christmas

[Charlotte]

Now, I know a lot of people who post on here don't have any great love for the most commercial of all consumerist festivals that is approaching us. It's all spending money on crap that other people don't really want, and binging and gorging on food and drink that you wouldn't normally bother with (advocaat? sprouts?), and watching a ton of shit tv whilst ignoring all the smelly incontinent old relatives who have come round to fall asleep in front of the queen's speech after dinner. Or bla di bla mass hypocrisy supposed to be a religious festival all the rest of it.

So, all that shit aside, what are people up to over the festive season? What are you hoping to get from your family/friends/significant other? Any presents that you've bought for someone else that you're especially proud of (I understand you might not be able to reveal the details this side of the 25th)?

All I really want is to get through to next year without the world imploding. All the rest is just fluff There'll be some nice food on the 25th, and a fair bit of booze. There's going to be lots of opportunities to catch up with old friends, some who I haven't seen for a while. And I'm looking forward to the time off work.

[Wayne]

My family are going out for Christmas dinner this year. I'm staying in with the cat. I'm ending ALL participation with this awful occasion.

[Dan]

I actually don't mind Christmas. Of course I've no love for all the consumerist and religious bullshit, but I'm a big fan of food and gorging! My family aren't one who tend to get together for xmas, nor are they big drinkers so we avoid the hassle that I imagine a lot of families suffer at this time of year. It's just my parents, sister, and now unfortunately only my grandad, who I get along with really well - so I really don't mind it. I tend to just eat my food, and go and listen to music or watch films whilst everyone else watches ET, and sometimes go and get drunk with Matt - which probably won't happen this year now he has a family.

[povey]

I really dislike Christmas,

It stems from my mom's disappointing memories of xmas growing up. My grandad was a Royal Engineer and was in Burma the majorty of her childhood and when he finally came back he passed away when she was 17 or 18.

She has always tried to make it up for me and my sister,which whilst I am grateful for what she tried to do it has always made me feel awkward.

With all the bad memories out of the way.

I am pretty lucky to have folks like mine they are super supportive in everything I do and take an active intrest to boot. So I am just happy we are all together. Simple

Christmas dinner with the folks is the most important for me and always will be.

Xmas day is usually spent hungover from going drinking with my buddies the night before and eating food

My sister will come over with my brother in law on Boxing day and as usual mine and my dads favourite day a plate full of sarnies,beers and watching the cricket, A Povey tradition.

31st - No bloody idea at all.

I've got my dad the final widsen (Its a Cricket Almanack released every year) that my dad needs to complete his collection 1954 - 2009. He stopped buying them in 1981 when I was born and as you can imagine they are pretty collectable for cricket buffs. (1954 was when he was born)

So its been hard work tracking them all down and to get the final one he needs he will be stoked

[Nickyboi]

As I now work full-time, I love Christmas. Guaranteed time off is not to be sniffed at; plus, I've now convinced my mum to finally pack it in with turkey and get a nice bit of ham or beef - superlative gorging meats. The other thing for me is that it's nice to be able to go and see my folks for a few days, too.

Present-wise, not a lot going on this year. Jess has had access to my amazon wishlist for a while now, so I'll either be getting an ice-cream maker or a few CDs, but we're both spending a lot of money on solicitors' fees and the arrangement fee for the mortgage, plus it'll be expensive to actually move house and then we'll probably need to launch an offensive on Ikea, too (which incidentally is fantastic - free coffee refills, Dime cake, miniature pencils, what's not to love?).

I'm just looking forward to the 11 days off I'll have, as it represents the longest break I've had since I finished university I think.

[Charlotte]

Ikea is a portal to hell on earth. I really dislike it there. Apart from the swedish meatballs, which are very pleasing indeed.

I'm finding it very hard to get enthused about christmas this year. Normally I at least manage a bit of excitement, but this year it's not really happening for me. At least I've got Luke's presents bought, though obviously I'm not going to mention what they are here! Must also remember to order the meat for christmas day - we decided that turkey was tedious, so I declared that we would have wild boar instead.

Pove - sounds like your dad's present is pretty damn cool, really thoughtful as well.

[Nickyboi]

Wild boar sounds awesome.

I think it's hard to be really enthused about Christmas when you're an adult; it's not like people are forming an orderly queue to shower me with gifts these days, plus when you're a kid you're reliant on being given presents because all you can afford is the latest edition of Shoot! and some football stickers, whereas now I can afford most of the things I want for myself. So I just look for the appeal elsewhere - the free time off, being able to see my parents, that sort of thing.

Also, disliking Ikea is totally false. Going there is like walking around some sort of weird, mad house with an infinite number of open-plan bedrooms.

[povey]

Dec 14, 2009 11:40:11 GMT -5 Nickyboi said:

Also, disliking Ikea is totally false. Going there is like walking around some sort of weird, mad house with an infinite number of open-plan bedrooms.

Haha my mom and dad went there in September my mom was like a kid in a candy store, my dad however has the same attitude to shopping as me finding what you need and getting the fuck out of there.

Poor dad was there for 4hrs I took the piss when I found out.

[Billy]

I really enjoy Christmas, and I think people who don't are miserable bastards! However, this year the lure of double-pay overtime is too much to resist and I'll be working all through Christmas. I shall however be enjoying a nice Christmas Day evening dinner with some friends!

The thing I'm looking forward to most however is going to Austria just before Christmas, which is kind of my present to myself.

I understand the dislike for turkey, but that's because it's almost invariably awfully cooked and ends up dry; if you cook it carefully it can be a fantastic meat with a beautiful delicate flavour. Having ham or beef instead is sinful. Wild boar on the other hand....

And yes, I suspend my piscatarianism for Christmas, so shoot me...

[Dan]

I can't say that I've ever had a well cooked turkey. I have nothing against it, but in comparison to Chicken and Lamb (my two favourite foods) it is a bit dull.

[Nickyboi]

Well-cooked turkey is inferior to well-cooked chicken. Plus, ham is a very traditional Christmas meat.

But you can't beat rare rib of beef with Yorkshire puddings.

[povey]

Dec 14, 2009 13:13:39 GMT -5 Billy said:

However, this year the lure of double-pay overtime is too much to resist and I'll be working all through Christmas..

Haha fair play.

I am perfectly sure you will be earning all that double pay to dude, due to the amount of domestics the true meaning of christmas was lost on me.


I am actually looking forward to working over the xmas period for the first time in 7 years.

[Evilluke]

Christmas in a commercial sense sucks, but I love the fact that its a time to get together with your friends and family. I love buying presents at Christmas, giving something good is truly a gift to yourself, if that makes sense!
Therefore I'm going to spend the day playing music and drinking in the company of those who are important to me, punctuated only to cook the aforesaid wild boar.

[povey]

Dec 14, 2009 11:00:25 GMT -5 Charlotte said:

Pove - sounds like your dad's present is pretty damn cool, really thoughtful as well.

Yeah it was pretty fun hunting it down and pretty epic whilst its not a British print, it is a Austrailian edition and has came all the way from a little bookshop in Brisbane.

So it has a nice little story attached to it. I just hope the DHL man delivers it this week haha

Like you and Luke said about being a good and thoughtful gift it is very satisfying.

[Charlotte]

I'm not really sure how to cook the boar - couple hours in the oven should do it I hope! Just going to treat it like a joint of pork really

Turkey is a horrendously dull meat to cook - I always have to give it a couple more hours because it's still pink or whatever, and it usually ends up a bit dry because by then I'm shitfaced and have forgotten about it! I could easily forgo the meat side of christmas day and just eat an enormous pile of roasted vegetables instead, smothered in gravy.