Christmas 2024

[Neilds]

And never experienced the sensory overload of entering a room at Xmas with an explosion of clashing colours and styles, multicoloured lights, tinsel, paper chains the lot. Everything now is cool, white lighting and the occasional tasteful decoration with everything on the tree matching and perfectly placed.

Have you not been round the lower class areas of your town - bound to be loads of houses with tacky light up santas, flashing coloured lights, etc covering the whole house

 

[Imurg]

On the Mrs side of the family we do a Secret Santa..there's 10 of us and if we buy pressies for everyone it ends up with a remortgage of the house...
50 quid limit organised by my Niece
Perfect....although getting to the limit can be tougher than you think

 

[Slab]

Actually really love that idea and may do it next year. Whilst it is hard work, this year is all about no hints etc and just trying to buy something based on what we know about each other. With my ex it had all become about Amazon wish lists etc and it became a boring task of just clicking on something pre picked with no thought or love in finding the right gift.

First time we did it it was pure panic. You think xmas prep is all done/bought etc and we found ourselves in Edinburgh for a relaxed xmas eve stroll, then just as shops are trying to close early we had this idea of getting one gift the other knew nothing about. Set spend limit and go...........

 

[GB72]

On the Mrs side of the family we do a Secret Santa..there's 10 of us and if we buy pressies for everyone it ends up with a remortgage of the house...
50 quid limit organised by my Niece
Perfect....although getting to the limit can be tougher than you think

My exs family did this, worked well.

 

[RichA]

Actually really love that idea and may do it next year. Whilst it is hard work, this year is all about no hints etc and just trying to buy something based on what we know about each other. With my ex it had all become about Amazon wish lists etc and it became a boring task of just clicking on something pre picked with no thought or love in finding the right gift.

Starting in January, every time something crops up that MrsA expresses an interest in I make a note on my phone. It's resulted in some weirdly successful presents. Genuine tears of joy over a lava lamp last year. She'd always wanted one and hadn't been allowed as a kid.
In contrast, every year she buys me a couple of packs of Bam underpants and a couple of packs of merino wool socks and I buy myself something nice and let her wrap it. She's bought me a spectacular pair of DM Made in England chelsea boots this year.

 

[Red devil]

Thing about paper chains - as kids for us making the paper chains out the gummy paper was a part of the fun. I also loved these coloured (crepe?) paper balls and bells, and cut coloured crepe paper chains that collapsed flat for storing…open them up - clip open with a paper clip, and hang up.

These room decorations were part of the continuity of life from Christmas to Christmas…as were the little porcelain skater; the Santa with wheelbarrow and snowman, and the little Santas House, that every year mum put on her Christmas Cake.

All very late 50s and 60s, up to the mid 70s I suppose, but just the thinking of them will always really brightens my mood.

Paper chains were the best. There were always the remnants of one or two on the light shade in February that defied the pulling down because the glue had dried solid by the heat of the light bulb

 

[Red devil]

And never experienced the sensory overload of entering a room at Xmas with an explosion of clashing colours and styles, multicoloured lights, tinsel, paper chains the lot. Everything now is cool, white lighting and the occasional tasteful decoration with everything on the tree matching and perfectly placed.

Nirvana

 

[backwoodsman]

View attachment 56225

I'm intrigued by this. Tinsel is tinsel . What are the different thoughts on it? @Neilds has posted the pictures

Have some more

View attachment 56226

Hmmm..

MrsB agrees with you two. But when I grew up, (ie in our house at least) tinsel was long, narrow strips of shiny silver stuff. (A bit like very narrow strips of bacofoil. Only good for draping over a Christmas tree).

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Have you not been round the lower class areas of your town - bound to be loads of houses with tacky light up santas, flashing coloured lights, etc covering the whole house

There’s that tacky…agreed..and there’s the fun and happiness that comes from coloured lights (no flashing mind) on a Christmas tree. I gently suggest a little bit of coloured lighting every year but to no avail…my Mrs likes hers white…mind you our tree is nice…not very big, totally artificial, but nice - and tasteful…though needs a bit straightening up

 

[Slab]

Just the two of us so going to have christmas lunch out this year and head back to the same bar as last year, just off the phone and table is booked. Weather permitting this'll be the view

Recommend me what tinsel I should take?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Just the two of us so going to have christmas lunch out this year and head back to the same bar as last year, just off the phone and table is booked. Weather permitting this'll be the view
View attachment 56231
Recommend me what tinsel I should take?

On behalf of the rest of the forum, see below for your tinsel necklace

 

[Slab]

On behalf of the rest of the forum, see below for your tinsel necklace

View attachment 56232

Nuff said

 

[IanM]

Hmmm..

MrsB agrees with you two. But when I grew up, (ie in our house at least) tinsel was long, narrow strips of shiny silver stuff. (A bit like very narrow strips of bacofoil. Only good for draping over a Christmas tree).

Mrs IanM advises me that this is called "lamenta." She always used it, but has ceases as it is a pain to get off and put away in January!

 

[IanM]

Xmas? I just wish I could jump on a plane somewhere sunny and hot and come back in April....

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

On behalf of the rest of the forum, see below for your tinsel necklace

View attachment 56232

A crown of thorns and a nail - not very appropriate for this festive time of year but along the right lines

 

[Don Barzini]

What are everyone's plans for your Christmas dinner this year? Are you a full turkey and trimmings kind of a guy/gal? Are you a "I hate turkey, it's a dry old bird, give me some other meat instead" sort of a person? Or do you buck the trend and have something completely different eg curry, Chinese etc? Are you staying in for it, or going out?

I always do the Christmas dinner. Wife is a good cook but hates the pressure of doing a roast. This year it's me, wife, three kids, my parents, wife's parents and my auntie. So ten of us altogether. It'll be turkey crown with all the trimmings, but mother-in-law doesn't like turkey so there'll be some beef as well. Will do starters but not planned them yet. And will likely have offerings of Xmas pud, sticky toffee pudding and mince pies for afters.

What about you guys?

 

[GB72]

I have done beef in the past but this is my first Xmas with my new partner so going full traditional, turkey, roast spuds, sprouts roasted with bacon and maple syrup, parsnips, cauliflower cheese the lot. Going to be great.

 

[AmandaJR]

Whatever my Great Aunt Bessie decides to cook (heat)...

Before @bobmac says it for me

 

[Orikoru]

What are everyone's plans for your Christmas dinner this year? Are you a full turkey and trimmings kind of a guy/gal? Are you a "I hate turkey, it's a dry old bird, give me some other meat instead" sort of a person? Or do you buck the trend and have something completely different eg curry, Chinese etc? Are you staying in for it, or going out?

I always do the Christmas dinner. Wife is a good cook but hates the pressure of doing a roast. This year it's me, wife, three kids, my parents, wife's parents and my auntie. So ten of us altogether. It'll be turkey crown with all the trimmings, but mother-in-law doesn't like turkey so there'll be some beef as well. Will do starters but not planned them yet. And will likely have offerings of Xmas pud, sticky toffee pudding and mince pies for afters.

What about you guys?

I don't like turkey very much. I usually eat it once a year on Christmas Day as I can tolerate it once a year. For every single other day of the year, it's just a poor man's chicken.

In previous years we have usually gone to my in-laws for their cooked Christmas dinner. However, with my mother-in-law passing away this year they have decided we're all going up to Scotland (father-in-law is from there and my wife's auntie and uncles are up there) for five days, and our Christmas meal will be in a restaurant. At least I won't have to have turkey then!

Seeing my parents on the 30th I believe, after we get back.

 

[GreiginFife]

Ordered a full rump and a fillet tail from iDevour (arriving today actually) so will be option of rump roast or fillet steak for 6 folks with yorkies, roasties and honey glazed veg.

Then my dad's home made Christmas pud with brandy butter or custard.