Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Do you like Christmas, have you started buying/preparing for it yet? I actually like the build up better than the actual day now. I love to hear carols, see the decorations, and in general, people seem happier and more friendly for a week or so.
Christmas day is so special when you are a child or when you have your own children but when all that is over I find that Christmas day can be a little anti-climactic now.
Anyone agree?

Well actually Advent is nearly here. Christmas is after that.

I hate Chirstmas because there's always a big fight about who visits who when.

And I hate Christmas because I have certain expectations (tree, roast dinner, party games, crackers, present-opening, alcohol) which are never really met to my satisfaction.

I'd really rather it didn't happen.

But yes, I agree in part, I like the Carol Services and stuff like that.

deffinitely agree. i hate seeing decorations before december- it really does ruin the effect of Christmas day.. But it is nice to have a family day. (although its always a little bit mixed- having a father as the local vicar means you have to share with the community a bit!!!)

99yorkpj wrote:having a father as the local vicar means you have to share with the community a bit!!!

Tell me about it!! Not only my father but all my other English male relatives (Grandfather, Uncle and Godfather at the very least). I never really understood about family Christmasses!

One Christmas when we were all small, a 'Good Woman' of the parish offered to sleep in the Vicarage so that Mother could go to the midnight service. When she came out and looked up to the Vicarage, all the upstairs lights were on, she rushed in the door to sounds of loud snores downstairs and three children happily playing with their new toys upstairs!!! My elder brother could read so he had shared out the presents. We all slept in the next morning!! I don't know whether they ever told the 'Good Woman' but I am pretty sure she never babysat for us again!

I reckon that christmas represents what is worst about society. Greed, overconsumption, kids competing to have the best presents. People have totally forgotten the real meaning of it (and the hypocrisy - most people in the country arent even christian!), and blot out the special time of the year to reflect on the good things in our life.

I loved the build up to Christmas at CH - the excitement of ever more intense choir practices in chapel (5 a week in Cochrane's day if you included the Big School Choir and the Madrigal choir (the Schola Cantorum of its day). Lots of extra things in the houses - was that when the dayroom tables were pushed together at the far end of the Dayroom to make a stage?

The beauty of those carols remains with me to this day. Many of them, (e.g. There stood in Heav'n a Linden Tree, Sing Lullaby, Past three O'clock and a cold frosty morning), I have rarely heard since save when I myself resurrected them in my days as a church choirmaster in Falmouth and Truro.

I have to say that the home Christmas was something of an anticlimax for in those days, my whole life centred around music and the beauty of a well-trained choir. Nothing else ever really mattered very much.

See even though I'm not religious I love the carols and ceremonial bit of christmas. Its the showy greedy competitive bit I hate.

HUMBUG!!!!!!!

God Bless us everyone

...loving the pictures...

Actually hoping to see some pantos etc this year- i have an american friend at edinburgh and she'd never heard of them.. so when it came up in conversation as we were walking down the street it was extremely funny when another friend shouted an example "He's behiiiind youuuu!!!", and said american friend swings round with shouts of "who?!" "WHERE?!" ... (we think she mustve been thinking about a certain gentleman...) very funny..

I really enjoy Christmas (for so many reasons), but now I am just not prepared to toady along with the general moneyspending nonsense and larking around in October. Christmas cards go to those we don't see regularly and who are far away. Family gifts only this year, and adult ones courtesy of 'goats 'r' us'! We've all got tons of stuff that needs dusting and I don't want any more. I have bought some presents for the children's stockings already and did some food shopping with money I have been saving since April, but I have to get organised otherwise 'we' have the most hideous paddy on Christmas Eve. I have made my mincemeat today for lush pies and am going to do the chutneys and relishes tomorrow. I think there's some cranberry vodka tucked away from last year... ice and a slice, please.

Reasons why I like Christmas: 1) My husband gets a decent holiday to spend with us. 2) I love having the family over and a house full if guests. 3) Special food that we don't normally have. 4) It was the time of year that my husband and I got together, so romantic associations. 5) Plenty of singing. 6) A little time for reflection on our good fortune. 7) A celebration during the long winter months. 8) All the things the children do - plays, concerts, activities together.

Don't know where the smiley came from!

I have to say that I put on a Victor Meldrew persona prior to Christmas.

Keeps the Grand-Kids from begging all the time.

Christmas has become far too commercialised in my book !

J.R. wrote:I have to say that I put on a Victor Meldrew persona prior to Christmas.

Missed the series so I had to look up Victor Mildrew and got:

Victor Meldrew has become shorthand for a bitter and complaining elderly man.

He railed against yobbish behaviour, lack of consideration for others, shoddy service, bureaucratic indifference, things that he had every right to get angry about.

How can we be sure he wasn't reborn in JR?

J.R. wrote:Christmas has become far too commercialised in my book !

You're right, it has, but that doesn't mean that you have to do what everyone else is doing. Our kids understand that no means no, and it doesn't appear to have harmed them too much so far. Set a budget and shop carefully and it's quite fun then. Our kids have one present from us, and a stocking from Santa, and once my money is gone, that's it, no more. We shall make some decorations and a gingerbread house together, raid the garden for greenery to throw around the house, play games and just have fun as a family and enjoy the time together.

cj wrote:Don't know where the smiley came from!

If you type an 8 and then ) it comes out as