love or loath christmas?

Im with you kwak, its crap.
Its just one big marketing exercise, we all get stressed trying to buy presents (they or we dont need) for everybody, they in return get stressed trying to think of something to buy us.

The whole tradition of xmas has just turned into a buying frenzy, but on a good note, im supposed to be getting a bike camera so it has positives

Tv over the holidays used to be good, now its celebrity everything, dance with nobodies, utter crap.
Being self employed, i dont get paid when im off so its double whammy for me, expensive as in presents etc and i dont make any money to pay for em

Rant over
Phil

don't mind christmas time off and i didnt spend load's on present's maybe cause i'm a stingey ******* but meh.

[fizzwheel]

I f*cking hate it. The best bit of christmas its when its over.

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

personally i loath it!

it costs loads!

i work all of it!

its my busiest time of year!

ppl keep telling me how they have broke up for the holidays and i cant!

you have to stand a bl@@dy tree in ya living room!

chav houses get their lights up in November!

and its bl@@dy COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh no what have you started <rant>

I have no way of expressing just how much I f---ing detest Christmas & New Year - in fact the whole of the month of December...

I HATE IT! BAH Humbug!

I really hate all of it, from the Xmas countdown people do, the over priced sh1te on sale (that 3 weeks later will be less than half price), the commercialism, the god damn awful songs, the obligation of sending cards and presents, talking to people about what you are doing over Xmas, the staff party, the staff get together, the secret santa, the over zealous decorations in the office & at home, I hate the bucks fizz my wife makes me drink on Xmas morning and the fact she offers me a fry up (i love a fry up but she doesn't offer any other day) I hate looking grateful for crap presents and people doing the same back, I hate being nice and biting my tongue because I feel I should for this one day, I hate the endless lists around the house of jobs to be done or presents to be bought, I hate the fact my missus feels it necessary to go totally mental food shopping even if we are out on Xmas day, I hate dates (no f*c*3r eats them, so why?)I hate the fact that I am not allowed to do what I want because I am obliged to partake in the other stuff...etc.

...but the thing I hate more than anything else is that I am called a grumpy old b@stard by all the Xmas lovers because I don't feel the need to dress Christmassy with a f***ing stupid hat or coordinated colour or join in with all the christmas related b0ll0cks!

I have kids and I love watching their faces when they open the presents, that last about 45 mins and even they are bored after 30 mins of that.

I also like turkey.

Oops Kwak you may have hit a nerve? </rant>

For balance:

the cold doesn't bother me too much.

I love Christmas. I love buying presents for my close family. I get all excited at the thought of watching them open them. I love all the glitter. I love all the lights.

I love spending a day standing in the freezing cold directing traffic, only to come home into the warm, shutting the curtains and sitting in the living room with the dogs snuggled in, lights on the tree switched on and all the cold, bad and nasty things of the world shut outside.

I love the colour. I love the smells. I love watching films I have seen a million times before whilst curled up on the couch eating various tins of Roses, Quality Street, Miniture Heros or Celebrations.

I LOVE dinner. I love sitting round the table with my family around me. Everyone smiling and giggling.

Even when I have to work on Christmas. I love the comraderie, everyone bringing in food to eat, tins of sweeties. I love the laugh and giggle we have.

I love it, I love it, I love it - I FORKING LOVE IT.

i do like piggys in blankets

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

i do like piggys in blankets

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YES they are the best

Originally Posted by specialone

Tv over the holidays used to be good, now its celebrity everything, dance with nobodies, utter crap.
Being self employed, i dont get paid when im off so its double whammy for me, expensive as in presents etc and i dont make any money to pay for em

Rant over
Phil

TV this year - White Christmas followed by High Society. Essential viewing in our house, Bing reminds me of my FIL, and as for Grace Kelly singing 'True Love' - oh I can't wait

Bit personal this next bit.

I'm self employed too Phil so I know what you mean. But this year has been exceptionally difficult - far more so than most would realise, I've dropped the occasional hint but it really has been tough. I don't think our government really understands small businesses, or if they do then their understanding is limited to London, and the rest of the country can go hang. I'm looking forward to a rest

I used to hate Christmas too, nobody has touched on family issues, anyway I think mine are well known on here But y'know, I listened to our Bill over in VA, very wise he is, are your ears burning yet Bill? and I've thought very carefully about what he said - which was 'bad memories that you don't like? - then make new ones that you do like!!!' So we have cut out all the bits that we don't like, we aren't doing 'em, so there are no pointless crap gifts, there will be no excessive pile of food, just stuff we like that we know we will eat, we have a strict budget, and we will stick to it. Plus we aren't having any rellies over, and we're not going no place, it's just us at home. I don't see enough of my daughter, and she is growing up so fast that I'm missing too much, so I'm going to take her swimming and for a few runs with me

And for next year I'm going to try to relax a bit and not live at work

[BanannaMan]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

I love Christmas. I love buying presents for my close family. I get all excited at the thought of watching them open them. I love all the glitter. I love all the lights.

I love spending a day standing in the freezing cold directing traffic, only to come home into the warm, shutting the curtains and sitting in the living room with the dogs snuggled in, lights on the tree switched on and all the cold, bad and nasty things of the world shut outside.

I love the colour. I love the smells. I love watching films I have seen a million times before whilst curled up on the couch eating various tins of Roses, Quality Street, Miniture Heros or Celebrations.

I LOVE dinner. I love sitting round the table with my family around me. Everyone smiling and giggling.

Even when I have to work on Christmas. I love the comraderie, everyone bringing in food to eat, tins of sweeties. I love the laugh and giggle we have.

I love it, I love it, I love it - .

Loving every minute of it!