Pass the mince pies- Christmas Chat Thread Part Deux

iguana

I really hate it too but I guess in a store like Homestore and More, a huge amount of the floor space is dedicated to Christmas decorations and by the last week of December they are largely sold out. So rather than have empty shelves all over, they put all the decorations they are left with together and put the next years stock into the empty space. They probably don't sell very much of it but it's better than having the place look deserted.

freshpopcorn

Of course I prefer the Christmas stock coming in but I get over it as well when it's time for it to move on. I hate when shops that leave stuff lying around months after the event.

Loughc

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Of course I prefer the Christmas stock coming in but I get over it as well when it's time for it to move on. I hate when shops that leave stuff lying around months after the event.

Don’t get me wrong from a business sense I completely get it, but when the stock is gone before Christmas itself it just feels a little soulless.

It’s up there shops opening with St. Stephens Day, I like to think I’m not that old and I can vividly remembering pretty much everywhere being closed Stephens Day.

There’s something magical on Christmas Day when all the shops close, it’s like the world stops for one day to spend time together, Stephens Day used to have that magic too.

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

It’s up there shops opening with St. Stephens Day, I like to think I’m not that old and I can vividly remembering pretty much everywhere being closed Stephens Day.

There’s something magical on Christmas Day when all the shops close, it’s like the world stops for one day to spend time together, Stephens Day used to have that magic too.

Agree 100%.
I've mentioned a few times that I remember when the country more or less shut down for a few days over christmas & it was great, the changes in Stephens day are sadly IMO the start of a slow decline in Christmas as I knew it & I dread (but also suspect it will happen in my lifetime) the shops opening on Christmas day as well... I sincerely hope that doesn't happen though as once that line is crossed theres really no going back.

Toto Wolfcastle

Just switched my out of office off. I don’t start until 9.30 but I thought it was best to get it out of the way.

Loughc

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

Just switched my out of office off. I don’t start until 9.30 but I thought it was best to get it out of the way.

That’s one of the hardest things to do. It gets easier from here.

Toto Wolfcastle

Loughc wrote: »

That’s one of the hardest things to do. It gets easier from here.

Hope so! Texted my boss to let her know I was back and raring to go and she replied and said she wasn’t expecting me until Monday. Glad to be back though. Despite my moaning I do actually love my job.

DvB

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

Just switched my out of office off. I don’t start until 9.30 but I thought it was best to get it out of the way.

Changing my desktop wallpaper back to normal from my 'festive' one was the low point for me on Tuesday... coffee took care of the rest!

bladespin

DvB wrote: »

Changing my desktop wallpaper back to normal from my 'festive' one was the low point for me on Tuesday... coffee took care of the rest!

I have a Christmas countdown wallpaper on my phone all year round, always a god 'pick me up'.

Especially today

Loughc

DvB wrote: »

Changing my desktop wallpaper back to normal from my 'festive' one was the low point for me on Tuesday... coffee took care of the rest!

I still have my festive wallpaper on. It’ll be staying there until Monday morning haha.

Loughc

bladespin wrote: »

I have a Christmas countdown wallpaper on my phone all year round, always a god 'pick me up'.

Especially today

Is this your first day back to work?

CheerLouth

Plus one for my festive wallpaper! I'm thinking I should change it but I also don't want to! Maybe next week!

bladespin

Loughc wrote:

Is this your first day back to work?

Back on Tuesday, spent yesterday dealing with 'emergencies' and riddled with flu today, the joy lol, wish it was Christmas again

Loughc

bladespin wrote: »

Back on Tuesday, spent yesterday dealing with 'emergencies' and riddled with flu today, the joy lol, wish it was Christmas again

Oh no! There is lots of bugs and flu's going around at the moment. Try to rest up as much as you can, and remember tomorrow is Friday!!

I second your wish tho, I'd give anything to have it as Christmas week again.

freshpopcorn

My local paper did a little news review of the big stories in the area in 2017 and it felt like a short year when I think of it. Hopefully 2018 will be the same.

Toto Wolfcastle

I think if you have a festive wallpaper you should wean yourself off it! Something vaguely festive next week and someone that screams spring the following week.

I don't have one but I do have a Christmas phone cover that I'll have to change next week.

Loughc

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

I think if you have a festive wallpaper you should wean yourself off it! Something vaguely festive next week and someone that screams spring the following week.

I don't have one but I do have a Christmas phone cover that I'll have to change next week.

Already with you on that one, I have a wintry wallpaper ready to go for next week. Although last year my wintry one lasted all year haha.

Loughc

freshpopcorn wrote: »

My local paper did a little news review of the big stories in the area in 2017 and it felt like a short year when I think of it. Hopefully 2018 will be the same.

2017 was such a quick year for me half way through it I got married so everything was wedding focused and we had a countdown and we had so much to get done that the time flew by.

Then naturally enough the honeymoon flew by and once we got back I turned my focus on counting down to Christmas.

Although I hate wishing my life away I really hope this is a quick year more so for personal reasons regards house hunting and saving for it etc.

freshpopcorn

Loughc

I only have 229 working days left until my Christmas Holidays 2018. :pac:

\o/

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

Although I hate wishing my life away I really hope this is a quick year more so for personal reasons regards house hunting and saving for it etc.

Have kids!

Trust me, thats no joke, the year absolutely flies by when you structure it around them & their holidays. Ours are 7 in 2 weeks and I can hand on heart say that each & every year has gotten faster since they arrived, its actually scary how quickly the time flies.

Christmas,
Kids birthday,
Paddys Day,
Easter holidays,
Summer holidays,
Back to school,
Halloween,
Christmas again!

Best of luck with the house hunting BTW.
That's a process that'll take up a huge chunk of your year either way.

bladespin

DvB wrote: »

Have kids!

Trust me, thats no joke, the year absolutely flies by when you structure it around them & their holidays.

So agree there, our year breaks down like this:

New years
Anniversary of the day I met mrs spin
Valentines
St. Patrick's day + midterm
Easter +kids hols
Youngest's birhtday
Mrs spin's birthday
School summer hols
Our hols
My birthday
Halloween + more kids hols
Boom back to putting up the tree, throw in stuff like communions/confirmations, competition/events and it goes by in a flash (a little scary now that I'm over 40).

Toto Wolfcastle

Kids or no kids, last year completely flew!

Inspired by Loughc’s posts in the photo thread we decided to go out for a walk this evening. Nice to see the Christmas lights before they’re all gone. Hopefully we’ll keep up the walking a few times a week!

SarahLil

First day back yesterday skeleton crew in work everyone seems to be sick
Off today back in tomorrow, still cleaning the house after taking the tree down glitter everywhere, cleaned my fridge out today still some nice bits left from Christmas that are unopened with good dates on them thank god I hate waste I can certainly say I bought too much
Did the weekly shop today started getting my saving stamps in Dunnes for this Christmas ��
I rambled into Heatons, Dealz and Boots hoping to grab a bargain but nothing left would have been happy with even some ribbons for presents and bows for presents but there was nothing left
Loving the posts of breaking down the year I was feeling really meh at that start of the week they helped me I let a sigh of relief
Loughc you got me thinking about our house when we bought it, time does fly when house hunting best of luck with it
It’s been really cold this week, I’ve gotten out for a walk every day since Sunday with the OH accept Tuesday I’m not being totally good still finishing off goodies but at least we are getting out for walks, it’s nice to leave the phones at home and just get out plus he’s been watching sport nearly every night after the walk
I’m currently in New Pjs getting into a freshly made bed having some chocolate

iguana

Setting up the kitchen tonight for our Twelfthnight breakfast in the morning and it occurred to me that this Christmas season went a lot slower than last years. Last year, I felt like I'd only just decorated for Christmas when I was already setting up for the last day. This year, I feel like it's been Christmas forever, yet weirdly, things that happened in late August feel like they happened about 7 weeks ago.

Perception of time is odd.

Loughc

An interesting fact for ye all, the number one trending app in Ireland on Tuesday the 2nd of January was the lotto app.

I guess we weren’t the only ones dreading heading back to work

CheerLouth

iguana wrote: »

Setting up the kitchen tonight for our Twelfthnight breakfast in the morning

Do you do a special breakfast? Love that idea!

iguana

Yeah, I started last year. It's nice to have a last fun thing to look forward to on the 12th day of Christmas. So I decided our gnome, who brings breakfast the morning before the advent calendars and on Christmas eve should do twelftnight again. He brings a small surprise and then afterwards he and all the stuff he brought throughout December disappear. (Into one organised box so he'll have an easier time bringing it all back next year!)

CheerLouth

That sounds lovely! Might steal that idea next year!

Our year is actually shaping up to be quite busy! We have:

March: Our little boys 1st Birthday Plus a lot of other family birthdays

April: Easter & my birthday

May: My sister's Hen Party

June: Our Summer Holiday

July: Cousins Wedding

August: Our anniversary

September: Mr. CL's birthday & my sisters wedding

December: Three weddings, Christmas & our little girls birthday

Need to try and enjoy the few months that we don't have anything on in & try get a few bits done around the house too!

Loughc

Ive 3 weddings myself this year they always seem to come in batches don’t they!