Christmas - questions

[Min]

Just wondering. I've got about enough Xmas spirit to fill this thimble *holds up thimble* so I was wondering why so many people love it. Maybe it'll give me a reason to look forward to it...The only thing I'll be grateful for is the time off work!

[Feather]

well, min, I am starting to relate to the lack of christmas spirit thing... dearie me, don't want to get all grinch-y but it seriously gets a bit hard sometimes, doesn't it?

when I started going out with my boyfriend about 3 years ago, I was very much into christmas and he was very anti-christmas, which used to upset me. I loved christmas because it was the only time the whole family managed to get together, and everyone was just in high spirits. I loved the fact that full-blown adults would behave like kids at christmas and wear paper hats and play board games and stuff like that.

But three years on I am feeling a little jaded, just because in a so-called 'broken' family (hate that expression... mine works well enough usually) christmas does get very hard. Both my parents and my boyf's are divorced and remarried, so that's effectively four sets of people whom you have to visit in the space of 2 days (and needless to say they all live in far-flung places), and all that driving and hurrying and mucking around really detracts from enjoying christmas. Plus there's always the odd argument about who's hosting the big chrissie lunch and all the rest... I still love christmas and I still love seeing everyone, but I don't find it very relaxing at all these days.

sorry for the party pooperness!

[brydie]

the festive air!!! such a happy feeling!! but it would never be the same without the decorations, and the food, and the songs, and the prezzies:D

[Min]

I hear you Feather.
Last year I just said 'poo' to christmas, and didn't see anyone or do anything - slept in to 1pm and then played a computer game. Though, I was terribly depressed this time last year...

I just tend to roll my eyes about Xmas now. I love how excited my 4 & 2 year old cousins get about it, but that's as far as my spirit goes. It just means spending more money that I don't have on junk that nobody needs, right?

Maybe I'll be different this year and buy everyone a copy of Obernewtyn. ;D

[brydie]

i'm only a kid, so i intend to hang on to christmas as long and as hard as i can...but...!! christmas is...christmas!!! :'(you poor people

[Min]

It's nothing to be sad about. I will enjoy the time I get to spend with my little cousins on xmas day - their excitement brings joy.

I think that it's the other obligatory visits and actions that come with xmas that make it not enjoyable. It's become a chore, not fun.

[brydie]

thats what i'm sad about!

[Min]

aww ok thanks. I didn't want to make people sad though!!

[brydie]

i was already sad, not your fault!!

[Elspeth]

I love the feeling in the air at Christmas - the decorations in the streets and the fairy lights. But I hate how increasingly commercial Christmas has become. According to the media, it's all about the presents and spending lots of money. This tends to spoil a little of the Christmas feeling for me.

Now that my parents have moved to Beechworth (which is about three and half hours' drive from me), I value the whole family thing a lot more. It's so rare for our whole family to be together and I miss it these days. So these days, I tend to look forward to staying in Beechy for a day or two and enjoying a lovely Christmas meal with my parents, my Timothy, my brother and my almost sister-in-law. Everything slows r-i-g-h-t d-o-w-n in good old Beechworth. Sitting on the verandah watching cars go past almost seems like too much excitement for one day. I really love that.

For the last two years, my brother and almost sister-and-law have taken me out for a night looking at Christmas lights. It sounds so daggy, but I love it. I cherish my brother so much more now he's grown up - he's like a good friend - and Sonia (my almost sister-in-law) is a fantastic person - just like family! It's so much fun to spend an evening with them, driving about all over the place and making stupid (or appreciative) comments about people's Christmas displays.

*grugs Min and Feather*

Good Min of Dy and good Feather, you don't have to do Christmas. Sometimes it's a lot of trouble (such as driving for three and a half hours in the middle of summer...) And sometimes, despite your best intentions, Christmas just seems like another day.

[Blindmouse]

I started off the season this year with a bit of a "Christmas? Yes? And then?" feeling - I actually mentioned to my mum that I might not come home for Chrissie, which turned out to be more of a trauma than I was ready for.

But I've been getting more into it as we get closer. I'm in a uni choir, and our main fundraising thing is carolling in December, so we've been rehearsing Christmas carols, and can I just say that I LOVE Christmas carols? I think the Christmas spirit for me kicks in the first time I get to sing 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen'

The day itself is definitely a lot better if there's a little kid or so there to get awesomely excited. But being with family, and having that completely slack, today-you're-not-even-allowed-to-think-about-work atmosphere is really nice, especially since I spend my Christmases in northern NSW, so it's usually somewhere in the forties that day. My family is pretty small and near each other, so there's no hassles and driving.


blindmouse

[Talmina]

i know it sounds kinda selfish, but its actually the presents i like, but not just recieving them but the finding something that you know your loved ones will love, id picked my guys present weeks ago and have been teasing him about it since, cos i know hes going to adore it, now i just have to get around to buying it without him noticing, ive even got his sister to make sure no one in his family buys it for him cos i have a feeling his mum will otherwise. ive also put a lot of effort into my mums present this year, because its the first year she hasnt had to give me money for her present (well except last year when i used most of my birthday money for chrissie presents).

feather i know what you mean about families and them being so far apart. in my family theres my dad and his family, then theres his parents (who usually come to mums anyway) then theres my brother and my niece (who lives with me, along with her mum though my brother lives with his fiancee) then theres my mum, her bf, ad my other brother and his fiancee. its kinda all really messed up. family events are more a cause for terror for me than a cause for joy. my brother (the one who is speaking to my mum) is having to have security at his wedding so my dad and stepmother dont show up after the scene she caused at her daughters wedding a few years ago.

the only time in the last few years ive seen my parents be civil to each other was when i was in hospital, and that was a massive strain on my mums part. and even then it wasnt possible for my brother to do the same when it came to mum.

the way i ususally handle christmas is to just have the day with what i call my family, mum, nice brother, his fiancee, mums bf, mean brothers ex, niece, grandparents, auntie. that way it doesnt get messy, and we have a huge traditional lunch, or dinner depending on others plans, where anyone we know who is going to be alone on christmas is invited and stuff which is great

[Min]

Aww, Lucky duckies! I'm happy that you all have such a good time!

I'm personally more excited about New Years and I think that says a lot about families unfortunately - Xmas is for spending time with family, and new years with friends! Like Feather, my parents have a 'broken' relationship so you're guaranteed to be making someone unhappy by not being there.

Anyway enough of this depressing stuff - on with the why everyone loves christmas thread!

I love the fact that it's the perfect excuse to eat anything.
I love the high high temperatures - but only on Xmas day. It wouldn't be Xmas without hot weather.

[Dameon]

I like the shiny things!!! I too enjoy a good drive around the rich suburbs, looking at all the pretty lights and tinsel and the tacky waving Santas! Some people put a lot of effort into it, and it's just great!

On Christmas day, my grandmother comes over, and we all have christmas together. There are crackers, and everyone but my brother wears the hats!!! I usually wear two!!! And we all tell the dodgy jokes!
On boxing day, or the day after, some of my family comes down and we have a second christmas at my grandmother's house, with more food, and more crackers. And I get to see my uncle! Yay!!!

Min, isn't christmas a great opportunity to see your brother! You should pull the crackers together, and make him wear a silly hat. That's my lifes ambition for christmas, to make my bro wear the hat!!!

I suggest you try a drive and look at the shiny lights in your area. The classy suburbs are usually the best. I don't understand why people in classy houses like to stick a giant waving, glowing santa on their roof.

And think of the pressies!!! Mmm... stuff...

KSL

[Rilla]

My christmas days have been exactly the same for so many years - but i still love them! Me and my sister get up early, drag mum and dad outta bed and start handing out pressies. Around lunch time, my Nana and uncle will arrive, and Nana will tak over the kitchen. Then my other uncle will arrive, with one of my cousins (the other is not talking to our side of the family). Then we all open the family presents, and eat yummy yummy christmas dinner... And watch the carols!

I love christmas... but then again, i don't have to pay for the pressies yet...

I love New Years Eve too. Last year, we went to Phillip Island, and they had cool fire works. It was fun! ;D

[Elspeth]

Oh, the silly hats! I love the silly hats. I always wear mine, even if I feel like an idiot. Silly hats rock. ;D

[Talmina]

yeah i love the whole getting up early thing, last year was the only year i didnt do it but that mightve been cos we had to wait til like 9 for my mums bf to show up before we could get presents anyway. though about 2 years ago i literally woke up at 4am, though mum always sets a time that we're not allowed to get her out of bed before, usually about 6:30 or so.

[~Ethereal~]

I love the festive air. We decorate our house with lights and stuff, and everyones alwasy really cheery. And its about the only tiem of the year we talk to everyoen in the street. Which is kinda sad, btu at least we get to interact with them sometimes.
Plus, all my friends come home from uni in melb, and its great to get to see them all again. I miss them during the year.
And I can bake for all my friends and family and they're around to eat it. ;D

[Elspeth]

I'm so into the whole "Christmas spirit" thing that I even decorated my writing journal. There's no saving me, I'm afraid. I even made my portrait wear a little Santa hat...

See?

[Squarmi]

I love Christmas!! It's great. I just get fed up with not being able to choose who I spend it with. For the past 4 years we;ve spent it with Dad's family, and will again this year. My sisters and I want to spend Christmas with Mum's family but Dad won't let us because he doesn't like them. And let's just say Dad's family aren't my favorite people in the world. Can't wait til New Years though And Christmas will still be fun. It is what you make of it. And I love it.

Squarmi

[Talmina]

yeah squarmi, thats kinda gotta suck. though at least you still have fun

[Min]

LOL Buneater! I recognise that santa hat - I think I used the exact same one off a google search yesterday to decorate the little ADA CAD logo on our company's web site:



See?
Then I was wondering if we could decorate Obernewtyn.net with some little xmas thingos...not sure what tho - anyone have any ideas?

[brydie]

on the wandies msg boards i noticed they have little stars besides each thread! veeery pretty:Dif there's a way you could change the style of our ranking stars to make it look more christmassy? is that possible?

[Min]

probably! I'll check it out!

[Raineth]

Yay for Christmas!
I like how people (strangers) are ususally so much nicer to each other around this time of year.

My kids still don't totally understand christmas, but its still lots of fun buying them pressies and they love being with all their cousins, uncles, aunties and grandparents and watching them have a bit of a pig-out and then having other people to clean them up and entetain them etc. Its Great!

I have been gearing them up for the last three months to get ready for the Big Handover. (this is where they hand in their dummies). I have devised a plan and I'm feeling pretty confident it will work.
The dummies are their gift to the baby Jesus. I am going to take them into a church, we are going to go and have a look at the manger then we are giving the dummies to baby Jesus because he's a baby and they're not anymore. Its foolproof!


Raineth