General Chat

Libby, that is strange. I was only thinking a couple of days ago that I have had three types of Christmas: As a Child, as a Mum and as A Nana, all much enjoyed. :-D

I love Christmas although the older I get the harder the build up becomes. The Day itself I thoroughly enjoy.

These days I feel like it's my third time around. The first being my own memories as a child. My lovely Mum and Dad always gave us great Christmas's although they probably did without themselves an awful lot because I know money was tight.

The second time was with my own children, feel like I got an extra shot at it because my youngest is 12 and 13 years younger than my older two.

My daughter and I now live with my youngest son and his gorgeous 4 year old daughter. Now my third time around.

Since we moved to Conwy in 1995 Christmas Eve is my favourite time. Early evening the local children for miles around meet up in the Square for a candlelit Carole service followed by their candle parade to the Castle. Here sweets and fruit are handed out to the children. Then wonder of wonders .... Santa arrives on the Castle walls. After reading out the children's letters he had received via special post boxes dotted aound the area during December he wishes them a Happy Christmas and says he will do his best to leave the presents they have asked for but not to be too disappointed if he doesn't succeed because he can't always make everything.

I never tire of the looks of wonder on the kiddies faces, even the older children love it.

Magic

Well I'm a believer but I don't like Christmas. Nothing to do with the faith aspect at all, just that my daughter has asperger's and it's a nightmare at times.


Folk with autism can't cope with changes to their routine and the hype that goes on. We've had some right royal ding dongs over the festive season I can tell you!


I've seen lots of advice from various autism sites about how to help children and people with this condition and it takes quite a bit of thought to make it work.


Also, her birthday is at the end of December and then we have New Year's Eve so.......arrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhh ..... it's all too much for her (and me).


I just love 6th January when it's all over...... :-D :-D :-D

If I get the time I enjoy it as much as I can,other than that its just routine.**M**.

Sorry to hear that you, like Ann find it a hard time Linda. I suspect it is the excitement and anticipation of other people that makes you feel sad. Enjoy the day though and remember the good times.

Like Ann not the same since OH died, wish I could go to bed in Nov and sleep through to Jan, I've got a friend who feels the same way, I'm alright on the day though I think its just the lead up, I just say to myself its just one day out of 365

My Mum loved Christmas with all her family round her, when she was unable to cater for it we took it in turn to do so, this will be the fifth one since see died.
There are now too many of us to gather together in any one of our homes, our children have families of their own, so our family is now celebrating Christmas in 5 locations many miles apart. Though those miles separate us we will all talk to each other via phone on Christmas morning.
I will be meeting up with my sisters & their partners for a pre Christmas meal next Saturday in the village where we were born, after which we will all go up to the churchyard to put flowers/holly wreaths on our family graves. This year there will be another member of our extended family there, as we bury the last of the older generation, our aunt, on Friday. As we all get older it is always on our minds that it could be the last time that we are all together round one table or able to gather at our parent’s grave.
There will be nonstop chatter as we look across the village green to the house where we shared many happy Christmases. Sometimes we are joined by childhood friends & remember the Christmases of our childhoods 60 years ago, school nativity plays & Carol singing round the village with the choir master, who would have a bag of victory V lozenges which he had broken into small pieces to pass round.
We have happy Christmas memories & have all attempted to make it a happy time for our children even on the hard years when money was tight; they in turn are doing the same for their children. Some of our partners do not have happy childhood memories of Christmas’s, but by sharing ours over the years now look on it as a happy time.
I believe that it is the past Christmas experiences that influence the way we look at this time of the year & can understand why they dread this time as it can be so very lonely without family & friends around you.
Our local Salvation Army, like all those around the country will be asking for volunteers to help prepare a hot meal for the homeless on Christmas Day & also for warm clothing/footwear to give as gifts. If you can help this good cause please do, it will cost you nothing but a little of your time.

wisechild, i am so glad many people do still enjoy christmas like i used to do. but things in life change and its never the same. will put the tree up, i will be happy in my own little way....

I can confirm that the magic of Christmas is alive and well :-D

I watched the opera singing duo Jonathan & Charlotte and Centre for Young Musicians Choir, next to the tree in Trafalgar Square yesterday, that was magical, beautiful carols were sung, loved it.



:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

I agree Jean.
Think I went off the idea when I realised that the "magic of Christmas" was just a myth.

i used to love christmas when my children were small, that was many years ago. its not the same now, the magic has gone. will be glad when its over and done with to be honest...

i just LOVE christmas, everything about it is amazing, even the christmas fights over the lights, and buying to much, n all that stress and build up, eeek!!!

im going out to choose my tree tomorow and i cant wait!!!!

oh as for beliving well obviously i know santas real, but jesus n all that malarky, well its a nice story, but i feel thats all it is,

I remember my first married Xmas in 1979. We were absolutely broke, but made sure our daughter didn't go without (it was my second mariage).
I'd been feeling annoyed, as hubby had kept asking for small sums of money, for people's leaving do's etc., in the weeks prior to Xmas. We can do without that, I thought.
On Xmas morning, he presented me with a pile of presents - all bought with the money for the "leaving do's".
Bless him <3

My ex & I always had our most spectacular rows over the Christmas period, starting when he bought me 4 egg cups & a magnifying mirror when we had been married for about 6 years.
I know we were hard up, but honestly :-( :-( :-(
I have always hated New Year & now Christmas just brings back bad memories, even though I go through the motions of a traditional day.
It´s just me & my hubby, who doesn´t celebrate Christmas but saves himself for 12th night, which means even less to me.

I love it but OH hates it now the kids have grown up and gone and says not to make a fuss. :-( :-(

Morning Everyone.
I love every last Gawd damn last minute of it, and would be very miffed if I missed it, for whatever reason.
Long before December looms, I start making lists. Presents, food, who is going to who, what orders have to be put into butchers etc.
This year, I started making my presents in June, I have alot to get through, and sometimes have to have spells away from home, so I like to get a head start.
Then at the beggining of December, I start getting any presents I am not making, one at a time, to spread the cost.
By this time I have also decided on what we are having, and start menu planning, and making sure I have all those 'little bits' that go to make the whole. Baking starts, aswell as mincemeat making. Christmas cake feeding is also stepped up. I ask daughters if I can make anything for their households, as they are very busy people. And so it goes on.
For me Christmas is a 'magical' time, and I would not have it any other way. The first Christmas after my mother died was sad, but because of the young children in the family, we all 'rallied' and made it a happy time for them.
All in all, yes I love Christmas, every last minute of it, but, am aware of what it symbolises. But I do hate the commercialism of it. I honestly think the shopping conglomorates make more than enough profit during the year, and it is time they gave something back to their faithfull shoppers for their loyalty during the rest of the year, instead of milking them to the last, squeezing every last drop of money out of them, that thay can.

Julia in Derbyshire

I love Xmas, always have in both the northern and southern hemisphere.
We spend the day at the beach. The kids get up and check out there prezzies then we head out to the deck to see Santa as he whips around the settlement on a fire engine throwing sweets. We then have a big breakfast and head down to the beach to play with the new toys. And have a swim I am a bit nervous about our first year without dad But as you said Lynda he wouldn't want us up be sad so we will shed a few tears then raise a glass to him.
Only hope no one has a baby. Christmas babies may be amusing to there families but they are a bloody nuisance to midwives :-|

Off to London to see a concert at Trafalgar Square, and to see the tree, am I excited?you bet, have a good day everyone :-D

Joan......sounds like a lovely Xmas to me :-D

Sylvia.....How sad for your dad....it must have been upsetting as a child not to receive any gifts at all. You will have to spoil him this year!

I'm not too keen on it - but arrange my annual leave to have as much time off for as little leave as possible :-D

My children (29 &32) love it, but it's difficult to convince them that I'm quite happy at home alone. I prefer the summer family get togethers.

Youngest is going to her dads for Christmas, and eldest is determined I go to hers. As I don't drive, it means either daughter or son in law can't drink, as I like to sleep in my own house.

I'm looking after my grandchildren tomorrow, so will get the ancient moth eaten fake tree & decorations down from the attic, so they can decorate it, then Ithe joy of taking it down on boxing day.

Gosh I sound like a right old Bah humbug - but we had good Christmases when the girls were young

:-D :-D