Nightmares about Christmas

Order your turkeys now. Avian flu is causing shortages

Did it a month ago. I buy direct from a farm, where, unless bird flu means they have to be housed, I can, if I drive round , see them out in the field every day.

The Covid ‘Christmas is Cancelled’ year was my nightmare but, as it was, the DD and her husband came as usual for the outdoor walk and we did presents on Zoom.

The worst part was afterwards, when I learned that all the Covid virtue signallers had had massive family get togethers.

Never again. I shall quietly ignore all Puritanical suggestions and put the family first.

As for a turkey shortage as mentioned above, I still have the bird from the Cancelled Christmas in the freezer, and intend to use His Majesty this year.

Ours is in the freezer, a gift from a butcher friend two weeks ago, provenance assured.

We've decided to have a very pared back Christmas. No gifts made of (new) plastic... things form charity shops will be welcomed alongside one 'good ' present.

Lunch will be hassle free... usually a large organic chicken. We actually like the trimmings more than the actual bird and not turkey fans...so masses of trimmings and roast potatoes and lots of gravy. Always make a trifle ... no one likes Christmas pud.
We prep all the veg the night before and have a fun time maybe making some mince pies.

Sorted and easy. And I will be very mindful of donating things to the food bank, this year more than ever.

What a sad Christmas Day Happysexagenarian and your poor children!
Even though they expected to come to you, they should bring presents for the children, and something nice for you for always hosting them.
What a miserable man your FIL was. It is the sort of Christmas
Day that is hard to forget.

Feelings about Christmas aren't just based in practicalities. some love it and are happy with it all Serendipity22 as you are..some of us have complex and sometimes unhappy memories and some funny ones..

so of course its OK to being things up now about Christmas!

correction.."bring things up".

Meta

I read the headline and thought the posts were going to be about the many people who will have a real nightmare about Christmas this year involving no food, no heating, no presents.

My thoughts too

I told my children that last christmas that was it I was hanging up my pinny and retiring due to health problems could I continue. My best Christmas was 2020 quiet and peaceful no visitors and myself and hubby ate what we wanted bliss. Now while I wouldn't want it evey year I think it's time they took over the cooking and entertainment and it's also expensive.

I suppose I will one day have to give up catering for Christmas, but the later it comes the better. One Christmas in two there are only three of us at the table on Christmas. On the other Christas there are seven as DD is joined by DS and family.

This year's catastrophe is that DS and family after Christmas visit will be without DDiL. She has had to go back to work full time to keep up with inflation and has no leave left for anything other than the bare minimum at Christmas.

Thank you Boris Johnson, Liz Truss et al. (sarcasm, not how I feel). I love my very DDil and we will really miss her.

We hosted everyone here last Christmas.
This year the family group will stay in their home town.
The others are key workers: one pair are working all over the break and one will be busy working either side of it.

We are treating ourselves to a lovely holiday in the sun, flying out on Christmas morning and flying back after New Year.

We've said we'll have a family get-together either earlier in December or in January, whatever works best for everyone.
I like to ring the changes where Christmas is concerned ?

It's way too early, for us to think about the nightmare that is December, apart from buying tickets away, avoiding most of it.