Brew 5,408 Posted December 2, 2021 Report Share Posted December 2, 2021 18 minutes ago, Alpha said: to see on a bright winter day, partially deflated santas etc, blowing aimlessly in the breeze, Sad to some amusing to others though I have some sympathy with your view Alpha, as CF has just said "it takes all sorts" Here there are no external lights and the tree goes up a week before and is down a week after, something I rarely take part in and although I make little effort in decoration I do selfishly enjoy the efforts of my better half. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2021 When the kids lived at home we didn’t put up the tree until Christmas Eve. I think that made Christmas more special. All the tat was removed by 12th. Night. Last year, when Christmas was banned, we didn’t put up any decorations as nobody came. I’m just now waiting to put the first cards through the shredder. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AfferGorritt 868 Posted December 2, 2021 Report Share Posted December 2, 2021 I used to live in Eastwood, right down near Langley Miil, and used to meet a mate for a few pints at the Hayloft in Giltbrook every Thursday night. I’d invariably miss the bus (oh, all right, just one more) and decide to walk home. There was nothing sadder than walking home up the deserted main road on a windy, wet January midnight with the switched off council Christmas decorations swinging in the wind. The end of Christmas hope and a return to cold reality. Drove me to drink! (It’s being so cheerful keeps me going!) 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted December 2, 2021 Report Share Posted December 2, 2021 We stopped putting the Chistmas tree up when we lived in Bulwell cos our cats would attempt to climb the tree & then play football with the baubles when they had overturned the tree. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,721 Posted December 3, 2021 Report Share Posted December 3, 2021 The thread has moved on a bit since I last participated, but firstly @Beekay I would not presume to guess how it must feel to lose children and my thoughts are with you. Re: Christmas Lights. Of course people are at liberty to do what they want within the law etc... but I do find Christmas lights up in mid November a bit off putting. Though to invoke the old truism.. that is my problem. Oddly, the family closest to us who put theirs up first, are in many ways 'pillars of the community' and very well off financially. They also have a son with learning disabilities and other issues and I believe they put the lights up for him. So, moving on to Christmas itself and my oft stated wish to 'get it over with'. I've been pondering that all day and asking myself why I feel that way. After all.. I always enjoyed Christmas as a kid, except for a spell when conditions at home were not exactly conducive...but I won't dwell on that. I continued to enjoy Christmas up until we had our kids. That is when it started to go wrong for me and it took more thinking for me to work out why. On reflection, those years were when we were always hardest up and quite literally in constant danger of losing our house. Getting nice stuff for the kids was difficult and I was always anxious that we weren't providing properly for them, although obviously they always were, and remain, deeply loved. That anxiety stuck with me, and since I'm pretty much terminally anxious anyway, seems to have translated into a general anxiety around Christmas. It seems to me that is enough to explain why I want to delay the onset of Christmas and then 'endure' it for the shortest possible time. I do recognise that many have had enough by the time we get to New Years Day.. I've usually had enough by Boxing Day. But actually sitting back and thinking all this through has made me realise that I don't have to 'fight' Christmas. I just have to accept that it's happening, and participate as much or as little as I wish. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,408 Posted December 3, 2021 Report Share Posted December 3, 2021 4 hours ago, DJ360 said: I do find Christmas lights up in mid November a bit off putting. I understand Col, I look a bit sideways at them yet cannot articulate why. Fairy lights at any other time of year would make me mildly curious not tut tut at the silliness. Perhaps there are those who retain the childlike wonder of Christmas and simply can't wait to get started. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,599 Posted December 3, 2021 Report Share Posted December 3, 2021 Col, You certainly are a thinker, aren’t you! I believe we are all products of our past experiences - the good, the bad and the ugly. I, too, often analyse why I have certain opinions and attitudes to certain things. I do feel sad sometimes that the simple Christmases of my childhood with my mum and dad are only in my memory. I remember being really excited when I got a Christmas Annual or a new jigsaw! I know things have moved on but I really don’t like the commercialism of the present day Christmas season. Even when our own children were small, Christmas was quite simple, but exciting for them (and us) watching them open their few presents. Perhaps I would think differently if the real ‘reason for the season’ was separated from the commercial part. A few years ago I watched a school nativity play which included Santa, elves and Rudolf… 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2021 In those post war year very few families were affluent and the treats that we children received at Christmas were very special. Christmas now has turned, for many, into a Bacchanalian orgy of greed and overindulgence. My tastes are still very simple and I don’t want to join in with the display of mass hysteria that the season has become. Our Christmas dinner will consist of turkey breast slices and a modest pudding, both purchased from Lidl, washed down with a glasses of tap water. I don’t want your sympathy, I’m content with my lot. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
letsavagoo 961 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 On 12/1/2021 at 9:49 PM, letsavagoo said: He’s done this for the last few years and raises money for charity. I think I’ve got a photo from last year if I can find it. I'll take one anyway when I’m passing in a day or so. Here’s the house Phil mentioned. Took this yesterday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,134 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 If you want to see lights, go visit the "Thursford Christmas Spectacular". Millions of 'em. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 Couldn't even find an inflatable baby Jesus in Morrison's yesterday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 Jesus & Christmas aren't allowed in this multicultural country anymore. Happy holidays. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 .....and a happy Winterval to you as well! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,408 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 3 hours ago, letsavagoo said: Here’s the house Phil mentioned. Took this yesterday. Strange, to my poor old eyes there is nothing I would consider disgusting or tat on display - then again what do I know... 31 minutes ago, catfan said: Jesus & Christmas aren't allowed in this multicultural country anymore. Happy holidays. I'm afraid multiculturals can stick it where the sun don't shine, it will always be Merry Christmas to me 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 The ‘photo doesn’t really do it justice. You’ve got to see it in the flesh. It’s so bad it’s good! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,599 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 37 minutes ago, catfan said: Jesus & Christmas aren't allowed in this multicultural country anymore. Happy holidays. Actually, Hindus accept Jesus as an incarnation of God. A friend of mine who is Hindu says Jesus is the same as Krishna! She is coming to our Christmas services at church along with her husband who is Buddhist and her two children. They also decorate their house for Christmas. When my mother in law lived in Leicester, her Sikh neighbours all had Christmas trees in their windows and exchanged presents with her - and she was a committed Christian … 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 I spoke with a Jewish client many years ago and suggested that his family probably wouldn’t be celebrating Christmas. He said they always put a Christmas tree up ‘just for the children’ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 I was given my yearly job of putting the suitcases back in the loft & while your up there can get the trimming down & our tree/trimmings/lights went up about 3 weeks ago, looking @ how long we may live & the weeks we are shaving off Christmas, our tree will eventually be going up around June/July. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 21 minutes ago, MargieH said: Actually, Hindus accept Jesus as an incarnation of God. A friend of mine who is Hindu says Jesus is the same as Krishna! She is coming to our Christmas services at church along with her husband who is Buddhist and her two children. They also decorate their house for Christmas. When my mother in law lived in Leicester, her Sikh neighbours all had Christmas trees in their windows and exchanged presents with her - and she was a committed Christian … Actually Muslims don't celebrate Christmas & Britain will soon be a Muslim country. Bradford as we know it will be the new UK capital renamed Bradistan. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 My daughter in law’s father was Lord Mayor of Bradford in 2014/15. The only white man ever to hold the post! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 Need I say anymore, for every Christian child born today there will be four Muslim children born. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 Yes but Christianity isn’t as popular as it used to be. Certainly not in this country. There are five parishes in this area with seven churches that now support just one vicar. The Church of England is struggling. Some of the ‘fringe’ churches seem to do OK but are more popular with ethnic minorities. You don’t necessarily have to be a Christian to lead a decent and honest life though. I’m an example of that! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,599 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 I have a Muslim friend as well and she and her children took part in our Nativity at church a couple of years ago. I believe that it’s mainly extreme factions of certain religions and certain British political leanings that cause any trouble. The problem was perfectly expressed in Eastenders over the last 2 episodes…. Most Muslims believe in peace, as do Christians. FWIW I agree with the sentiments expressed in your last sentence @philmayfield Except I can’t possibly form any opinion of you personally as I haven’t seen you for 67 years - and anyway, who am I to judge as I knows I’m still a work in progress! x Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 Judge not lest ye be judged! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,304 Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 If people followed the major tenets of their religion, whatever it might be, all would be fine and dandy but there will always be those who don't and the few get the majority a bad name. All religions, it must be said, are man made. The many are expected to follow the religious interpretations of the few who, in some cases, don't themselves adhere to their own teachings. We are all, ultimately, on our own. We arrive here alone and we will leave the same way. We'll just have to try to find a path which suits our own individual conscience. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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