Apparently it's Christmas.....

JupiterKid

Merry Christmas OP!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY

I’ve had been the tree and decorations up since the middle of October.

randomspud

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Only if people keep harping on about how important it is to spend with other people. Christmas is just another time of the year, it's no more important than May 19th, if you let it. I actually dread Christmas at home, because it's usually full of loud, annoying kids. I don't like kids... And as others have noted, it's dragged out way too long and takes away from the occasion. Like, what other holiday has nearly 2 months of prep?

Same.

The thought of having to spend most of the day with parents making awkward small talk. I'd much rather just drop over and see them for a bit and then go home and do my own thing.

"Lonely" me bollix.

Yamanoto

You get accused of being Scrooge for not being enthusiastically onboard with Christmas in late November or early December. I love Christmas time, which is precisely why I get irked by fcukwits who devalue it, by almost wanting their Turkey in the oven by December 1st.

blueshade

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Only if people keep harping on about how important it is to spend with other people. Christmas is just another time of the year, it's no more important than May 19th, if you let it. I actually dread Christmas at home, because it's usually full of loud, annoying kids. I don't like kids... And as others have noted, it's dragged out way too long and takes away from the occasion. Like, what other holiday has nearly 2 months of prep?

I think the message about spending Christmas with other people is important in the sense that Christmas can be an extremely lonely time for many people, it's also a bit of a peak time for suicide attempts. There's this forced jollity in ads and the message is pushed that Christmas is a lot of people sat around a huge table laden with all kinds of luxuries when for many people it's anything but that. Realistically most of us are a bit selfish and aren't thinking about anyone in our communities who are living alone and might not see anyone at all over Christmas.

blueshade

andekwarhola wrote: »

I always put them up around now cos I like it. The idea that a load of my neckbeard neighbours might be crying on the internet about it is a pleasant bonus. I'll add a few inflatable figures tomorrow.

Yeah, go for it. Those tacky plastic lawn decorations made in sweatshops in developing countries by men women and children will really show how great you are.

blueshade

Peatys wrote: »

What a bunch of miserable neck beards. This time next month it'll all be over. Then ye can all get back to listening to Beck and writing your poetry while drinking buckfast

You OK HUN? You sound like one of the numpties who have the house strewn with Christmas tat in November. There's no need to have Christmas decorations up for 6 or 7 weeks, it shows a very juvenile nature.

Peatys

blueshade wrote: »

Yeah, go for it. Those tacky plastic lawn decorations made in sweatshops in developing countries by men women and children will really show how great you are.

Says the poster on the smartphone

blueshade

Peatys wrote: »

Says the poster on the smartphone

Actually, I'm at home on my laptop and I don't own a smartphone. I'm happy with my under 100 euro phone that I don't use for anything other than calls, texts, lists and photos, not selfies. But feel free to keep on trying. I've nothing against Christmas decorations, I like them because it brightens up a really dreary time of year. What I don't like is seeing Christmas trees and decorations up in people's houses in November.

There's a time and a place and Christmas is in December. All this does is encourage people to spend money they don't have on crap that nobody really wants let alone needs. If someone gives me a gift then I'm obligated to give them a gift and on and on and on it goes.

I see people loaded up with lots of tubs of chocolates, loads of selection boxes and tins of biscuits and it just means that the people who receive them then have to go out and buy more so they can give something back. Utterly pointless commercialism that has nothing to do with the spirit of Christmas. Hell, it's now quite common to not even mention Christmas in case if offends people. Now it's Winterfest or Seasons greetings.

Peatys

Free range laptop?

blueshade

Peatys wrote: »

Free range laptop?

Nope, just a basic phone that doesn't have lots of stuff that I don't need. I don't care about having the latest model with all the bells and whistles. If I had my way I'd still have my old Motorola Razor, I loved that phone.

randomspud

Peatys wrote: »

Says the poster on the smartphone

"How can you criticise manufacturers if you yourself, in fact, use manufactured products yourself? Checkmate, atheists!"

/smugface

Montage of Feck

It's now all about quantity not quality theses days.

Blaizes

blueshade wrote: »

I think the message about spending Christmas with other people is important in the sense that Christmas can be an extremely lonely time for many people, it's also a bit of a peak time for suicide attempts. There's this forced jollity in ads and the message is pushed that Christmas is a lot of people sat around a huge table laden with all kinds of luxuries when for many people it's anything but that. Realistically most of us are a bit selfish and aren't thinking about anyone in our communities who are living alone and might not see anyone at all over Christmas.

I think you nailed it in your phrase ‘ forced jollity’ that’s what it is and then pressure on people to live up to this ideal. Good point too about the suicide attempts at Christmas.Then there are people who feel lonely or there has been a recent bereavement or someone is sick or there is family conflict or economic pressure or other factors. And it definitely goes on way too long ...

Am thinking when we don’t have Santa in our house in a few years that I’d like to try Christmas in the sun think it would be so relaxing and a complete change away from all this hype

whisky_galore

Still November = not Xmas.

However commercial interests will have Xmas starting in November because they want to sell you their sh1t.

blueshade

Blaizes wrote: »

I think you nailed it in your phrase ‘ forced jollity’ that’s what it is and then pressure on people to live up to this ideal. Good point too about the suicide attempts at Christmas.Then there are people who feel lonely or there has been a recent bereavement or someone is sick or there is family conflict or economic pressure or other factors. And it definitely goes on way too long ...

Am thinking when we don’t have Santa in our house in a few years that I’d like to try Christmas in the sun think it would be so relaxing and a complete change away from all this hype

I think that for most people Christmas is just really stressful and for parents it's a massive expense on top of all the other expenses. There's an ideal of Christmas that just isn't real. Christmas shopping isn't something I enjoy, I try to do as much of it as possible online. We all buy a lot of food that we'll end up throwing out in January and we do it without even thinking about it. Do we need box of 24 bags of crisps or will a 6 pack do?

Do we need to buy 3 or 4 tubs of chocolate when 1 nice box might be better? That kind of thing. Then for a lot of people there'll be the annual family rows on the day and that's before we even talk about the cooking. I think that's why the Christmas night Soaps are so popular, we can look at the misery fest and think feck it, as bad as today was it could be worse.:D I think we need to move to a more chilled out relaxed kind of Christmas, less commercialism and more focus on what's important. Often people would be a lot happier to have the gift of our time than something wrapped up in paper and ribbon while we dash off to do more shopping.

Declan A Walsh

Edgware wrote: »

Cant be Christmas. No Shane and Kirsty on the radio yet

I heard Fairytale of New York on Christmas FM yesterday. In one sense, the arrival of Christmas FM puts me in the frame of mind for Christmas.

That said, for me, I would prefer if all the preparation for Christmas was not visible until December 1st at the earliest. November is too early.

blueshade

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

I heard Fairytale of New York on Christmas FM yesterday. In one sense, the arrival of Christmas FM puts me in the frame of mind for Christmas.

That said, for me, I would prefer if all the preparation for Christmas was not visible until December 1st at the earliest. November is too early.

The Christmas movie channels have been available for weeks. I think it starts to early and peaks long before Christmas week.

NIMAN

Apparently it's Xmas cos Ryan Tubridy says so.

Blaizes

blueshade wrote: »

I think that for most people Christmas is just really stressful and for parents it's a massive expense on top of all the other expenses. There's an ideal of Christmas that just isn't real. Christmas shopping isn't something I enjoy, I try to do as much of it as possible online. We all buy a lot of food that we'll end up throwing out in January and we do it without even thinking about it. Do we need box of 24 bags of crisps or will a 6 pack do?

Do we need to buy 3 or 4 tubs of chocolate when 1 nice box might be better? That kind of thing. Then for a lot of people there'll be the annual family rows on the day and that's before we even talk about the cooking. I think that's why the Christmas night Soaps are so popular, we can look at the misery fest and think feck it, as bad as today was it could be worse.:D I think we need to move to a more chilled out relaxed kind of Christmas, less commercialism and more focus on what's important. Often people would be a lot happier to have the gift of our time than something wrapped up in paper and ribbon while we dash off to do more shopping.

Absolutely chilled out Christmas is the way to go.The worst is the shopping even the supermarkets, you’d think people were never going to eat again!

chrissb8

Xmas is anything you want it to be. You can avoid all the annoying excess and spend, spend, spend nature of it if you want. But think of it. Food galore, sitting on your a** with not one responsibility for a week except watching your waistline expand. Throw in some drinks, movies, vid games and binge-worthy tv series and what's not to love.

I get stressed looking at people, particularly parents, who struggle and stress trying to make the idyll xmas. The best tree, decorations galore, the best presents and so much food it won't be gone until March.

Why parents feel the need to curb into their kids ridiculous demands just to "see their little faces light up on xmas morning" is beyond me. Surely one or two great presents, without getting everything, would teach them about the value and that you can't have everything in life so don't expect it. Be happy for what you do get though.

The spirit of Xmas is about slowing down, reflecting on the year and enjoying a much needed winter break. You don't need to break the bank for that and neither should you.

andekwarhola

blueshade wrote: »

Those tacky plastic lawn decorations made in sweatshops in developing countries by men women and children will really show how great you are.

Unlike 80% of the stuff in your house at this very minute which was presumably made by elves in a loving, caring utopian commune?

SusieBlue

blueshade wrote: »

You OK HUN? You sound like one of the numpties who have the house strewn with Christmas tat in November. There's no need to have Christmas decorations up for 6 or 7 weeks, it shows a very juvenile nature.

Even if it was 6 weeks, 6 weeks out of 52 spent celebrating the biggest cultural holiday in our history isn't very much when you put it into perspective.

You'd swear people had their trees up in July with some of the carry on in this thread.

randomspud

chrissb8 wrote: »

Xmas is anything you want it to be. You can avoid all the annoying excess and spend, spend, spend nature of it if you want. But think of it. Food galore, sitting on your a** with not one responsibility for a week except watching your waistline expand. Throw in some drinks, movies, vid games and binge-worthy tv series and what's not to love.

I get stressed looking at people, particularly parents, who struggle and stress trying to make the idyll xmas. The best tree, decorations galore, the best presents and so much food it won't be gone until March.

Why parents feel the need to curb into their kids ridiculous demands just to "see their little faces light up on xmas morning" is beyond me. Surely one or two great presents, without getting everything, would teach them about the value and that you can't have everything in life so don't expect it. Be happy for what you do get though.

The spirit of Xmas is about slowing down, reflecting on the year and enjoying a much needed winter break. You don't need to break the bank for that and neither should you.

Those of us with real jobs get maybe a day or two off around Christmas, if even that.


It's just a pain in the bollix because everything else grinds to a halt.

AlekSmart

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

If you have kids who believe in Santy, fair enough.

There are many who don't and it is a free country last time I looked.

Adults who don't have kids loving Christmas are a bit OTT imv. But whatever, each to their own.

Well done Sénor/Sénorita.........It has to be SANTY ! (With a Y)

Rufeo

I can only get into the Christmas spirit about the week before Christmas.

Anything before.... that just passes me by. If someone wished me a happy Christmas in November, id take a look at them.

blueshade

andekwarhola wrote: »

Unlike 80% of the stuff in your house at this very minute which was presumably made by elves in a loving, caring utopian commune?

I buy good quality things that last for a long time, they aren't replaced because something better comes along, they are replaced when they break. I don't shop in Penneys and I try to buy as much domestically produced stuff as possible. Now if you don't have anything constructive to contribute I suggest you go bitch at someone who cares what you think.

PTH2009

Are Christmas songs cursed ???

Dean Martin and George Michael died on Christmas day
Kirsty MacColl died in tragic circumstances near Christmas
John Lennon was killed on dec 8th

whisky_galore

PTH2009 wrote: »

Are Christmas songs cursed ???

Dean Martin and George Michael died on Christmas day
Kirsty MacColl died in tragic circumstances near Christmas
John Lennon was killed on dec 8th

Let me see...








No. Because curses aren't real.

blueshade

I've heard lots of people wishing each other a Happy Christmas, it's November ffs.

Snow Garden

My christmas tree is up bitches! Wouldn't wanna be ya!

Accepting Cookies

I was wished a happy Black Friday yesterday by someone collecting coins for charity, that was a first. I had no idea what to say! I said thanks and then went away bewildered...

Raconteuse

It's not Christmas but the build-up is part of the overall excitement if you're into it. I love Christmas - this time of year is perfectly reasonable for Christmas prep imo. Any time after Halloween is I think.

Before Halloween it's nonsense though.

NIMAN

PTH2009 wrote: »

Are Christmas songs cursed ???

Dean Martin and George Michael died on Christmas day
Kirsty MacColl died in tragic circumstances near Christmas
John Lennon was killed on dec 8th

No, because there are many more Xmas songs where the singer is still alive or died at another time of the year.

If you want to see a pattern, you will.

NIMAN

PTH2009 wrote: »

Are Christmas songs cursed ???

Dean Martin and George Michael died on Christmas day
Kirsty MacColl died in tragic circumstances near Christmas
John Lennon was killed on dec 8th

No, because there are many more Xmas songs where the singer is still alive or died at another time of the year.

If you want to see a pattern, you will.

JohnnyFlash

Bought 24 cans of Guinness and 24 bags of crisps for €30. Love Christmas.

blueshade

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Bought 24 cans of Guinness and 24 bags of crisps for €30. Love Christmas.

A homemade Advent Calendar?

blueshade

Snow Garden wrote: »

My christmas tree is up bitches! Wouldn't wanna be ya!

Grand Electricity bill next January so.

blueshade

SusieBlue wrote: »

Even if it was 6 weeks, 6 weeks out of 52 spent celebrating the biggest cultural holiday in our history isn't very much when you put it into perspective.

You'd swear people had their trees up in July with some of the carry on in this thread.

We take our tree down on January 6th. If someone puts a Christmas tree up in November and doesn't take it down until January that is a ridiculous amount of time to drag it out. Christmas does not start in November, any adult, especially adults who don't have kids, who put up a tree in November have a seriously immature attitude but are more to be pitied than anything.

Spanish Eyes

Ah feck it, each to their own. Who cares?

Seems to me though that there is a bit of a backlash going on from certain quarters against those who do not buy into the whole fantasy of all this Christmas mullarkey.

Christmas, as many know can be a very emotional and sad time for many. Look at what lies beneath before calling out the Grinches and Scrooges please.

blueshade

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Ah feck it, each to their own. Who cares?

Seems to me though that there is a bit of a backlash going on from certain quarters against those who do not buy into the whole fantasy of all this Christmas mullarkey.

Christmas, as many know can be a very emotional and sad time for many. Look at what lies beneath before calling out the Grinches and Scrooges please.

True. It's a bit of a sad one for us this year with the loss of 2 loved ones earlier in the year, I think that's why I'm not feeling the whole ''magic'' of Christmas thing this year. Maybe it's my mind set this year but the whole 3 ring circus seems to have kicked in even earlier. Still, wishing someone a happy Christmas in November is ridiculous and putting up a Christmas tree in early November is just nonsense. The tree looks great and everything when they're up but after a couple of weeks it's a pain in the backside cleaning around it while it sits there gathering dust. If I could get away with it I wouldn't bother with Christmas this year.

Realtine

From today on I will tolerate Christmas, any thing before today I give out about, usually to myself mind.
Christmas tree will go up in about 10 days time and it comes down just after new years day.
I will now try to contain my spending on shi**e - I like the Christmas season, mostly, especially Christmas Eve, but the day itself
is like, meh.

blueshade

Realtine wrote: »

From today on I will tolerate Christmas, any thing before today I give out about, usually to myself mind.
Christmas tree will go up in about 10 days time and it comes down just after new years day.
I will now try to contain my spending on shi**e - I like the Christmas season, mostly, especially Christmas Eve, but the day itself
is like, meh.

I prefer Christmas Eve and St Stephen's Day, Christmas day is almost always a bit anticlimactic and forced. Be worn out from cooking and rushing about in the week up to it.

Yester

Happy Holidays!

blueshade

Yester wrote: »

Happy Holidays!

Get out....:D

blueshade

Why is it that they only time of year you see that awful brand Lemon's sweets on the shelves is Christmas? Is there really any nostalgia for such vile muck when there's better things on offer?

Declan A Walsh

PTH2009 wrote: »

Are Christmas songs cursed ???

Dean Martin and George Michael died on Christmas day
Kirsty MacColl died in tragic circumstances near Christmas
John Lennon was killed on dec 8th

No, I don't buy that. However it can be a bit of morbid fun to list artistes connected to Christmas songs who died around the Christmas period!

Greg Lake, who is associated this time of the year with I Believe in Father Christmas, died in December 2016. In fact, it was the same year as George Michael.

Rick Parfitt of Status Quo fame also died in December 2016. What has he got to do with Christmas, I hear you say! For starters, he participated in the original Band Aid single Do They Know It's Christmas (as did George Michael for that matter). But, also, Status Quo had a Christmas song entitled It's Christmas Time, which is regularly played on Christmas FM.

Another song that tends to get played on Christmas FM is Grown-Up Christmas List. One of the versions features Natalie Cole. She also did a version of The Christmas Song, a song her father Nat King Cole is most associated with ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Open File..."). Natalie Cole died on New Year's Eve 2015.

Raconteuse

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Seems to me though that there is a bit of a backlash going on from certain quarters against those who do not buy into the whole fantasy of all this Christmas mullarkey.

Christmas, as many know can be a very emotional and sad time for many. Look at what lies beneath before calling out the Grinches and Scrooges please.

It must be an absolutely horrible time for people going through emotional pain. It just emphasises what they've lost.

lalababa

blueshade wrote: »

I think the message about spending Christmas with other people is important in the sense that Christmas can be an extremely lonely time for many people, it's also a bit of a peak time for suicide attempts. There's this forced jollity in ads and the message is pushed that Christmas is a lot of people sat around a huge table laden with all kinds of luxuries when for many people it's anything but that. Realistically most of us are a bit selfish and aren't thinking about anyone in our communities who are living alone and might not see anyone at all over Christmas.

May is the highest month for actual suicides. Followed closely by April.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Ah feck it, each to their own. Who cares?

Seems to me though that there is a bit of a backlash going on from certain quarters against those who do not buy into the whole fantasy of all this Christmas mullarkey.

Christmas, as many know can be a very emotional and sad time for many. Look at what lies beneath before calling out the Grinches and Scrooges please.

This year nobody in either my family or my husband’s family is bothered about presents. We haven’t discussed it at all. There is some sea change this year, like we’ve all simultaneously become fed up of the pressures of the season.

I won’t fully get into the spirit til I finish work but I love it. Thinking of presents and shopping can be a pain but it’s a small price to pay. Maybe when the parents are gone I won’t bother any more (probably won’t) but for now it’s what keeps me going from around September every year.