Christmas 2020

[kevin04]

Apologies, and I know a fair few, don't like it, but it's getting closer.

What are you doing for it? TBH, I'm quite looking forward to a quieter one and lack of social gatherings. I quite like meeting most of my pals and family, but a cosy Christmas in the house sounds nice, with a limit of people, and then we can all meet up hopefully in the spring 2021 and the weather will be better as well.

Gifts though. What a struggle it can be for people who have what feels like no real interest in anything. And, most of them already have everything to a certain extent. Gift vouchers and cash are lazy I suppose, but often the only solution rather than getting someone a cheaper, budget version of a product they already have.

I was always fascinated a few years back reading about secular Jewish people in the US and Europe, who would go watch a film or go for a Chinese on Christmas Day. For the folk who don't celebrate it in this bailick, what do you do?

Do you do anything unique or different at this time of year? Celebrate on the 24th? Don't buy gifts? Treat yourself to something? Go away on holiday?

[VeritasVincit]

I'm sending Christma cards which have a recorded message from Donald Trump or Boris.
Not really recorded but very good impersonations.

[Vespa]

Staying at home with my partner whilst they cook up a great lunch. Other than that laying on the soft drinking hot chocolate and watching shit TV.

I did want to go home for Christmas pre-New World Order lizard plague. New year.

[VeritasVincit]

If there were anti-social Olympics, I'd been in he running for a gold.
I dsilike most of what goes on at Christmas, especiually the crap TV specials.
When I walk the dog on Christmas Day I make sure I go where no-one else does - no 'All the Best' or 'Merry Christmas' from random strangers for me.
I stay at home with some decent drink and food which doesn't involve turkey and all the trimmings. At odd times in the past I couldn't think of an excuse quickly enough and had to go to my sisters for the meal.
My road is a minuature version of Blackpool Illuminations, except for my little oasis of darkness.
You can call me a miserable [insert any insulting term] and I'd probably agree - but not being one at Christmas is a horrendoes thought.

[subsub]

Loved it as a kid, and I still like the buzz (somewhat), but all a bit overrated, really.
It's definitely a children's thing (unless you're a religious type, obviously).

I love the food and drink, and don't mind the odd Christmas song.
Was down the pub last Christmas Eve, and that was fantastic – brilliant atmosphere.

This year, will just be Mrs Subsub and myself. Might go and see my Mum and the in-laws on 26th or 27th, and will be ridiculously careful re social distancing etc, but we may not.

Not fussed on presents anymore, either. That used to be the best bit (obviously), getting Tin Can Alley or a new Scalextric car etc, but don't really need anything these days.
Bottle of Port or whisky always welcome, however

[subsub]

If there were anti-social Olympics, I'd been in he running for a gold.
I dsilike most of what goes on at Christmas, especiually the crap TV specials.
When I walk the dog on Christmas Day I make sure I go where no-one else does - no 'All the Best' or 'Merry Christmas' from random strangers for me.
I stay at home with some decent drink and food which doesn't involve turkey and all the trimmings. At odd times in the past I couldn't think of an excuse quickly enough and had to go to my sisters for the meal.
My road is a minuature version of Blackpool Illuminations, except for my little oasis of darkness.
You can call me a miserable [insert any insulting term] and I'd probably agree - but not being one at Christmas is a horrendoes thought.

It's the mayhem I can't stand.
You have a boiling-hot house with kids charging round shrieking all day, and enforced bonhomie which I all find a bit tiresome.
The telly is utter shit, too (unless there's a Bond film on).
Don't mind playing the odd quiz/boardgame, as long as someone is there to top my glass up regularly.

[Basualdo]

If there were anti-social Olympics, I'd been in he running for a gold.
I dsilike most of what goes on at Christmas, especiually the crap TV specials.
When I walk the dog on Christmas Day I make sure I go where no-one else does - no 'All the Best' or 'Merry Christmas' from random strangers for me.
I stay at home with some decent drink and food which doesn't involve turkey and all the trimmings. At odd times in the past I couldn't think of an excuse quickly enough and had to go to my sisters for the meal.
My road is a minuature version of Blackpool Illuminations, except for my little oasis of darkness.
You can call me a miserable [insert any insulting term] and I'd probably agree - but not being one at Christmas is a horrendoes thought.

My long lost brother!

[kancutlawns]

Probably going to put this on. I imagine this is what the festive period will be like for many...

[delboy1983]

Just my son and his partner join the wife and I on xmas day as part of our bubble.
We will distance where we can and they will be having dinner and heading home.
Apart from that we will be using Zoom to be in touch with my other kids and grandkids,relations friends and that.
Hopefully the weather will let us spend some time with my grandson in his back garden and see what Santa brought him.
After all that might hit the bottle and wake up Boxing Day

[Vespa]

Apart from that we will be using Zoom to be in touch with my other kids and grandkids,relations friends and that.

Free Zoom has a 40 minute time out these two services that do the same have no time limits

https://www.webex.com/
meet.google.com

May be worth a look.

[delboy1983]

Apart from that we will be using Zoom to be in touch with my other kids and grandkids,relations friends and that.

Free Zoom has a 40 minute time out these two services that do the same have no time limits

https://www.webex.com/
meet.google.com

May be worth a look.

Cheers Vespa

[Zippy]

Loved it as a kid, and I still like the buzz (somewhat), but all a bit overrated, really.
It's definitely a children's thing (unless you're a religious type, obviously).

I love the food and drink, and don't mind the odd Christmas song.
Was down the pub last Christmas Eve, and that was fantastic – brilliant atmosphere.

This year, will just be Mrs Subsub and myself. Might go and see my Mum and the in-laws on 26th or 27th, and will be ridiculously careful re social distancing etc, but we may not.

Not fussed on presents anymore, either. That used to be the best bit (obviously), getting Tin Can Alley or a new Scalextric car etc, but don't really need anything these days.
Bottle of Port or whisky always welcome, however

Hope you'll be doing the wrapping presents to the H&J Christmas special with a glass of port thing again, subsub

[Zippy]

I'll be going up to my family home in Stratford-upon-Avon. I'm one of six kids and it's very rare we are all under one roof. Perhaps we won't be this year, but it'd be nice if it happens.

Incidentally, Stratford is in tier 3 but should at the very least be a tier 2 town. Sadly it's been carelessly lumped in with Coventry etc for COVID cases. Most queer, as Carlos would say: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-c ... e-55149667

I will miss not doing a Christmas eve night out. As I've got older, you see fewer and fewer old faces around town. But a couple of days at home with some nice bottles of red, good music and of course, football is underrated.

I most enjoy the few days leading up to Christmas Day. A nice restaurant always goes down well. I went to the Wolseley last year and Rules the year before that. Me and my London friends routinely do a pub crawl just before the big day. Last year it was in Clapham. Obviously it'll be dialed down a lot this time. I always travel back on the train on Christmas eve from London Marylebone and that's become a little ritual in itself. Grab some lunch, a few pints before boarding and usually listen to the H&J Christmas special on the journey home with a few train sherbets. The last few years Leeds have been away at Villa or Birmingham on Boxing Day, so that was also becoming a tradition that will be much missed.

Obviously a very different sort of Christmas for most of us but I'm counting my blessings. I've got to the end of the year secure in my job, in good physical health and financially better off than I was in previous years. Would be nice to win a football accumulator for once though. Can't buy one of those.

[subsub]

Hope you'll be doing the wrapping presents to the H&J Christmas special with a glass of port thing again, subsub

Deffo

[Zippy]

Stuck in London for Christmas now so will be spending most of it alone.

Interesting situation for someone who loves to socialise but now my expectations have been readjusted I’m actually cool with it and plan to make the best of it.

A nice wine delivery with a beef Wellington is a nice start.