Bah-flippin- Humbug

[BrideXIII]

no, this is not a moaney thread, although for the last week or so I have felt pretty depressed about the prospect of xmas.

I hate it every year, cos we can't afford it, and i get depressed by all the lights, stuff in shops, adverts etc, all they do is make me feel worse, and i have to keep reminding myself what xmas is really about.

It's jesus' birthday......... although i am not a christian, i am aware that christs birthday is celebrated in church, not in tescos.

or
as a pagan, which i AM, its a midwinter festival to remind us spring is coming....likewise not in Asda.

I detest the commercial side of xmas, which seems to start in july these days, but i LOVE the real side, the cold weather, frost and snow, good food, good friends.
So I would just like to say thankyou......to all of you, for making me feel very welcome here, for reminding me what 'community' is all about, even though we dont live next door. for sharing the bad stuff, as well as the good, so that i don't feel alone, and apologise if over the next few weeks i am like a bear with a sore head, i DO like xmas, i just hate the pressure it puts people under, and i know even more of us are going to be feeling it this year, so.........best wishes to you all, may the next year always be better than the last, may your livestock thrive and multiply, your crops grow beyond your wildest dreams, may the road always rise up to meet you, and the devil not know you are dead till you are already in heaven

[Two_Sheds]

Don't go to the shops, and you'll find you don't even notice it's Xmas !

(I hate it too, especially having to dress up like a dog's dinner to go to 3 boring works do's when I'd rather be at home eating cold baked beans out of the tin in front of Gardener's World)

[shirlthegirl43]

I love Christmas, I love all the tackiness (just from the outside - don't actually 'do' that), all the carols, frosty weather (well sometimes we get it) etcetera. We have tried to bring the boys up not to expect loads of prezzies. We have always tried to go on a steam train to see Santa, take in the local pantomime, eat loads of lovely food and see friends and (not always) family.

My dream Christmas would be loads of friends and food and silly games and loads of laughter - presents wouldn't matter at all.

[BrideXIII]

Don't go to the shops, and you'll find you don't even notice it's Xmas !

(I hate it too, especially having to dress up like a dog's dinner to go to 3 boring works do's when I'd rather be at home eating cold baked beans out of the tin in front of Gardener's World)

LOL i have been avoiding the shops for weeks, then my neighbour opposite put her lights up, i would put a pic, but it's embarassingly crass, and flashes through my windows all night, what is this obsession with putting decs up the fisrt day of december? xmas doesn't start even in the pagan calender until the 21st?

[Bephlam]

I love Christmas too, but things have been crushed this year. My Papa has terminal cancer, and all of a sudden is deteriorating quickly...so we're just hoping every day that he's here to enjoy Christmas with us. This year I well and truly understand what it's all about - we've cancelled all presents, everything - it's just about family...and spending time with people we love!

The end....forget the shops - enjoy the people you love!!

Merry Crimbo!!

[piskieinboots]

Same here Bephlam - Snowdrop's Pa is terminal, no idea how long but not loong is what we are told - however SD has bought him the FULL set of ALL EVER Dad's Army on DVD and told him he has to view them all - he could be 'here' some time

[Bephlam]

Same here Bephlam - Snowdrop's Pa is terminal, no idea how long but not loong is what we are told - however SD has bought him the FULL set of ALL EVER Dad's Army on DVD and told him he has to view them all - he could be 'here' some time

lol - well hopefully he'll get to see them all!!

It sure makes you realise what's important in life - doesn't it?

[BrideXIII]

lol - well hopefully he'll get to see them all!!

It sure makes you realise what's important in life - doesn't it?

absolutely, my dad bless him, gone past spring, his birthday is on the 20th, not sure what the family will do, although knowing them we will do something, i think everyone is tentative about suggesting something so as not to upset my mum.

it's things like this made me start the thread, trying to get away from all this commercial guff, and get back to what people really need, none of which will get you into debt.

individuals seem to know what is important, but the country as an entity seems to have forgotten................. I hope you all get what you need for xmas, not what you think you want.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

I love and loathe Christmas. I love the lights and decorations - a bit of colour in contrast to our dreich weather. I loathe and detest with all of my heart the commercialism of Christmas - the spend, spend, spend or you will not be happy. I hate shopping at the best of time but at Christmas where people will elbow you in face for the last bag of sprouts So, hubby and I have the lights and "tasteful" decorations, with a nice meal on Christmas. Don't buy major pressies. To us (and I guess lots of Scots in our age group - ooh don't I sound old) Hogmanay and New Year are more of an event, where it is a time of newness. Where family and friends enjoy one another's company.

[BrideXIII]

I love and loathe Christmas. I love the lights and decorations - a bit of colour in contrast to our dreich weather. I loathe and detest with all of my heart the commercialism of Christmas - the spend, spend, spend or you will not be happy. I hate shopping at the best of time but at Christmas where people will elbow you in face for the last bag of sprouts So, hubby and I have the lights and "tasteful" decorations, with a nice meal on Christmas. Don't buy major pressies. To us (and I guess lots of Scots in our age group - ooh don't I sound old) Hogmanay and New Year are more of an event, where it is a time of newness. Where family and friends enjoy one another's company.

its the same for us pagans, its a time of waiting....for spring, a time to celebrate that you have made it through the worst, and spring is coming, lights are good in the drab winter, food reminds you how lucky you are to still have a full belly midwinter, pressies should be done all year round when you can afford them, from love not commercial guilt trips, the victorians started all this, and oh my gods did they love to cover up cr@p with glitter, i can't believe we still buy into it?

to me , the best present is a nieghbour knocking on the door, with a few mince pies, we HATE mince pies, we love that they cared enough to knock.

[bubblewrap]

[QUOTE=Two_Sheds;320899]Don't go to the shops, and you'll find you don't even notice it's Xmas ![QUOTE]
Or watch TV or read a newspaper it's damn difficult to avoid yes I too am non too keen on christmas.

[lynda66]

all i need is rob home for xmas, some time spent with OH, lots of smiles and a good game of monopoly and scrabble or two, then theres the obligatory trivial pursuit game that usually lasts about a week, a bit of tinsel round the mirror, a yummy choccy cake, a few sausage rolls and pork pies, and some good films ....... all the other stuff is insignificant ....... for us anyway, we've never done the commercial thing, and presents are usually something fun ...... to me birthdays are more important, and as robs birthday is in february, he knows he will get something dead good for that, but xmas is more a time for spending time together.....

anyway big hugssssssss bride and anyone else not looking forward to it ........ it will all be over in a couple of weeks

[bubblewrap]

Scrabble! try playing it with a Christmas theme .....bonus points for any word with a Christmas connection.

[lynda66]

lol ...... i usually do it with lots of made up words ...... well i have to win somehow ...... mind you, not so easy now hes not 5 any more lol

[pigletwillie]

We have lots of family and even spending just £20 on each person adds up to a sizeable amount. Last year we decided as a family to spend just £20 per family. We now decorate a box and fill it with all sorts of fluff and trivea, home made pressies, jams, pickles, sweets etc. Its more fun, more appreciated and much less costly.

We are a Christian family and do appreciate Christmas for what it is. The most special part is the fellowship of having family and good friends about the table. Fellowship is the key, not shopping.