfort , ginger ale and cranberry juice
Mulled Wine
Costq Coffees Black Forest Hot Chocolate

Posy

Prosecco with a dash of pomegranate juice in it- gives it a kick and makes it pink.

Toto Wolfcastle

washiskin wrote: »

Winter Warmer cocktail - Southern Comfort , ginger ale and cranberry juice

This sounds amazing. I'm definitely going to make it.

I'm all about the bubbly. Champagne, preferably, but a good Prosecco or Cava will do to. We had a very disappointing Cremant this Christmas. Never again.

emmagination

Has to be Baileys with lots of ice! I love it but only ever drink it over Christmas!

Posy

Today's question- I know it's the thought that counts, but what's the worst present you got this year?

I received a pink camera off my mother and had to exchange it. And then a pink lamp from a friend.
I hate pink!! I'm always complaining how hard it is to find girl's runners that aren't mostly pink!

/ungrateful child

Loughc

Posy wrote: »

Today's question- I know it's the thought that counts, but what's the worst present you got this year?

I once got a dart board with no darts.... It seems the person who bought the dart board didn't notice the darts came seperately.... It was a long couple of days waiting for the shops to open to get some darts.

Into The Blue

I got a minuture shower gel from a set off my aunt one year. I was sick as my parents gave my cousin an italia90 scarf!!

Still bitter

Scarinae

I didn't get any terrible presents this year, but my Mum was given a packet of Christmas napkins by a close relative. Fair enough you might think, except she noticed that the packet was open... And that five napkins were missing

(Said relative is known for being scabby, and probably just grabbed any old thing from a drawer and wrapped it)

SarahLil

My partners mother recycled a gift I gave her before it was Sparkling Wine Jacobs Greek in a gift box with two champagne flutes, it was dusty😝

That being said his sister was handed her gift Christmas Day and she said she forgot mine... I am still waiting, I might also add apparently she had a moving in present for us in May still no sign

She is one of the 3 presents I have in already, I picked it up in the sales, it was convenient, as I have said for many years now I refuse to pace the shops to find the perfect gift for her, I always pick up a nice gift for her but I refuse to go out of my way for her. Sorry for the rant, she had no problem polishing off 2 bottles of my wine when we moved in, from what I have said so far I imagine my fellow boardies are catching my drift😄

washiskin

Not sure I got any REALLY bad ones this year but for a long time my mother got me a few dodgy gifts - one year a pair of satin pjs I never wore. When I was 15 I wanted a pair of black leatherette jeans - I got electric blue vinyl ski pants, also never worn.

washiskin

Question Elves What is the one set of Christmas light that you remember most from childhood?

Regular elves will know mine is Pifco Cinderella Coach Lights

Posy

These were mine.

Loughc

My mam had a set of these for 28 years. And when they broke she moved onto your ones Posy and Lantern ones. They did not last as long as 28 years.

Toto Wolfcastle

Posy wrote: »

These were mine.

We had ones similar to this. I loved them.

Toto Wolfcastle

Question for today: Do you enjoy wrapping presents and take time to do it perfectly or do you just want to get it over and done with?

Loughc

I enjoy doing it but every year it takes me about 4 or 5 presents to get into the swing of things. so the first few presents look like a toddler wrapped them.

Posy

Oh, I'm very much into making each present look like a divine sparkly work of art.

SarahLil

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

We had ones similar to this. I loved them.

I think we had these too😃

SarahLil

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

Question for today: Do you enjoy wrapping presents and take time to do it perfectly or do you just want to get it over and done with?

I do enjoy it, I also have to wrap on behalf of my mam and aunt, this is the first year I used ribbons, watched videos on Google to get the nack of it, I do find you have to get in there quickly for the nice wrapping paper, I wanted gold this year and had to go to a number of shops before I got what I wanted

Posy

SarahLil wrote: »

I also have to wrap on behalf of my mam and aunt

I also wrap my mam and my aunts presents!! :pac:

emmagination

I think I like the idea of wrapping presents but in practice I'm a bit too clumsy!

DrJ

I agree with the previous poster - love doing it but sometimes it ends up looking clumsy. Sometimes I manage to get it right! I am going to be adventurous in 2015 and go the whole bows and ribbons way. I love the appearance of a present that is expertly wrapped with a bow in the corner and the ribbon on it too.

scream

Bit of both really. I really, really like the idea of wrapping presents, but when it actually comes down to it I just want to get it done. Having said that, I do like to try and make them look as lovely as I possibly can so I do end up taking a fair bit of time over them. They usually come out looking really quite good I think

Scarinae

Have you bought anything yet for Christmas 2015?

Scarinae

To answer my own question... I bought some wrapping paper, I couldn't resist as it was on sale. I looked for an advent candle after Christmas too but couldn't find one that I liked. I know some people start their shopping in January, but I'm not quite that organised!

Loughc

I haven't bought a thing yet. I don't tend to start until November I'm never as organised as I'd like to be haha.

Into The Blue

One of those German candle powered windmills.. Love it!

emmagination

I've nothing bought yet - I like doing my Christmas shopping when the shops are all festive and the lights / decorations are up

scream

Haven't bought a thing. I'm another one that likes to wait until everything feels a little Christmasy. It'll be after Halloween before I even think about Christmas shopping.

Posy

I have bought a birthday present for someone, but no Christmas presents yet.

I am going to try and start planning what to get people in the summer, and get my shopping done by early autumn because I felt quite disorganised this year!