Pub at Christmas

I like this thread, brings back memories. Thanks for starting it H1954 - by coincidence on my Dad's birthday.

On Christmas morning, after we'd opened our gifts, Dad lit the fire in the front room. Like most Yorkshire families at that time, the room was used only for best.

The he'd sit smoking his pipe and reading his cowboy books in peace, while Mum and I got the dinner.

Afterwards, we'd all sit in the front room and Dad would light a Hamlet. The smell of cigars still reminds me of Christmas.

I think it might be a Northern thing.
My Dad always went to the pub with his mates on Christmas Day, but not for very long & certainly wasn’t the worse for wear when he came home.
He used to go out with the same mates on a Thursday night & play dominoes. He would shut the fire down before he went out, which would infuriate Mum

It has never been a feature of my life as a child or adult for anyone to go to the pub on 25th December.

The men in our family always went to the pub on xmas morning,... a way of letting the ladies get on with cooking and the men meet their regulars in the pub.

When I was wee, no pubs were open where we lived. My Dad being English loved Christmas although he did celebrate Hogmanay as was the tradition here. He was never in the pub and was a really good cook. My husband isn't really a drinker and again, pubs aren't open around here. We just tend to have drinks at home or at whoever is hosting dinner. My husband helps me with the Christmas dinner if we are doing it.

My mum and stepdad went at Christmas. It was open from 12 until 2 then home to sleep and then to a party. Christmas was miserable looking back but I just accepted it. From 9 years old they were out drinking every night and I looked after myself. My GC have lovely Christmasses and much better lives, thankfully.

I grew up with a stepfather who went to the pub every night, and definitely Christmas morning. My mother would send me up there to get someone to tell him his dinner was ready! My husband never went on Christmas Day, not often at any time really, but at Christmas I lost him to the band, he played in a brass band and they`d be going round the town playing, whatever the weather.

Northern here. My dad liked a drink but he never went out on Christmas day. He loved the family time, gifts, preparation ext. He was in charge of cooking the turkey. My husband only really drinks with a meal and has never been inclined to a lunch time drink. Just as well ...we always host Christmas day and I couldn't do it without his willing help. Each to their own. Everybody's tradition is different.

It never used to be for long.
It might have all changed now.

I also was unaware that pubs were even open on Christmas Day.

I've been married for 39 years, and not only has my husband never once wanted to go to the pub, but he's cooked Christmas dinner every year.

I wonder is it more of a Northern thing?

It wasn't unusual where I lived for the men to go to the pub on Christmas morning. I grew up in Manchester where my (Irish) stepfather always went to the pub on Christmas Day (and any other day he had money in his pocket, but that's another tale). Sometimes the womenfolk would go and join the men an hour or so in the evening too.

One female relative, raised and living in the South, married a Northern man. Christmas was celebrated up North shortly after the marriage and she was horrified that the women (she, her mother-in-law, husband's aunt and grandmother) stayed at home and cooked whilst the men all wandered off to the pub and came home much the worse for wear. For her it was a real culture clash and it took her and her husband some time to recover from their first Christmas 'together'.

Whenever I've worked in pubs, even the hardest drinkers dare not be late home for Christmas dinner.

My dad always went to the pub on Christmas Day, after peeling all the veg. Home 2 hours later to carve the turkey and join in with mum, my sister and me.

When we married in 1974 - My own husband never wanted to. He enjoyed the whole day at home with me and our 2 daughters.

Now?

He goes to the pub with our son in law (it’s just round the corner from their house) with my father. The 3 of them enjoy a pint or two, while us girls enjoy some bubbles, playing with the smalls, before we all eat together.

Everyone has a nice time. No over drinking, just a joyful, traditional day once again. We are lucky.

Mind you, when the price of a gin and tonic is £7 ( my local)
We only go there when we fancy a meal out.

I do not think there is any value judgment involved. For some people it is part of the Christmas ritual -like going to midnight mass. Some do, some do not.

No, it has never happened in our house, or when I was a child.
Christmas morning is for opening presents, church, and then home for a drink together whilst the meal is cooking.
Tbh, I didn’t even realise that pubs were open on Christmas Day.

In our early years of marriage we lived in a little close where we all knew each other, and it became a tradition for all the men to go to the pub, within 1 minute's walk away, for a swift drink before Christmas dinner. It was nice for them and as far as I know no-one ever objected, and DH was always back (and never drunk!) in time to carve the turkey. When we moved that was the end of it.

No pub visits in our house, dad used to help mum with the dinner etc. He peeled the veg and stoked up the fires in the living room and front room.

Strange kind of question H1954. So you overheard at most two people speaking of their husbands going to pub on Christmas day? Is it right or wrong? Neither is my response. It is what suits. Why would any comments like this cause you to question what others do?

Nobody in our family has ever been to the pub at Christmas. My grandfathers were both miners and strict chapel. We have never been a drinking family. Even now we might all have a sherry before Christmas Day lunch, and champagne or prosecco during. But that is all.

I know a few families where the men always go to the pub on Christmas day.

My Dad wasn't much of a drinker, the occasional beer at home maybe but he wouldn't have dreamed of going out on Christmas Day.

He was a motor mechanic and sometimes, having done private jobs for friends, usually old Army pals, instead of paying him they'd say, 'I'll buy you a drink, owd lad.'

He developed the knack of saying, 'Right then, I'll see you in the Nag's head at 11:30 Sunday morning.'

Thus, every now and then, he'd get ready to go out as Mum and I were peeling potatoes and Mum would say, 'Think on, the Yorkshire's go in at 12 and no later.'

Which meant we all had to be at the table, hands washed and hungry at 12:30.

We allus were.

I lived in pubs as my parents were publicans, we always knew who would be in on Christmas Day lunch session 12-2pm. Always with new jumpers, scarfs etc, the atmosphere was jolly.

My husband has never gone, neither do my AC or parents once they left the trade.

Same here, but I’m pretty sure our local pub is closed anyway.