It's Christmassss!

[Grazza]

Things I love about Christmas:

 

* Going for walks in the snow and seeing the lights people have decorated their houses with.

 

* Garland decorations. It wouldn't be the same without those long ones draping the ceiling, would it?

 

* Watching The Snowman. There's something very evocative about the isolated location in which the main character lives - wide open fields, with hare and deer running about. Plus I love the bit where the man on the ferry sees them. There's something very cosy about it.

 

* Midnight Mass. It's nice to watch something totally non-commercial.

 

* Giving presents. I don't get excited about receiving presents anymore, but it's nice to give someone something they'd really like.

[Cube]

When do you lovely lot open your presents?

 

The presents from Santa are opened before breakfast. The rest are opened at various points of the day. I think we generally have four lots of present-opening times.

[Ville]

When do you lovely lot open your presents?

 

For me it was always my older sister waking me up at 7am and we'd go down and arrange the presents in who is for who (something I now have to do by myself ) wait for my mum to get ready as she takes ages and opening them at like 10am!

 

Oh the waiting, the utter horror!

 

The presents from Santa are opened before breakfast. The rest are opened at various points of the day. I think we generally have four lots of present-opening times.

 

Interesting...we have always opened the presents much later in the evening, after Christmas dinner and sauna. Maybe at about four or five o'clock, when it's already dark...

[Grazza]

Interesting...we have always opened the presents much later in the evening, after Christmas dinner and sauna.

 

Do you have a sauna in your house?

[Serebii]

When do you lovely lot open your presents?

 

For me it was always my older sister waking me up at 7am and we'd go down and arrange the presents in who is for who (something I now have to do by myself ) wait for my mum to get ready as she takes ages and opening them at like 10am!

 

Oh the waiting, the utter horror!

It used to be mega early, but now it's at like 9am for me, my brother, my mum & my dad. Then an hour later my sister arrives so we open the presents from her then soon after, my nan will arrive and we open those presents. We also have "Tree" presents, given by our almighty tannenbaum in the late afternoon (usually before Doctor Who). On Boxing Day, we have another set of presents dealt with in the afternoon

[Diageo]

I feel no excitement for Christmas recently. Although I do enjoy the fact I'm on holidays.

 

At my house, we normally open the presents after dinner on the 24th. And it's an excuse for my mam to cook some good food, which doesn't happen a lot.

 

I also dislike the fact that children are deceived to believe in Santa.

[Arnieboy]

I love christmas, i just hate the pre-christmas stress of buying and wrapping all the presents, which as of today is finally done wahey!

 

 

I'm also working this christmas....7 day week which runs over christmas weekend

[Emerald Emblem]

I finish my work placement Christmas eve and I get off early that day, when the day ends I'll feel the anticipation that Christmas is the next morning, I know what my presents (Most of them) are going to be. I can't wait since one of my presents will replace something that's begun to break I use a lot.

[Ville]

Do you have a sauna in your house?

 

Yeah, it's quite interesting actually...I don't think I've ever seen a Finnish house which didn't have a sauna somewhere near. Either it's integrated into the house itself, a separate structure outside or a communal sauna like in blocks of flats. In any case, there's always a sauna near

 

I also dislike the fact that children are deceived to believe in Santa.

 

Yeah, not a fan of that either...I think it's a bit disrespectful lying to the children and then being amused at their expense.

[Cube]

letters to Santa.

 

Speaking of that, I randomly found out that Santa has an official address:

 

Santa/Father Christmas

Santa’s Grotto

Reindeerland

SAN TA1

 

If you send a letter there (with your name and address) then he'll reply (although we're way past the date where you can send off your letters).

[Murr]

Christmas is awesome.

 

It used to be all about the presents back when i was a young warthog, but the last few years it's been awesome for different reasons.

 

2 Christmases back, on my last day of work for the year (which was before christmas) i went to the pub with friends, and it was packed, there was Christmas music playing, everyone was drunk, but not like annoyingly aggressive looking for trouble drunk, but really happy and christmassy drunk.

 

and at one point, one guy who i don't know got his round in and just shouted 'It's Christmasss' and the pub just cheered in celebration.... a brilliant brilliant Christmas moment.

 

 

but yeah i enjoy the Christmas day with just my mum and dad, then on the evening i go to my girlfriend's parents and do present exchanging there, then a little later back to my parents with my girfriend so they can give her, her pressies.

 

Boxing day is all about the family, Brother Fiance and their girl, Sister Husband and their 2 kids, my girlfriend all at my parents drinking, laughing, last year we had a great day playing guitar hero world tour (my dad on the drums is brilliant) we go to the pub, have drinks, get home to an awesome Christmas roast with turkey and salt beef.

 

 

the one thing i find depressing is when Christmas adverts stop. That's when you've got the realisation that it's over till next year makes me sad

 

but i'm in work now, for 15 more minutes then I'm off till 4th January. I Cant wait

 

 

Merry Christmas Everyone (early but meh )

[jayseven]

A couple of christmas Eves ago me and three mates were in town drinking. We ended up going to the off-license and buying more booze, then heading the beach and climbing in a big boat and just drinking the night away. As it passed midnight we started shouting merry christmas at everyone in viewing distance. They mostly replied with great cheer!

 

Last year in sheff I went to a pub with two mates from argos. Had a great laugh with them and really enjoyed the night. On the table next to us was this guy wearing a UFC tee challenging all his mates to an arm wrestle. I convinced one of my mates to challenge the beefcake - he did - and he won! Was so lol. My mate returned to our table, then I beat him! Wetherspoons Arm Wrestling Champ 2009! Muahahahaaa!

 

This year I have a mini dilemma. My dad was supposed to be going to India for the hols, so before he left for his brief trip to the airport he presented me with a bag of gifts that I was to take to my sister's. There are two presents for her and like 6 for me. It's a weird thing but I'm going to feel really guilty opening these presents in front of my mum and my sister... Mum never really stopped loving my dad and my sister never had the chance to get to know him like I have since I moved in, so It's just a bit weird. They won't say anything but I'll see it in their eyes.

 

... Yeah. Moot point, really!

[Ashley]

Drink first then exchange presents!

 

I haven't had a good Christmas Eve night out in years. Went out with the crew from Game during my last Christmas there (must have been 2007). We went to the Weatherspoons with everyone and had one drink there then we all said "right we're going home, bye" and all went our separate ways. Then all the permanent (i.e. non-Christmas temps) met at a different pub later on and we spent the measly amount the company had given us there. And someone bought two bottles of champagne then remembered he doesn't like champagne so I had a bottle.

 

Since then not so much. Although this is the second Christmas in a row I'm not working in retail, which is nice.

[Ramar]

I think I may have just finished my Christmas shopping. Unless there's someone I've forgotten.

[Retro_Link]

I think I may have just finished my Christmas shopping. Unless there's someone I've forgotten.

	Audio

[Ville]

You do realise you're pretty much confirming every single Finnish stereotype? :p

 

Word

 

Every? You guys do realise that such bold claims call for some evidence, right? ;D

 

However, the sauna thing is not a stereotype, it is the TRUTH. In here, houses just have saunas, deal with it Don't know if it's similar in e.g. Sweden...And yes, should the circumstances permit, we might go ice-swimming or rolling in the snow naked afterwards. That is considered pretty normal... xD

[Serebii]

Well I got the MegaZord

 

I love Christmas. I miss the mysticism behind it and cant wait to see that through my nephew when he gets older

[Ramar]

Well I got the MegaZord

 

I love Christmas. I miss the mysticism behind it and cant wait to see that through my nephew when he gets older

 

I got it too and it was the best Christmas I had.

 

Knowing how awesome it was unwrapping it, putting the stickers on it, building the Megazord for the first time. I can understand why Diageo would be pissed at Santa for missing all that win.

[nightwolf]

*slams head against wall*

 

I meant more that you should create your own thread for it rather than clog the discussion here, yes it's chrismas related, but it wasn't particularly the discussions I intended.

 

Go, go thrip.

 

Does anyone find their parents are shameful at getting presents for each other? Quite a few of my friends have their Dad's especially getting them to get the presents for their wives...but my Dad always seems to be able to get something pretty awesome.

 

It's odd, I don't know how he does it, he can even bra shop for her 0.o.

[Happenstance]

Its been quite a few years now since my mum and dad got eachother anything (divorced) but I seem to remember my dad used to get my mum a lot of jumpers. One year for her birthday he went out on the morning of and came back with an electric screwdriver set for her.

[Serebii]

So, my dad has a ridiculous santa hat.

 

It's got a wire frame so it keeps its body, but press a button and it plays music and sways the tip from left to right.

 

RIDICULOUS. I MUST HAVE IT.

[The Peeps]

Went shopping yesterday and it felt really christmassy. The dark afternoons, christmas lights in town, snow-covered streets I've now got all my main presents for everyone.

 

Going to watch Home Alone tonight and might carry it on with a few other christmas films. I think I might try and watch at least 1 christmas film a night from now until christmas, any suggestions?

[Ramar]

My Dad's a bit pants at present getting.

[Diageo]

I never get presents from my dad.

 

And my mother always asks me what I want and gets that.

[Ashley]

Just finished wrapping presents while listening to The Boy Least Likely To's Christmas Album and eating mince pies my nan made ^_^ and now listening to Andrew Dost's rendition of 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'. Festivity!

 

I'm looking forward to Friday. I gain cruel enjoyment from going to a busy shopping centre on Christmas eve with only one or two things to get (remembered today I have more relatives but will get generic chocolates) and watching everyone else freak the geek out. Its calming.

 

Yes! And Andrew Dost responded to my tumblr request to make a Christmas music playlist Will work my way through that tomorrow.

Edited December 22, 2010 by Ashley