It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Off Topic Chat

DvB

My kids are back in school tomorrow. Earliest I ever remember them going back, but all the secondary schools out this way are the same.

Always had it in my head it was later in August they went back.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122524690#Comment_122524690

That's surprising

So early, is it induction days ?

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122524747#Comment_122524747

Nope. 1st 2nd and 3rd years back tomorrow, 4th, 5th and 6th on Thursday. 1st year's just go in.a bit earlier.

antimatterx

Wrong thread

pigtail33

Wow, Aug 21st seems very early for back to school. It was always as close as possible to Sept 1st in my day! I think the number of school days is the same for everyone and it's up to each individual school to figure out the days off.

BK5

When did the kids start going back in late August to school?

In the olden days we never went back before the 1st of September.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122525075#Comment_122525075

We always went back last week in August. Usually around the 28th/29th depending on how the days fell.

But this feels about a week too soon.

freshpopcorn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122525075#Comment_122525075

When I started secondary school in 2005 I think we went beck in late August and it was considered a new thing then.

antimatterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122525186#Comment_122525186

I started in 08 and it was the same. Always back in late August. There was an induction day for the like an hour where you received your timetable, locker and had an assembly. Classes started a day or two after.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122525245#Comment_122525245

Started in 08?

Cries in old age.

I always remembered starting back first Monday of September but by the time I was in 5th year the 1st years were coming in earlier to let them settle in first.

DvB

I started secondary in 1984!

Babies the lot of ye 😀

freshpopcorn

I find it scary when watching the Rose of Tralee and their born after the Year 2000.

Posy

I still think anyone born in the 90's must be only a child. 🤯

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122525075#Comment_122525075

There was no such thing as snow days or red warnings....we just marched through those fields 😂

I suppose they need a certain amount of wiggle room for unexpected days off.

Easter used to be half day Easter Wednesday then off holy Thursday, good Friday and the following week. I think now they get 2 full weeks....which is probably better for exam years.

BK5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122525335#Comment_122525335

Ha ha ha ,they are! 😄 I started secondary in '85.

I think 1985 was the year where it became illegal for the teachers to hit us, it seems like the dark ages now.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122526249#Comment_122526249

That might explain why my total psycho of an Irish teacher stopped inflicting random acts of violence on us in second year so…

miamee

Feeling very young here now, I started secondary in the 1990s (well it was 1990 but it counts, lol)

What made me feel really old recently was the fact that one of the Olympians in the skateboarding (I think) was born in 2012 LOL Cripes. 2012 might as well have been last week.

CheerLouth

Ours are back next Thursday. I don't remember us going back in August either, but then I also don't remember getting our summer holidays as early as they do now. Ours were finished on June 25th this year; we definitely went to the very end of June back in the day.

antimatterx

Access to the train station near me wasn't available this morning. They never opened the shutter to the stairs. Thank God I WFH, but the amount of people that have been inconvenienced is disgraceful.

BK5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122526765#Comment_122526765

Done the Leaving Cert in 1990 so 5 years ahead of you.

I tell you what's making me feel old is my oldest child is 30 tomorrow!!! 😮😄

L1011

I started secondary in the 90s and I think that by the end, the first years were going back in August; but the other years were always a day or two later and ticked over in to September.

Think it generally went First Years → Exam Years → 2nd Year/5th Year → TY about a week and a bit later when everyone else had settled down!

miamee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122527762#Comment_122527762

I try not to think too much about some of my peers from school who are now grandparents 😂

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122527989#Comment_122527989

2 of my mates from secondary are grandparents… one was a grandad at 39!!

BK5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122527989#Comment_122527989

Not a grandparent yet but wish I was, my younger brother has two grandkids but I'm not jealous 😪😄😄

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122528465#Comment_122528465

I'm in no rush!! We started our family late enough so mine are only in their early teens, lots to do before either of them become a parent.

Would be nice at some point, but not until I'm retired anyway 😀

freshpopcorn

Newbridge 2024!

https://www.newbridgesilverware.com/Mobile/en/New-Christmas-Tree-Decorations/m-cpl-362.aspx?SortBy=Position

rsl1976

Not long back from holiday and picked up some new baubles for the tree plus a neighbour bought me a lovely one in Kerry

BK5

Wife was in the Range in Maynooth today and their Halloween stuff is all out but they have started getting the Christmas stuff out too. There was 3 trees erected waiting to be decorated in the usual spot in the shop.

BK5

I know the Irish weather can be mad, you could be wearing a t-shirt in November, but there is a definite feeling of Winter in the last couple of evenings.

Posy

I've just put my Christmas tree in a skip!* So I've gone from 'might be buying a new tree this year' to 'need to buy a Christmas tree this year'. The pressure. 😯

*I'm having a clear out, I didn't just throw it in a random skip