Christmas 2025

[Don Barzini]

Couldn’t see a thread already on this but apologies if I missed it. As it’s now December I assume we’re legally allowed to discuss this subject!

Personally, I’ve had a tough couple of months with some health and family issues, that has kept me off work and offline for a lot of time. Nowt serious and things are looking better now. And while I’m traditionally a bit of a “Bah humbug” kind of a guy, I’m actually really looking forward to Christmas and the new year.

Will just be a quiet one for me with the wife and kids. Perfect. Might take in a panto if we can at some point! No plans for new year as yet.

So come all ye faithful and chat all things Christmas here!

 

[Orikoru]

Good to see you back!

Funny you should bring this up, I was just thinking how un-Christmassy I've been feeling. Like I just cannot be bothered with it. I used to think I loved Christmas time, but now that I've quit drinking, I'm starting to wonder if I just enjoyed it because I was getting pissed every other day. My little girl is nearly three, so of course this is a huge thing for her, and I want her to have an amazing time. But there are lots of elements that fill me with dread and anxiety. Having to buy presents for everyone - hate it. I just send family members some sort of alcohol + chocolate combination usually, and for my wife I just have to ask her explicitly what she wants. If I try and surprise her I'm just convinced I will get it wrong and have wasted my money. I won't be doing cards this year I've decided, might send some 'e-cards' online or something. Waste of paper otherwise, they just end up in the bin in 3 weeks. Tonight is my work do, and given that I won't be drinking, I'm thinking I'll just stay long enough for the food to come out and then I'll be looking for the exit. The only major positive is that I've used my remaining annual leave to ensure I have two weeks off from work.

 

[irip]

Welcome back Don, hope things are on the up mate.

My wife and girls love Xmas,
I pretend to be the grinch but secretly love it as well,
Unfortunately my son who has a few issues (has since birth) really struggles with Xmas.

Our tree has been up 3 weeks already and Santa visited on multiple occasions.

I did suggest we wouldn’t do stockings for the kids this year and the reaction was as though I had threatened to eat their first born so they are continuing.

I work Xmas day and Boxing Day and we do it all on another 2 days (29&30 this year).

It’s my favourite time of the year.

 

[Burnsey]

At our age is all about the others, so Christmas Eve at ours, Christmas dinner hosted by one daughter and Boxing Day back at ours.

Day after Boxing Day we all go out, on us.

The remainder of the holidays continue just spending the time with our kids and grandkids.

 

[Slime]

Welcome back Don, hope things are on the up mate.

This ↑.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Just me & the Mrs on Christmas Day,so we’re off for a few drinks Christmas Day,then for an Indian.

 

[Slab]

Welcome back,

I'm in UK now to see wife’s family so we’ve already had 1st Christmas & boxing day last weekend with the usual meals, pressies and booze etc (& miserable weather)
Will be back in the sunshine next week in plenty of time for 2nd Christmas by the beach

 

[nickjdavis]

Firstly, welcome back Don.


I'm sorry to say that as I've got older I've come to despise Christmas and over the years have felt increasingly nauseous at the excess pile of gaudily wrapped (mostly tat inside) boxes underneath the tree.

Yes its nice to see family all together, especially if you live far and wide, and its lovely for the kids....especially the little ones.....but in this age of gross consumption, a lot of it is purely window dressing papering over the cracks of dysfunctional family life. Christmas puts a huge amount of stress on many families finances, when it really shouldn't be that way...but you want to provide as best you can, especially for the wife and kids...and sometimes folks fall into the trap of providing as best as they cannot. It's a societal thing I'm afraid...a mad race that will cause many to fall by the wayside in pursuit of what they think makes others happy, and its a sad time when folks get stressed about what to buy their loved (and perhaps, not so loved) ones....probably not realizing that they are giving truly special gifts for the other 364 days of the year.

However...my wife loves it....so I keep my views to myself and go along with whatever happens and spend the week before the festivities stressing over what to buy.

Sorry. Dont mean to put a dampener on things. Hopefully there will be enough posts along shortly to condemn this yuletide tirade to the depths of the thread where it might not get much visibility. I do recognize what a joyous time it is for many and I dont wish to suck the fun out of it for them.

Maybe I need a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come to reset my mindset.

 

[Imurg]

Firstly, welcome back Don.


I'm sorry to say that as I've got older I've come to despise Christmas and over the years have felt increasingly nauseous at the excess pile of gaudily wrapped (mostly tat inside) boxes underneath the tree.

Yes its nice to see family all together, especially if you live far and wide, and its lovely for the kids....especially the little ones.....but in this age of gross consumption, a lot of it is purely window dressing papering over the cracks of dysfunctional family life. Christmas puts a huge amount of stress on many families finances, when it really shouldn't be that way...but you want to provide as best you can, especially for the wife and kids...and sometimes folks fall into the trap of providing as best as they cannot. It's a societal thing I'm afraid...a mad race that will cause many to fall by the wayside in pursuit of what they think makes others happy, and its a sad time when folks get stressed about what to buy their loved (and perhaps, not so loved) ones....probably not realizing that they are giving truly special gifts for the other 364 days of the year.

However...my wife loves it....so I keep my views to myself and go along with whatever happens and spend the week before the festivities stressing over what to buy.

Sorry. Dont mean to put a dampener on things. Hopefully there will be enough posts along shortly to condemn this yuletide tirade to the depths of the thread where it might not get much visibility. I do recognize what a joyous time it is for many and I dont wish to suck the fun out of it for them.

Maybe I need a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come to reset my mindset.

Damn....are you my long lost clone...?

 

[irip]

Firstly, welcome back Don.


I'm sorry to say that as I've got older I've come to despise Christmas and over the years have felt increasingly nauseous at the excess pile of gaudily wrapped (mostly tat inside) boxes underneath the tree.

Yes its nice to see family all together, especially if you live far and wide, and its lovely for the kids....especially the little ones.....but in this age of gross consumption, a lot of it is purely window dressing papering over the cracks of dysfunctional family life. Christmas puts a huge amount of stress on many families finances, when it really shouldn't be that way...but you want to provide as best you can, especially for the wife and kids...and sometimes folks fall into the trap of providing as best as they cannot. It's a societal thing I'm afraid...a mad race that will cause many to fall by the wayside in pursuit of what they think makes others happy, and its a sad time when folks get stressed about what to buy their loved (and perhaps, not so loved) ones....probably not realizing that they are giving truly special gifts for the other 364 days of the year.

However...my wife loves it....so I keep my views to myself and go along with whatever happens and spend the week before the festivities stressing over what to buy.

Sorry. Dont mean to put a dampener on things. Hopefully there will be enough posts along shortly to condemn this yuletide tirade to the depths of the thread where it might not get much visibility. I do recognize what a joyous time it is for many and I dont wish to suck the fun out of it for them.

Maybe I need a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come to reset my mindset.

I agree with what you are saying.
In general if I need something I will buy it so at Xmas I tell the kids and anyone who wants to buy me a present I only want socks or smellies.

We often won’t buy each other much and will go away instead.

The kids always get us a picture of them all together (with Grandkids as well now) which is the best present we can get, I’ll then get enough socks for the rest of the year

 

[Imurg]

With the In-laws and family we've gone over to a Secret Santa thing...
My niece organises it, we send in our wants up to 50 quid, she distributes, we buy and wrap and it all gets piled up.
On the day we get 1 pressie and that's that...
It started a few years ago when the pressie part of the day lasted several hours and kept many shops in business for the year...
Much more sensible.

 

[Hobbit]

Hey up Don lad, great to see you back.

I love everything about Christmas. It’ll be a quiet one. Roast turkey with all the trimmings, inc. SPROUTS - love ‘em. A decent wine with the meal & cheese. Terry’s chocolate orange with a glass of brandy - try it, you’ll never want for anything else. Turkey sandwiches for supper, and then bubble & squeak on Boxing Day.

 

[Crazyface]

Usual Xmas. All family round (there's only 6 of us now). Full day round the table with a superb dinner and then games. NO TV !!!! Everyone's getting older and it's getting very difficult to get presents. We ditched the wrapped ones years ago and now buy an experience on one sort or another. It's very hard trying to top the previous years. Does anyone know how to get, resonable priced Liverpool FC tickets / hospitality?

 

[Red devil]

Couldn’t see a thread already on this but apologies if I missed it. As it’s now December I assume we’re legally allowed to discuss this subject!

Personally, I’ve had a tough couple of months with some health and family issues, that has kept me off work and offline for a lot of time. Nowt serious and things are looking better now. And while I’m traditionally a bit of a “Bah humbug” kind of a guy, I’m actually really looking forward to Christmas and the new year.

Will just be a quiet one for me with the wife and kids. Perfect. Might take in a panto if we can at some point! No plans for new year as yet.

So come all ye faithful and chat all things Christmas here!

Bentornato, Don Barzini.
I've a decent break for Xmas this year. So I have my mum over for Xmas day. Have to watch what she's eating though she's in the back four for Liverpool on the 27th, cover for Konate. Then the kids and grandkids rock up.
Boxing day it's out for a stroll, weather permitting and meet a mate and his wife as we usually do. Been a friend for over 50yrs so always good to see him. Home to a hot pot that's been cooking away slowly. Red wine possibly and a malt to settle me down for the sofa snooze.

 

[Bazz]

3 points hopefully

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I genuinely am the Grinch my loathing of Christmas is already well known on here and at home
I can’t stand the commercialisation of it all, the incessant need to overspend on absolute crap, forced fun or spending time with people that I tend to avoid the rest of the year. Christmas films and tv specials bore me, in general I don’t like the fact it’s become about gifts, spending money and overeating just because it’s Christmas, after all none of that is part of the original meaning !

This year we’re doing the 5 present rule in our house and that’s it, I’m only spending time with those closest to me no full on extended family and going to just make the most of the 2 week break I have back in the UK before going back out to work.

 

[simsini]

Hoping to get at least 9 holes in on Christmas Day. Anyone else?

 

[anotherdouble]

Usual Xmas. All family round (there's only 6 of us now). Full day round the table with a superb dinner and then games. NO TV !!!! Everyone's getting older and it's getting very difficult to get presents. We ditched the wrapped ones years ago and now buy an experience on one sort or another. It's very hard trying to top the previous years. Does anyone know how to get, resonable priced Liverpool FC tickets / hospitality?

With regards the tickets try seat unique

 

[Neilds]

I genuinely am the Grinch my loathing of Christmas is already well known on here and at home
I can’t stand the commercialisation of it all, the incessant need to overspend on absolute crap, forced fun or spending time with people that I tend to avoid the rest of the year. Christmas films and tv specials bore me, in general I don’t like the fact it’s become about gifts, spending money and overeating just because it’s Christmas, after all none of that is part of the original meaning !

This year we’re doing the 5 present rule in our house and that’s it, I’m only spending time with those closest to me no full on extended family and going to just make the most of the 2 week break I have back in the UK before going back out to work.

Thought you would be volunteering for Christmas guard duty so you can avoid everything

 

[Neilds]

In Berlin at the moment and the Christmas markets are so much better than at home. They are smaller and spread around the city so nowhere near as crowded as Birmingham, Bath, Manchester, etc and all are slightly different vibes. Had some great food and drink and resisted the tacky trinkets and decorations