I love Christmas!

4 more sleeps then the Big Man Arrives .

Soooo looking forward to it all !

I love sprouts too, what's not to like? [fwind]

What's so great about sprouts? Pardon the indelicacy, but they give me wind . Prefer broccoli any day - or even every day.

I like them too!

I hate them crunchy. Like them soft with gravy and vinegar!

I love sprouts...a very misunderstood veg due to over cooking.

Oh, I do hate parsnips! Sorry folks. I like Brussels spouts with chilli and chestnuts, though.

I also love roasted parsnips and roasted carrots plus garlic

GAgood luck with the parsnips,I love them roasted,we don't have a community Christmas in our village,what a lovely thing to be involved in,I would live that.
Will be taking E to the christingle .she really enjoys thatxxxx

GA. Respect. . I hope you will stay well during the festivities.

mamie oh dear!

My OH came bouncing back from the shops telling me that he had seen a weather station with lots of measurement features at Lidl and should he go back and buy one? This is actually what I bought in the UK and brought back without him seeing it.
I gave him a stony stare and said no he shouldn't.
Suspect my surprise is blown though.

smoluski I identify absolutely with what you've written. This year it's my job to cook the parsnips for our community Christmas Day lunch, so our family Christmas meal will be on Christmas eve after the Christingle service. On Christmas Day we'll all pitch in to make the community lunch go well, there are over forty people booked in.

Pogs , your last paragraph , LOL

Off to GD's school nativity, tomorrow, I thought that was a bit early but hey ho.

What will we do without listening to her repeat day after day for her role as narrator "And the animals watched too". Obviously my GD impressed her teacher to have such an important part.

First 'sleigh collection' around our village last night, so heart warming to share a drink with Santa himself in the pub afterwards.

Nice Flicket .

Christmas Day for us is governed by rituals from the time we wake up until well after lunch when we collapse into a heap of reading/Music/ Playing games/talking, rarely TV. It follows the rituals of childhood

Since we retired even getting the Christmas tree has been ritualised. For a long time we have gone to the Christmas tree sales lot on a big country estate set among woods in the Chilterns. Before retirement it was a quick dash out and back at a weekend. Now we choose a week day, take the scenic route and after the trees are on the roof go to a little pub even deeper in the woods that specialises in game, mainly shot by the landlord and have a long leisurely lunch.

Oh yes rituals are essential , all part and parcel .

I sort of like the build up, all the anticipation, but often find the event itself can be a bit of an anticlimax. I went to choose a tree yesterday (we have an excellent Christmas Tree Farm not too far away) and will collect it and put it up this weekend. I did say I wasn't going to bother this year, but Mr P's little lip wobbled, so I gave in! His ex wife was German but never put up a tree

We have developed our own rituals over the 11 years that we have been together, one of which is that tree decorating must be accompanied by sherry!

I cannot believe it will be Christmas day a fortnight today , how exciting !

It will be nice to see the sequel to the Snowman , The Snowman and the Snowdog on Christmas eve. I know 4 little boys and girls who will be watching along with their Grandma . It is their favourite , we are always watching it .

Tommorrow we are off to our pre - Christmas lunch with some friends . Looking forward to that as it will be laughter filled as they always are . We all enjoy a good laugh . There will be 6 , possibly 8 , a good time will be had by all I am sure .

Enjoy your U3A lunch , Jess !!

I am pretty contrary over Christmas,some aspects I love,some I don't love so much,but rather than ban Christmas ,perhaps we could ban the word perfect in relation to Christmas,I love the quiet cosy times,and the simple pleasure of hot warming soup,mince pies,mulled wine, in fact cosy is one of my favourite words,peace is another word,and is a gift I would love to give to all,I love the carols,and the idea of frosty walks,and a child's face in the wonder of it all the part I don't live so much is jingle tills,and shopping,but enjoy the rest in a quiet on looking sort of way.H ave just put up tree,son is snoring the excess of his firms party off and the pervading fumes of beer are abounding,santas list has been posted along with the cards ,gifts are halfway wrapped with pretty bows etc,and I am excited at seeing the faces on the day...nellie loves the love and warmth,and hopefully bridges being built in families that are troubled so in a quiet peaceful way it's nearly crimbo.
If I was on my own,I would love to work in a crisis shelter over Christmas ,that to me is a true meaning of givingxxxxxlove nellie

With everyone all the way on this, and with a son born on 24th December it is a double whammy for us. Lovely!

We took the children to their first pantomime on Saturday night. Only a local amateur group but they were brilliant. The children's eyes were shining with excitement and throats were hoarse with shouting lol.

No, crimson, you're more likely getting tired. Good night

crumbs; another typo....I'm getting worse.