Don"t read if.....

[secret squirrel]

YOU LIKE CHRISTMAS......


Happy Christmas to all of my friends. STOP reading at this point if your a Christmas Fanatic. Second warning.

Humbug, is what I will be called but here goes. The reason I dislike this time of the year are numerous but I'll go with a couple, its the waste, we're all told to save the planet except at Christmas when you can dig up a tree and decorate it to throw it out later, cards which no real thought has gone into just a generic card out of a generic box, which wait for it, we throw out in January.

Yes, we can recycle but energy that it took making them, cost etc. Wrapping paper! wrap something up and it gets ripped off and yep, thrown away.

Family, theres a reason we haven't seen you all year, likewise you haven't seen me all year, why force people into a room for a long period of time, what do you expect to happen!

The pure greed and futility of it all. Can't move around the shops because everyone is out buying crap for people that they don't even know they want yet!

Finally, well, last I'm putting up, its this, "got to see this person before Christmas" "must be done before Christmas" "But its Christmas" "Can't do that its Christmas" "go on have a drink, its Christmas" Christmas is for ONE day, get over it! Shops are open boxing day, Oh, wait "did you have a good Christmas" "where did you go for Christmas" blah blah blah.

My personal favorite "Oh you don't like Christmas, miserable git, get into the Christmas spirit"

At this point I'll stop because its only a day but the build up is for weeks.

 

[dave1]

Ha ha that made me laugh.

 

[erpkid]

Excellent you have just summed up my Christmas. Well done !

 

[Resolute]

Where's your Christmas spirit SS!







You're right though!

 

[Leo21]

Yep, your dead right. I have to keep that quiet in my house, my Mrs thinks shes a Xmas bloody fairy. I try just to enjoy the break.

 

[petercj]

WARNING: this post contains positive thoughts about Christmas!


I think Christmas is a magical time for kids.

It can be a difficult time for adults, and Relate, the counselling agency, are always rushed off their feet after Christmas.

If you have experienced the wonder of Christmas as a kid, then providing such an experience later on for your own children can be a way of re-living the magic. But if adults expect to get the same first-hand sense of wonder at Christmas as they did when a child, then the festive time can turn into a big disappointment.

There will be some people who missed out on experiencing the wonder of Christmas when young, and for some folk, Christmas might even bring back memories of things they would rather forget. Even good memories can bring sadness at Christmas time: the people we loved who are no longer around are a classic example.

The flurry and frenzy of preparing for Christmas can raise expectations to an unrealistic level, and the celebrations can turn out to be stressful and disappointing - I think this is why so many couples fall out at Christmas.

Christmas has become increasingly commercialised, and the general sense of goodwill that used to prevail when people were shopping in preparation has turned into pushing and shoving, frowning and tutting, and even trolley-rage as the stress of Christmas starts to build up in people.

I think most people who can afford it tend to overstock with food at Christmas, I know I do - maybe that harks back to the days when shops did close down over the Christmas period so that the people who work in them could have a few days break from shoving things over the counter and ringing the tills.

Large sectors of society are now secular, and yet those of us without general belief in the word of the Bible carry on celebrating the birth of a child we doubt ever existed. But then everyone does it, so what the hell! The shops need the sales hike, and it’s a great excuse for getting plastered.

Plus, if you have young children around, it’s an opportunity to keep the myth and the magic of Christmas alive by treating the kids to a fun-time that they will probably remember for the rest of their lives – they will probably forget the presents quite quickly, but the experience and wonder of Christmas in a family situation can be a life-long memory that your children use to replicate a magical experience for their own children later on, and if you are lucky enough, you may be around to see it.

If you don’t have kids, then there is always the option of making a donation to a charity that supports the cause of making Christmas a happier time for children in difficult circumstances.

Ironically, a streak of cynicism and low expectation at Christmas time could mean that it turns out to be a more enjoyable time than you ever expected it to be.

Who knows!

Merry Christmas

 

[SimonG]

I like Christmas, but respect that other people have different views, that's life.

Christmas is never as magical as when you where a kid, you get to recapture some of it when your own kids are young and might get a bit of the magic back if we ever have grand kids to occupy. You seem to spend a lot of time to recapture the times when you where young.

Once you get past the hustle, bustle, commercialism I like the fact that it's a couple of days where you can spend some quality time with those closest to you.

But yes it is a lot of chew for that 'Christmas Day'.

 

[petercj]

Official Government Guidelines for a PC Christmas


1/ Do not deviate from the official .gov diet – one thin slice of dry turkey breast with two small boiled potatoes, and a generous helping of salad, is all you need for a healthy and enjoyable Christmas lunch.

Christmas puddings contain high levels of fat, so replace with a few grams of unsalted peanuts and raisins.

2/ Do not indulge in the consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol – set a ceiling of not more than 4 units per festive day, and we recommend you use a small sherry glass for all your alcoholic drinks so that they seem more and last longer.

3/ Do not clutter up your home with Christmas cards - such cards are a fire risk and put unnecessary demand on your Local Authority recycling facility. The sending of e-cards is recommended. The wrapping of Christmas present is also unnecessary and creates further demand on local recycling resources. If you feel strongly that presents should be wrapped, then consider using old newspapers.

4/ If you intend to visit friends and family over the Christmas period, then walking should always be the preferred method of transport. Walking is much healthier than driving and avoids pollution to the environment. If you have to travel long distances from your home, then don’t dismiss walking just because it may take an hour or two longer than driving, instead, set out early and allow enough time for the journey. Three hours of brisk walking will burn up more than 3000 calories.

5/ If you should feel in need of refreshment on your journey, do not use Starbucks coffee shops..

6/ Do not decorate your home with Christmas lights – such ornamental lighting is a waste of valuable energy resources.

7/ Do not engage in the practice of erecting Christmas trees – the cutting of Christmas trees is damaging to the environment, and puts even more strain on local re-cycling resources.

8/ In the event of ice or snow you should stay in doors at all times, every year the NHS is put under unnecessary pressure due to people slipping over on ice and snow. If you have young children who ask to go outside and play snowballs, or create snowmen, you should not hesitate in refusing such requests for the reasons given above.

9/ Do not support the myth in relation to the existence of Father Christmas to your children - to do so will create the expectation of something for nothing, and may increase the risk of your children relying on State Benefits later on in life.

10/ Consider the possibility of removing the celebration of Christmas from your calendar completely. The Christmas Bank Holiday reduces the number of productive days available for reducing the financial deficit, and in truth, is a celebration the UK can no longer afford.

Instead of celebrating Christmas, considering sending a financial donation to Mr George Osborn, c/o number 11 Downing Street, WC1, marking your envelope: “All in this together fund”.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry … whatever … on behalf of your local Politically Correctness Team.

 

[Leo21]

Turkey, why. Another American import, if it was any good you'd eat it more than once a year. Traditionally us English eat goose for Xmas.

 

[petercj]

Turkey, why. Another American import, if it was any good you'd eat it more than once a year. Traditionally us English eat goose for Xmas.

We're having roast pork with melt-in-the mouth crackling and home-made bramley apple sauce - not PC or conventional, but the flavour is great.

Stuff the turkey, and the goose.

Potatoes will be roasted in goose fat though.

 

[kay-jay]

Goose fat is a miracle substance

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[SimonG]

Big chicken, pork and lamb.

 

[Leo21]

Big chicken, pork and lamb.

Thats just greedy!

 

[Dotty]

I'm doing roast hog. Not keen on pork myself but Shelley loves it so I can put up with it for her.

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

Goose fat is a miracle substance

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used to have it when i was kid, on fresh baked bred when it melted into it...uuuuuuuuhm 😉 that brings memories back. thank KJ. gonna have to get some now, heh

 

[kay-jay]

Goose fat really is awesome. Can't say i ever had it on bread....
Does make roast spuds brilliant though.

Believe it or not it is also rubbed onto the legs of racehorces apparently it keeps the cold out and stops them going lame. Sure there is a bunch of other things its good for can't remember em now cos im half cut....🙂

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[Dotty]

used to have it when i was kid, on fresh baked bred when it melted into it...uuuuuuuuhm 😉 that brings memories back. thank KJ. gonna have to get some now, heh

Years ago when you got proper dripping you got a jelly with crunchy meat bits at the bottom of it. Now that was handsome on toast!

 

[SimonG]

Pork dripping on bread with a sprinkle of salt

 

[kay-jay]

Pork dripping on bread with a sprinkle of salt

Gotta be beef. Gotta be toast

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[SimonG]

Gotta be beef. Gotta be toast

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Never tried that, I'll add it to my list.

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

sooooo hungry now, stop it 😀

 

[Dotty]

Never tried that, I'll add it to my list.

Both drippings got mixed in our house. Full scale battles occurred when there was enough for a slice of toast!

 

[leethegasman]

:santa1:I love christmas goose fat and all but most of all the two weeks i take off, but i can see where the secret squirrel is comming from but if i get to the point where i no longer love it i will join the humbug club with him but a few years yet hopfully

 

[zzzjim]

Its a time of rest and thought ,
Why is the traffic so bad
Why are the shelves so empty
Why has supply / demand raised prices
( So the younger ones can have some magic)

And Goose FAT on my roast tatties - Magic

 

[petercj]

Ar’goose is getting fatter
Little green pens are all out
But does that really matter
When the checking screen tells you they’ve sold out
of catalogue number 756/43496
Oh sod it!, you shout!

 

[greyhound]

SS sums it up for me. Thanks Peter made me smile. Just hope the phone rings.