Other than my dad that's 250 miles away, all of them are abroad (in Europe).
Don't knock it. My parents died within a few months of each other 4 years ago and my only relative (apart from a few cousins we never saw even when I was little) is my brother, who lives 120 miles away and won't leave his house for more than a few hours because the area he lives in is so rough. He has mental health problems and smokes weed 24/7, so you can never get any sense out of him anyway.
If I still had family around, I might not have to put up with Mr Lakie's racist, bullying brother-in-law every Christmas. We've added completely thick to his list of faults, having spent an hour watching him try to grasp the principles of Cluedo, which was the highlight of the day, really.
to all those complaining about spending time with the family today, I would just like to say that i would give anything to spend today with my dad,but cannot because he passed away 5 days ago.
Sorry for your loss, Zombie. There's never a good time to lose a loved one, but at Christmas it must seem so much worse.
A few years ago, when I was distraught at the death of a much loved friend, someone told me that grief was the price we pay for love.
I found that a consoling thought, so have shared it with you.
Sorry this was such a depressing post, I do feel grateful that I wasn't flooded like the people in the lower-ground flat 3 floors below us. I saw them being pumped out by the fire service last night and again this morning and took some of the food we had down to them - they were going to relatives and were pleased to take some extra food with them. I wish I could have done more.
Aww, Muggins, that showed true Christams spirit imo. How lovely to do something for your neighbours when you have troubles in your own life. (We need a "blowing a kiss" smilie!)
So sorry for those that are suffering the loss of a loved one. My brother is in hospital miles away, he has had half his foot amputated and also has Parkinsons. One of my other brothers and his wife spent yesterday afternoon with him, took him loads of goodies, pulled crackers, made sure he had something of a Christmas Day. They volunteered to be the ones to go as they didn't have family visiting although they had been invited to xmas dinner with us. They took a lovely pic of him in a Santa hat pulling crackers with them and sent it to the rest of us.
I honestly can't wait till it's over and the kids are in bed and have spent the morning pretending to enjoy it for their sake.
A day of constant bickering, family that eat you out of house and home, an expensive dinner that never goes to plan and the house is a ****ing dump.
Bah, humbug!
I'm neutral on the subject, its never any big deal for me. I went to my parents for a meal, opened a few pressies, then came home and did some chores.
on the upside, me and my girlfriend spent xmas apart at our own parents, which means I didn't have to stay overnight at her parents house ..... result !!! (I'm not fund of staying the night at other peoples houses)
Xmas seems an inconvenience this year. We seem to just be travelling from place to place visiting everyone because nobody wants to visit us. We seem to be the ones driving around everywhere trying to please everyone. Not had time to just sit back and relax without clock watching.
Today for example my partner has three different places to be, and we are currently about an hour behind schedule so someone wont be happy that one visit will be cut short.
Xmas seems an inconvenience this year. We seem to just be travelling from place to place visiting everyone because nobody wants to visit us. We seem to be the ones driving around everywhere trying to please everyone. Not had time to just sit back and relax without clock watching.
Today for example my partner has three different places to be, and we are currently about an hour behind schedule so someone wont be happy that one visit will be cut short.
That sounds awful, perhaps next year you could tell everyone that it is your turn to stay at home while they come to visit? if they refuse then tell them, 'well we will see you in the new year then '
We havent been out of the door since xmas eve, it's bliss.
That sounds awful, perhaps next year you could tell everyone that it is your turn to stay at home while they come to visit? if they refuse then tell them, 'well we will see you in the new year then '
We havent been out of the door since xmas eve, it's bliss.
The problem is his parents wouldnt come here because their kids would refuse to because it would mean being away from their partners so they wouldnt come. My parents see xmas as an excuse to drink more than normal so they wouldnt come because neither of them or my sister would want to be designated driver. My partner enjoys a drink or two at xmas but this year he hasnt been able to have any. Thats even worse when every house we stop at everyone seems to be rather merry.
We did say that because he soent xmas day driving around we would stay home today and have a few drinks together but his mum laid on the guilt trip of wanting him there today as well. She said she would be happy if he just popped in for a few mins to her party to see everyone but since hes got to drive there he might as well stay a few hours!
Its annoying because every year its assumed we will just go wherever we are told but nobody thinks about how that disrupts our time.
The problem is his parents wouldnt come here because their kids would refuse to because it would mean being away from their partners so they wouldnt come. My parents see xmas as an excuse to drink more than normal so they wouldnt come because neither of them or my sister would want to be designated driver. My partner enjoys a drink or two at xmas but this year he hasnt been able to have any. Thats even worse when every house we stop at everyone seems to be rather merry.
We did say that because he spent xmas day driving around we would stay home today and have a few drinks together but his mum laid on the guilt trip of wanting him there today as well. She said she would be happy if he just popped in for a few mins to her party to see everyone but since hes got to drive there he might as well stay a few hours!
Its annoying because every year its assumed we will just go wherever we are told but nobody thinks about how that disrupts our time.
Sounds awful!!! perhaps xmas away woudl be a good bet next year? bugger the lot of them
We havent seen a soul all week, my parents are away and my brother doesnt really keep in touch, hubbys daughter visited last week and his son is coming at the weekend.
I cannt imagine how horrible it must be for you to have to visit all of those people in 2 short day xmas should be all about being at home with loved ones and relaxng with them.
I do feel sorry for people who are alone at xmas but im annoyed by family who insist we visit them.
Its getting dark and its cold and our original plans would be seeing us drawing the curtains, getting comfy on the sofa and snuggling up watching films.
But instead we are getting ready to go out to visit two seperate houses! Probably be home late so straight to bed and no time to relax. We havent even seen each other much today. So much for the plans!
Yesterday I was on my third day without sleep due to insomnia. After dinner I was wanting us to all leave our shoes on the doorstep for charity as I imagined this just had to be done.
But instead we are getting ready to go out to visit two seperate houses! Probably be home late so straight to bed and no time to relax. We havent even seen each other much today. So much for the plans!
Just come back from visiting family, and the damn boiler is on the blink. Council told me to phone them back on Monday but may have to wait till next Thursday before a repairman could call. I really hope it doesn't get too cold over the next few days.....
Time to break out the woolly jumpers and boot socks...:o
I honestly can't wait till it's over and the kids are in bed and have spent the morning pretending to enjoy it for their sake.
A day of constant bickering, family that eat you out of house and home, an expensive dinner that never goes to plan and the house is a ****ing dump.
Bah, humbug!
It's a difficult one since you've got to be bright and sunny for the kids. I'd suggest just having a 2014 Christmas with just your immediate partner and children, not having overhuge portions, getting prepared turkey slices, frozen yorkshire puds, frozen roast potatoes, having some prepared dessert, e.g. cheescake, flavoured ice cream or get the kids involved by making their own desert by heating up some mince pies in the oven and then letting them squirt cream in a can all over them.
I hope you have a more restful Christmas next year, Scott_P.
Don't knock it. My parents died within a few months of each other 4 years ago and my only relative (apart from a few cousins we never saw even when I was little) is my brother, who lives 120 miles away and won't leave his house for more than a few hours because the area he lives in is so rough. He has mental health problems and smokes weed 24/7, so you can never get any sense out of him anyway.
If I still had family around, I might not have to put up with Mr Lakie's racist, bullying brother-in-law every Christmas. We've added completely thick to his list of faults, having spent an hour watching him try to grasp the principles of Cluedo, which was the highlight of the day, really.
Thankfully, my dad's partners family is nothing like that.
On another note and rather depressing.
A guy I know that has terminal prostate cancer is having to drink methadone like orange squash and takes enough pills each day to set up his own chemist. After a pill popping session he is like a zombie to talk to.
I avoided Christmas completely last year by going away for 10 days however this year decided to stay around for the sake of the family. To be honest I've kind of realized that it doesn't make much difference if i'm there or not, we basically just have dinner with polite conversations and then sit in front of the tv for 4 hours.
I would never be a scrooge at Christmas and i'm glad that so many people love it, however personally it doesn't have a lot of meaning to me anymore. I see my relatives throughout the year for various birthdays, I don't like roast dinner particularly, I only get socks and jumpers as presents and I don't go to parties these days as I just end up drinking too much.
I do feel sorry for all the posters on here that dislike Christmas but appear to be trapped into repeating the same activities year in year out. It never seems to occur to them that they have a choice about what they want to do or who they want to spend time with. Unless you've got kids you shouldn't make yourself unhappy for the benefit of others.
I am poorly. Started feeling rough xmas eve and have ended up spending most of today in bed. A bit gutted, have managed to get up for a quick game of Pop Up Pirate and be adorned with a glow in the dark bracelet. Should have cooked some nice beef today. Nevermind. Feel a bit sorry for those who feel obliged to go visiting. My stance on that is; if someone is that desperate to see me they will get off their arses and come to me. Merry xmas to you all xxx
Xmas seems an inconvenience this year. We seem to just be travelling from place to place visiting everyone because nobody wants to visit us. We seem to be the ones driving around everywhere trying to please everyone. Not had time to just sit back and relax without clock watching.
Today for example my partner has three different places to be, and we are currently about an hour behind schedule so someone wont be happy that one visit will be cut short.
My parents have enjoyed Xmas Day at home as far back as I can remember and only visit extended family in the run up to New Year.
I would say this is probably the first year I have not really felt the magic on the day. Kids are all way past the simple stockings on the bed, they earn their money now so buy stuff throughout the year so the thrill factor of getting something they really want on the 25th has long gone. I think the build up is more exciting than the day itself although me and hubby went to see the local switch on of the Xmas lights on November 6th! It gets earlier every year! Most of my friends no longer send cards, preferring to donate to charity instead, and I always think that those people that I do buy things for, will immediately log on to ebay and sell everything anyway.
Today was momentous for me in one way. For the first time since I was maybe 6 years old, I didn't watch the Top of the Pops Christmas Day edition. At 44, I finally accepted that I'm too old to like Top of the Pops. I only watched it for the last few years cause my girlfriend wanted it on. Each successive year I liked it less and less, and Fearne Cotton's sub-teenage wittering irritated me more.
I looked at the line-up this year, hardly knew any of the names, and those ones I did know, like Ellie Goulding, I can't bloody stand. And as I'm now single, I finally felt able to make the break - at 2pm I went on YouTube and watched the 1981 Christmas special instead!
Bloody marvellous it was, Ultravox doing Vienna, Linx, Spandau Ballet when they were good, Altered Images... I even enjoyed remembering how much I loathed 'O Superman' by Laurie Anderson ha ha. Got a bit sad though seeing Kirsty MacColl and Tommy Vance, and annoying that perve Savile made a brief appearance, but otherwise, it was great.
I decided that I'd much prefer to be 12 at Christmas than 44, but what can you do?
Why don't you come over to the Top Of The Pops 1979 thread and become a 10 year old again? They begin showing the 1979 shows on 9th January with the one from 4th January 1979. They are even shown at the same time of day and day of week as originally, at 7.30pm Thursday on BBC4.
I'm the same age as you, and watched my final Christmas Day TOTP back in 2008. I've spent the past couple of years being a boy of 7, 8 and 9 again, with the shows of 1976, 1977 and 1978 airing each week. Highly recommend it. Oh to be 12 years old again in 1981. That years TOTP at Christmas was one of the best ever, along with a white Christmas in many parts, and a generally perishing cold and snowy December.
I got up my earliest on Christmas Day in years, 7am, but despite my mum, brother & his partner and my young nephew being around I was so lethargic by 6.30pm that I decided to turn into my bed for half hour. I never got up again for the rest of the day and went out like a light almost instantly. Missed all the primetime Christmas night TV fare, if any was worth gazing at. Awoke at 6am Boxing Day! I hadn't overeaten or even had anything more than tea and orange juice to drink either. ;-)
I've been feeling run down for weeks and was looking forward to it for a break more than anything but it's not been relaxing at all.
At work until 4.30 Christmas Eve, out for lunch over at my mums Christmas Day, the in-laws Boxing Day with my FIL and BIL falling out, upsetting my wife. Sales shopping on Friday, which I don't usually mind but this year was argghhh. Over my mum's yesterday tidying up a bit, took her shopping, we were meant to be at a party last night but called off. Going the football later today which I usually look forward to but at the minute it feels a bit of an effort.
If the next few days are like the last few I'll be glad to get back to work.
Comments
Don't knock it. My parents died within a few months of each other 4 years ago and my only relative (apart from a few cousins we never saw even when I was little) is my brother, who lives 120 miles away and won't leave his house for more than a few hours because the area he lives in is so rough. He has mental health problems and smokes weed 24/7, so you can never get any sense out of him anyway.
If I still had family around, I might not have to put up with Mr Lakie's racist, bullying brother-in-law every Christmas. We've added completely thick to his list of faults, having spent an hour watching him try to grasp the principles of Cluedo, which was the highlight of the day, really.
Sorry for your loss, Zombie. There's never a good time to lose a loved one, but at Christmas it must seem so much worse.
A few years ago, when I was distraught at the death of a much loved friend, someone told me that grief was the price we pay for love.
I found that a consoling thought, so have shared it with you.
Aww, Muggins, that showed true Christams spirit imo. How lovely to do something for your neighbours when you have troubles in your own life. (We need a "blowing a kiss" smilie!)
I'm neutral on the subject, its never any big deal for me. I went to my parents for a meal, opened a few pressies, then came home and did some chores.
on the upside, me and my girlfriend spent xmas apart at our own parents, which means I didn't have to stay overnight at her parents house ..... result !!! (I'm not fund of staying the night at other peoples houses)
Is the hole to burry himself in? or maybe to burry you and the kids in?
Today for example my partner has three different places to be, and we are currently about an hour behind schedule so someone wont be happy that one visit will be cut short.
That sounds awful, perhaps next year you could tell everyone that it is your turn to stay at home while they come to visit? if they refuse then tell them, 'well we will see you in the new year then '
We havent been out of the door since xmas eve, it's bliss.
The problem is his parents wouldnt come here because their kids would refuse to because it would mean being away from their partners so they wouldnt come. My parents see xmas as an excuse to drink more than normal so they wouldnt come because neither of them or my sister would want to be designated driver. My partner enjoys a drink or two at xmas but this year he hasnt been able to have any. Thats even worse when every house we stop at everyone seems to be rather merry.
We did say that because he soent xmas day driving around we would stay home today and have a few drinks together but his mum laid on the guilt trip of wanting him there today as well. She said she would be happy if he just popped in for a few mins to her party to see everyone but since hes got to drive there he might as well stay a few hours!
Its annoying because every year its assumed we will just go wherever we are told but nobody thinks about how that disrupts our time.
Sounds awful!!! perhaps xmas away woudl be a good bet next year? bugger the lot of them
We havent seen a soul all week, my parents are away and my brother doesnt really keep in touch, hubbys daughter visited last week and his son is coming at the weekend.
I cannt imagine how horrible it must be for you to have to visit all of those people in 2 short day
Its getting dark and its cold and our original plans would be seeing us drawing the curtains, getting comfy on the sofa and snuggling up watching films.
But instead we are getting ready to go out to visit two seperate houses! Probably be home late so straight to bed and no time to relax. We havent even seen each other much today. So much for the plans!
So I did.
It did not go down well at all that year
I was sent to bed. It was only 5.
Grow a backbone and just say 'no'.
Just come back from visiting family, and the damn boiler is on the blink. Council told me to phone them back on Monday but may have to wait till next Thursday before a repairman could call. I really hope it doesn't get too cold over the next few days.....
Time to break out the woolly jumpers and boot socks...:o
It's a difficult one since you've got to be bright and sunny for the kids. I'd suggest just having a 2014 Christmas with just your immediate partner and children, not having overhuge portions, getting prepared turkey slices, frozen yorkshire puds, frozen roast potatoes, having some prepared dessert, e.g. cheescake, flavoured ice cream or get the kids involved by making their own desert by heating up some mince pies in the oven and then letting them squirt cream in a can all over them.
I hope you have a more restful Christmas next year, Scott_P.
Yes, I realise that, but it isn't how public discussion boards work.
Thankfully, my dad's partners family is nothing like that.
On another note and rather depressing.
I would never be a scrooge at Christmas and i'm glad that so many people love it, however personally it doesn't have a lot of meaning to me anymore. I see my relatives throughout the year for various birthdays, I don't like roast dinner particularly, I only get socks and jumpers as presents and I don't go to parties these days as I just end up drinking too much.
I do feel sorry for all the posters on here that dislike Christmas but appear to be trapped into repeating the same activities year in year out. It never seems to occur to them that they have a choice about what they want to do or who they want to spend time with. Unless you've got kids you shouldn't make yourself unhappy for the benefit of others.
My parents have enjoyed Xmas Day at home as far back as I can remember and only visit extended family in the run up to New Year.
Why don't you come over to the Top Of The Pops 1979 thread and become a 10 year old again? They begin showing the 1979 shows on 9th January with the one from 4th January 1979. They are even shown at the same time of day and day of week as originally, at 7.30pm Thursday on BBC4.
I'm the same age as you, and watched my final Christmas Day TOTP back in 2008. I've spent the past couple of years being a boy of 7, 8 and 9 again, with the shows of 1976, 1977 and 1978 airing each week. Highly recommend it. Oh to be 12 years old again in 1981. That years TOTP at Christmas was one of the best ever, along with a white Christmas in many parts, and a generally perishing cold and snowy December.
I got up my earliest on Christmas Day in years, 7am, but despite my mum, brother & his partner and my young nephew being around I was so lethargic by 6.30pm that I decided to turn into my bed for half hour. I never got up again for the rest of the day and went out like a light almost instantly. Missed all the primetime Christmas night TV fare, if any was worth gazing at. Awoke at 6am Boxing Day! I hadn't overeaten or even had anything more than tea and orange juice to drink either. ;-)
At work until 4.30 Christmas Eve, out for lunch over at my mums Christmas Day, the in-laws Boxing Day with my FIL and BIL falling out, upsetting my wife. Sales shopping on Friday, which I don't usually mind but this year was argghhh. Over my mum's yesterday tidying up a bit, took her shopping, we were meant to be at a party last night but called off. Going the football later today which I usually look forward to but at the minute it feels a bit of an effort.
If the next few days are like the last few I'll be glad to get back to work.