What's your plans for Christmas?

RobertKK

Maybe midnight mass, then get up in the morning milk the cows, feed the calves, make sure they all have enough feed and their bedding is fine. Then change visit the sisters get dinner, give presents, spend a while there, return, will only milk the cows once that day, but the calves will need to be fed.
Then when finished work, relax watch TV, watch some NBA maybe a movie, then bed.

Lau2976

I'll be heading to my parents to eat and relax like every year. This'll be the 3rd christmas without one of my sisters and she was the full of christmas spirit jump around at 5 am type so well get out if bed at 7. My parents will head to her grave about 1ish while we get the veg ready and then flop around the rest of the day.

Oh and my dad might head to mass if he's in the mood.

We do a pretty similar meal type affair the last day of hannuke too so I get two days

Stheno

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Drink stupidly expensive brandy. Make a balls of making the dinner. Pick at the dinner at give most to the dog. Drink more stupidly expensive brandy. Go to bed.

I love Christmas

Here are you not sending me the brandy??????

PandaPoo

Christmas day I'm having the in laws over and cooking Christmas dinner for the first time. I'm really looking forward to it, it's our daughter's first Christmas and our son is at the peak santa age! Dying with excitement

We've had some really bad news and I've lost two aunts recently so I'm just going to enjoy what I have while I have it.

Spanish Eyes

Lau2976 wrote: »

I'll be heading to my parents to eat and relax like every year. This'll be the 3rd christmas without one of my sisters and she was the full of christmas spirit jump around at 5 am type so well get out if bed at 7. My parents will head to her grave about 1ish while we get the veg ready and then flop around the rest of the day.

Oh and my dad might head to mass if he's in the mood.

We do a pretty similar meal type affair the last day of hannuke too so I get two days

Second without my beloved sister too. I feel for you. She was the life and soul of every party and a great singer too, not like the rest of us!

No matter how happy we feel, it is always there. My sympathies.

Geoffrey Dalton

Write some poetry.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Witchie

Was on the phone with my mammy in Florida a little while ago and very little conversation was had as we were both so busy squealing with excitement that she is leaving there tomorrow to come home.

EEEEEEEKKKKKKK!

Spanish Eyes

Geoffrey Dalton wrote: »

Write some poetry.

Late Fragment by Raymond Carver.


And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so?

I did.

And what did you want?

To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth

Ciderswigger

My dad passed away in January so this is our first Christmas in 7 years that we won't be going to see him in the nursing home after our dinner. It'll be a weird day because we'll be starting a new routine and no doubt I'll be at a loss during the time that I'm usually with him. But it won't be a sad day, we had enough of them. We'll open our presents at about 7pm like always and then eat a huge helping of the leftovers between two chunks of bread, drink hot ports and play The Game Of Life.

Witchie

Ciderswigger wrote: »

My dad passed away in January so this is our first Christmas in 7 years that we won't be going to see him in the nursing home after our dinner. It'll be a weird day because we'll be starting a new routine and no doubt I'll be at a loss during the time that I'm usually with him. But it won't be a sad day, we had enough of them. We'll open our presents at about 7pm like always and then eat a huge helping of the leftovers between two chunks of bread, drink hot ports and play The Game Of Life.

Sorry to hear about your dad but excuse me.....what the f is wrong with you? Leaving presents until 7?!!!! Jaysus!

Ciderswigger

Witchie wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your dad but excuse me.....what the f is wrong with you? Leaving presents until 7?!!!! Jaysus!

We used to go see him at about 3 and come back at 6ish. When we did the presents early in the day we were all on a downer by 6.30 cos it was usually a tough visit. We changed it to opening the presents later so that we had something to enjoy/look forward to in the evenings. The routine stuck all those years and we're gonna keep doing it. It stretches out the excitement.

Dave_The_Sheep

I have 2 weeks off, starting Friday 18th. Back Monday 3rd.

I have my shopping finished. So I plan on spending my time playing computer games, drinking, going to the gym and visiting relatives\friends.

Christmas Eve with my parents, my sister, her ex-boyfriend, my girlfriend. Food, drink, cards.
Christmas Day with my parents and sister. Food, drink. Sleep.
Having my extended family over to my new place for the first time for a meal sometime that week.
Have a few friends over for a mass game of Civ 5 sometime that week.
New years with the girlfriend and her family.

Pretty relaxed all in all, bar the extended family dinner for about 20 I've to cook. Two slow cookers should help though.

Witchie

Ciderswigger wrote: »

We used to go see him at about 3 and come back at 6ish. When we did the presents early in the day we were all on a downer by 6.30 cos it was usually a tough visit. We changed it to opening the presents later so that we had something to enjoy/look forward to in the evenings. The routine stuck all those years and we're gonna keep doing it. It stretches out the excitement.

I understand but I would have burst with excitement by then. Not for me opening presents, but watching the others. I couldn't do that.

Ciderswigger

Witchie wrote: »

I understand but I would have burst with excitement by then. Not for me opening presents, but watching the others. I couldn't do that.

After 7 years you get used to it!!! It's like a second wind, the excitement starts all over again. And I'm the same, love watching everyone opening their presents!

Witchie

Ciderswigger wrote: »

After 7 years you get used to it!!! It's like a second wind, the excitement starts all over again. And I'm the same, love watching everyone opening their presents!

We have a policy of only one present gets opened at a time and when the person is finished ooohing and ahhing over it the next person gets to open one and so on.

Ciderswigger

Witchie wrote: »

We have a policy of only one present gets opened at a time and when the person is finished ooohing and ahhing over it the next person gets to open one and so on.

Us too!! It's the best way. I hate when everyone opens it all together and there's this whole 'Oh show me. What did you get? Who's this from?' afterwards.

Witchie

Exactly.....organised chaos is the best kinda chaos.

kellyshell

Finish work 23rd and not back till the 4th.

My house this yr is Santas workshop so will be helping with deliveries Xmas eve. Down to mammy for the dinner Xmas day, Stephen's day and the Sunday! Lots of food and will have couple of nice bottles of red stashed for evenings with movies.

Monday 28th is my day for Season 6 of Walking dead and junk food..............phone turned off and talk to no one. Rest of the time will be visiting, small bit of shopping and nights out!

Cannot wait for the time off!

c_man

Finishing work and flying home next Tuesday. Looking forward to seeing everyone, few pints here and there too I assume. And boom, it'll be the January blues before you know it!

kfallon

P_1 wrote: »

Half tempted to go for a day of Netflix and junkfood but certainly it isn't worth the fallout for not showing up.

Would many places deliver on Christmas Day? Or you just planning on stocking up before the day itself?

Medusa22

Last year I went to Germany with the OH to spend Christmas with her family, and the years before that we lived in Dublin and came down to Cork to spend Christmas with my family. This year we're living in Cork so we don't have to do any travelling!

We'll just call over to my parents on Christmas morning and myself and the OH will help my mum with the Christmas dinner and my sister might get up and show her face around noon so then we'll start opening presents. Usually when I stayed over we'd have a fry up in the morning so I think I'll cook a fry for myself and the OH at home.

After we open presents and look at what everyone got, I usually eat a whole chocolate santa to myself and start having a couple of drinks, then my Grandparents come over (though this year is the first without my Granny) and we have Christmas dinner together. Then it's time for more drinks and my parents and Grandparents watch a bit of tv and usually I play board games with my sister and OH and we get drunk and eat rubbish.

This year though we'll be going back to our own apartment with a good bit of ham and turkey for our cat and then we'll roll into bed. I absolutely love Christmas, it's my favourite time of the year

I never do much on Christmas eve or St Stephen's day, I might go for a drink with a friend of mine on Christmas eve and exchange presents.

Autonomous Cowherd

Christmas is really the only time of the year now when my 3 young adult children are all home at the same time...I miss them an awful lot, so have been getting the place ready for them, and can't wait till they are all here arguing We have a vegetarian Christmas dinner and watch movies from a projector onto a big screen we make out of tent poles and a white duvet cover...it works really well! We also invite an oul fella who lives up the road to come here for the dinner, even though he is grumpy and domineering, disdains vegetarian food, and drives my husband mad. But still, you could not have him on his own for Christmas. It works out grand. I hope to do a lot of walking and watching movies over the holidays.

Diamond Doll

I'll sit and sob about the fact that my son is spending his Christmas apart from me. I'll just be very sad. He's not even two, it's very sad that we can't be together.

He'll probably have a great time though. With his dad and his dad's family. So I'm happy for him.

Maybe next Christmas will be better. Who knows.

c_man

Diamond Doll wrote: »

Maybe next Christmas will be better. Who knows.

Hopefully. It must be tough though. Will you be spending the day with anyone?

Diamond Doll

c_man wrote: »

Hopefully. It must be tough though. Will you be spending the day with anyone?

I've a very lovely family, but I think I'd feel like I was imposing on them if I'm there. On the other hand, they'll worry if I'm not there. But no ... I'll probably wallow at home alone in self-pity.

I do get a full week with my boy after Christmas though. It's all that's keeping me alive right now.

c_man

Diamond Doll wrote: »

I do get a full week with my boy after Christmas though. It's all that's keeping me alive right now.

Glad to hear it.


And sure on the day itself, well boards is always here :pac:

minikin

Trying to give my daughter a good Christmas, that I hope she'll remember, before I have to move out of our home.

Lucyfur

My mum comes and stays with us for a few days. Her partner is coming this year too And their doggies. So this year there will be 5 peoples and 5 animals \0/ The adults swap presents on Christmas Eve night. My teenager very much wants to be part of this. Not. A. Hope. Santy will be coming to him and will continue to do so until he has kids himself

RayM

Diamond Doll wrote: »

I've a very lovely family, but I think I'd feel like I was imposing on them if I'm there. On the other hand, they'll worry if I'm not there. But no ... I'll probably wallow at home alone in self-pity.

I do get a full week with my boy after Christmas though. It's all that's keeping me alive right now.

I can understand why you'd feel you were imposing on them, but I bet you wouldn't actually be. It could be a nice distraction for the day.

Manach

Mass, meet with family, and watch Dr. Who Special.

Diamond Doll

RayM wrote: »

I can understand why you'd feel you were imposing on them, but I bet you wouldn't actually be. It could be a nice distraction for the day.

Ah yeah, but they would only be wishing my son was there too. And the reason he's not there is that I couldn't be an adult and stay in the relationship with their grandson's dad. And I'm a failure at life etc.

Yup, there are issues there! On my side rather than theirs.

bodhrandude

Off to Malaga on the 28th December and back on 11th January, bring it on woo hoo, will probably be in Cork and Ennis around Xmas day or thereabouts.

Mesrine65

Drink, weed, feed...that is all

Pac1Man

Staying over at the parents for a few days. Grandparents will be up for dinner.

I have a granny who will not stop talking about random BS. At all. Ever. As always, my father will spike her drink with white wine and stick her in front of a raging fire to try and put her to sleep.

"This 7Up is a funny colour."

"I've just put a drop of lime into it, ye know, for Christmas like."

"Oh you can really taste the lime off it."

"Yes yes. Drink up."

I'll be binging on a boxset of Twin Peaks which I've never seen before. Should be good.

the_sonandmoon

Christmas Eve: Mooch around town picking up last minute bits and bobs, bumping into people you only see this time of year. Then back to mine for champagne and nibbles for anyone who feels like popping in. Then down to the local to catch up with the gang.

Christmas Day: Myself and the hubby will exchange pressies, and watch some cartoons, in the morning. Then out to his parents, and their neighbours, for Christmas visiting. Back to my folks house, with a walk on the prom en route. Usually my brother and his family spend this time with his in-laws, and my sister and her family are in her in-laws with my folks, so when we get to my parents house, myself and my husband will get started on the starters (our contribution to the Christmas dinner), and any other outstanding dinner jobs. Usually we would be dogging into the baileys and bubbles at this stage, but this year, he will have to do the drinking for the 2 of us, as Ill be almost 12 weeks pregnant. Eventually all the family, with 6 kids 9 adults and 2 dogs, will get to my parents. We will then all do presents - mostly for the kids, but even though we always say we wont, the adults usually end up buying presents for each other too. Then dinner with my 2 brothers, sister, mum, dad, husband, brother in law and sister in law (kids eat in the kitchen to fit everyone in)- that's the entire family. Then later, sing Christmas carols and play board games, watch the kids go mental with sugar and excitement, while the adults slowly get drunk!

Stephens Day: Party with aunts and uncles, in laws and anyone else who fancies it, in my parents house - sit down dinner where everyone brings their leftovers and they all get used up and out of the way. Followed by more singing, excited kids and drunk grown-ups.

My brother came home from the states this morning, so Christmas starts today!

Pac1Man

That sounds amazing sonandmoon! Kind of puts a dampener on my story about spiking my granny.

the_sonandmoon

Pac1Man wrote: »

That sounds amazing sonandmoon! Kind of puts a dampener on my story about spiking my granny.

I love your story about spiking your granny. I picture her slurring her words and raving about the difference a bit of 7up makes.

HiGlo

Torricelli wrote: »

So, good folk of AH, whats your itinerary for Christmas?

Well, seeing as you asked...........



I'm flying to Sydney about 48hrs time and spending 3 weeks there.....

I'll be having Christmas in 30 odd degree heat. Might even slap on the barbie...
Can't wait! This will be my second Christmas in Oz...

c_man

Those of you who go to mass/church, when do ye go? We usually go on Christmas Eve, it's nice and peaceful. Usually walk to and fro if it's not raining, well entitled to some drinks and grub afterwards!

c_man

c_man wrote: »

Those of you who go to mass/church, when do ye go? We usually go on Christmas Eve, it's nice and peaceful. Usually walk to and fro if it's not raining, well entitled to some drinks and grub afterwards!

We almost always go on Christmas Eve something nicer about the atmosphere always I find. Also handy as we pop into the local for a few pints on the way home.

We open our presents on Christmas Eve too (even Santa used to come Christmas Eve when we were young) so it's nearly bigger than Christmas Day in our house.

c_man

Evelynn Full Torpedo wrote: »

We open our presents on Christmas Eve too (even Santa used to come Christmas Eve when we were young)

Ah yes, I remember that being the case for my cousins in the countryside. Explained to me at the time that Santa reached there a bit earlier since we were further south

the_sonandmoon

Evelynn Full Torpedo wrote: »

We open our presents on Christmas Eve too (even Santa used to come Christmas Eve when we were young) so it's nearly bigger than Christmas Day in our house.

Santa came to our neighbours across the road while they were at midnight mass on Christmas eve. But he didn't come near our house till 4am on Christmas morning (that was the earliest we were allowed get up and wake the house). My dad explained that that was because the Big Man started his journey on our street (obviously the centre of the universe), and made his way all around the world, visiting every single child, finishing up in our house, before returning to the North Pole. It made total sense because of time zones(!!).

My dad had an answer for any Santa confusion, he still believes to this day, keeping the same magic alive for all his adoring grandchildren (bless)!

c_man

c_man wrote: »

Ah yes, I remember that being the case for my cousins in the countryside. Explained to me at the time that Santa reached there a bit earlier since we were further south

My mother often works Christmas day and would be gone early in the morning which is the reason we did Santa and still do presents Christmas eve so she would be there for it.

My parents used to just distract us and set rules like you are only allowed to check the bedrooms every 5 mins or whatever that would give them a chance to get the stuff out.

It used to be late though after 10pm so we were the opposite to most kids who went to bed early Christmas eve. It was easy to sell a story then too as other kids would be in bed so could easily have got their presents from santa around the same time he came to us. Because of this christmas morning was never a big deal in our house and we would usually sleep in rather than being up early.

redbel05

Been making the Christmas dinner for the family and friends since I was 12, just over a decade and a half now. But the main difference this year is that the number of people has gone up again and I will be spending the evening calling around to some of the elderly neighbors in the area making sure they have a dinner and a bit of Christmas cheer.

Boxing day is my time for the couch. I always enjoy the relaxation more after the intensity of Christmas day.