Everything to do with XMAS!

[Bob Maxey]

SORRY GANG. I posted the image and I crashed IE. Looked for the post and it was not there. So I posted again and apparently, my post was doubled. Deleted both, Opera closed, visited the thread and no post. Posted it a third time, and I got three posts.

Bob is once again sorry. I see everything is fine, enjoy the image.

 

[Bob Maxey]

Santa? Please bring me an IPF handbook so I can learn to post like the grown-ups.

And a puppy would be nice.

 

[leelai]

Santa? Please bring me an IPF handbook so I can learn to post like the grown-ups.

And a puppy would be nice.

It's okay Bob, I thought it was another of your clever and zany ways of making a point. Poor child, he must be scarred for life!

 

[Bob Maxey]

It's okay Bob, I thought it was another of your clever and zany ways of making a point. Poor child, he must be scarred for life!

LOL . . . trust me on this: I am scarred for life but not from the IPF, I'll tell you what. Someone said I sounded like Hank Hill. At least it is not Boomhauer (SP?). Anyway, thats about it.

 

[ipadbraincell]

Cigar smoke triggers thoughts of christmas, in me

As a kid my Dad (RIP) used to always smoke a castella cigar on Xmas Eve, and another Xmas night.

Then we go by train to watch Millwall who always seemed to play at 'home' at the Old Den on Boxing Day. His brother would also be there, where they would smoke Tom Thumbs cigars nothing shortbof a ritual.

I used to enjoy the hilarious but good natured banter shouted from the terraces, more than the football tbh.

No hooligans fighting back then, always seemed one guy could make himself heard clear as a bell all over the stadium, even cracked up the referee with his comments, great times.

He would not smoke cigars at any other time, not even on his birthday.

 

[leelai]

It's a wonderful thing that a smell, or tune or sometimes just a certain type of day can transport us back to other nostalgic times.

 

[Hayles66]

Wow! Snap! My dad used to smoke hamlet cigars at Xmas. Only at Xmas. Never smoked any other time. We used to give him cigars and chocolate Brazil's as they were his two favourite things at Xmas time. He also liked pickled walnuts. I'd forgotten that. Thanks for reminding me. I don't know if he still smokes them though because we spend Xmas at home with my own kids now. We got so bogged down with who to visit at Xmas that we just said no and spent it with just our kids. Special times all.

Sent from my one and only original iPad using iPF

 

[55julie55]

Cannot say I'm a fan of Christmas!
Sorry guys.
Perhaps you can persuade me differently.
All too much ,cooking ,shopping,spending,etc.........

 

[Hayles66]

Maybe because your whole world revolves around catering for others? It can be a "me" time. I get the kids to make mince pies with me, yes, both teenagers but they still like to make those stars and moon shaped dough for the lids. They still love going to the christingle service and receive the orange with red tape and sweeties. We go to their aunties for nice goodies. I hate cooking, hubby does it, but we still try and do things together where possible. We go for walks to find holly, berries etc... Decorate together. Watch films together. It's not all shopping unless you make it that way. No money in this house so we make the pies, apple sauce, cakes etc... It is still fun.

I suppose it's the feeling you've got to create. They love playing games, quizzes etc...

Sent from my one and only original iPad using iPF

 

[ipadbraincell]

The smell of model trains also has christmas memories, we were never rich but never hungry either, one family ritual was to go to a store in high holborn called Gamages,

every year they had a complete floor covered in fabulous toys and model train layouts. We could never buy anything it was where we bought our school shoes, caps and so on, but we used to gawp and wish for hours.

When i was 7 i got a simple Triang Train set for my birthday, 060 tanker and 2 red passenger carriages with an oval single track and a black plastic battery box controller. Sophistication was it had reverse lol! But i was king of the hill.

that Christmas Dad had for once won a small bit back on the pools and i got a 'Queen Elizebeth' engine and Tender. i would not let anyone near it, i literally slept with it under my pillow, and made mum hide it while i was at school or out to stop my dad and older brother playing with it.

My kids had a train set, but not the interest as we also had a commodore 64, so by then the routes if home gaming were taking hold,h my grandkids have xbox's and Wii, playing COD Black Op's to my mind offers nowhere near the imagination or the fun i've had, but i also play games which as i'm 62 they call me the 'cool' grandad - you just can't buy that feeeling .

 

[55julie55]

Possible....
But I've been there and done all that.
I suppose as you get older you just don't want to do want you don't want to do.
I hate spending time with people you don't normally spend time with.
Just because it's Christmas.
People are lunies on the road drinking and parties etc
Boring relies...........boring small talk.........
Gosh I'm sounding like an old grinch.
Better shake myself and step up.
Perhaps I should make an effort this year...........

 

[Hayles66]

We have fun giving ourselves stockings to start with. Even us two old fogies. It's just chocolates, little presents etc... Still fun to open though. We have bucks fizz in the morning, we've learnt not to eat too much before the main meal, we make time to watch the queens speech at 3pm. We make sure to see the comedy program's, Strictly Come Dancing or whatever program we want to see in the evening is set. Usually a music or a Xmas quiz is done in the evening. Hilarious. Family time is precious. They will fly the nest very soon. Eldest is 17.

Sent from my one and only original iPad using iPF

 

[ipadbraincell]

Possible....
But I've been there and done all that.
I suppose as you get older you just don't want to do want you don't want to do.
I hate spending time with people you don't normally spend time with.
Just because it's Christmas.
People are lunies on the road drinking and parties etc
Boring relies...........boring small talk.........
Gosh I'm sounding like an old grinch.
Better shake myself and step up.
Perhaps I should make an effort this year...........

My kids are grown so all our family have their own private Christmas Morning, tbh i get morose not having kids around me to tell silly jokes to and play games. but we usually get together for Christmas Night meal and boxing day - then i'm the biggest kid around .

 

[Kaykaykay]

Cannot say I'm a fan of Christmas!
Sorry guys.
Perhaps you can persuade me differently.
All too much ,cooking ,shopping,spending,etc.........

No cooking, shopping or spending needed unless you choose it.

Cooking: Eat out or at someone else's. Or if you want to host, cook a main dish and invite others to bring a side or dessert. If people want your company, they'll come for that, not just for food.

Shopping: Shop online if you must give gifts, or just exchange token gifts. One thing I've suggested to my family: Just trade ornaments instead of big gifts. The ornaments can be bought or hand-made, but they don't need to cost much, and they have sentimental value year after year, unlike a sweater, gloves or gadget. One of the funniest, free things I've done with friends: Print out pictures of 10 hideous, goofy or otherwise funny things we could've given each other. It involves thought and time, but no money, and the laughs are great.

What I've noticed about some people who hate the holidays: They try to conform to other people's idea of what the day should be. If your idea of a great holiday is a full day of sleep, do that. I skip many family holidays, not because I don't like my family and in-laws, but because I can take only so much noise and togetherness. I go every few years, and it's always great. They seem happy to see me when I do turn up, and if there's a grudge, I'm blissfully ignoring it, lol.

 

[Hayles66]

I love the xmas ornament gift giving kaykaykay! Brilliant idea! I give ornaments to my friend at the local stables where I used to keep my horse. Chocolates are so common that I don't like giving that anymore unless they really love them, of course. Our family is 30+ so we try not to spend too much on each gift otherwise we would bankrupt ourselves in the new year.

Sent from my one and only original iPad using iPF