🎅🏻 🎄 What are your Christmas traditions?

[Marjo]

Hey guys,

My turn to write a Christmas topic.   Well you might know I'm not super duper into Christmas, unlike @LukasB  however in the past couple of years I've had some new traditions forming for how I celebrate and I've really enjoyed it.

1) One decoration hanging somewhere in the kitchen (a glittery Santa I got from Estonia)

2) Visiting boyfriend's family for 1-2 days (exhausting but lovely)

3) Delicious food and some nice mulled wine afterwards with some Netflix (or maybe Disney+ this year)

4) Little presents for my cats  (catnip fish ordered!)

This year, of course the pandemic is going to affect this and many people's traditions but I hope we will manage to have a relaxing time somehow anyway.  (See some lockdown Christmas activity discussion here)

I'm adding a 5th tradition to my list this year --> Christmas tree! I got a second-hand plastic one, also have a box of decorations for it including lights. It will be interesting to set it up with two cats in the house who've never before seen a Christmas tree. I'll let you know later in the decorations topic how it went.

Do you guys have any Christmas time traditions? Anything you've been doing for multiple years in a row, or perhaps in your childhood based on the traditions of your family?

Anyone have any different traditions from around the world that you like to do each year? Anyone do anything "unusual" during Christmas?

I've noticed since moving here that Christmas is celebrated mainly on the 25th (presents opened, main meal etc), whereas in Finland where I'm from the Christmas Eve on the 24th is the main day to celebrate. That's usually when Santa comes to visit and people get together in the evening to have a nice meal together, and the 25th is spent just relaxing. Also, I've noticed that ham is more popular than turkey when it comes to the Christmas food in Finland compared to here in the UK... after Christmas, we use the leftover ham to make ham & pea soup. 

Looking forward to reading about your traditions, or any that you've read/heard about that you find interesting.

[Anonymous]

To be as miserable on that day as I am on the other 364.

[Mi-Amigo]

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@Anonymous wrote:
To be as miserable on that day as I am on the other 364.

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You ain`t miserable @Anonymous 

[Anonymous]

If only you knew Mr Miami

[jonsie]

Always a tradition in this country...

Buying at an extortionate price, a 'bumper' television magazine

Settle down to plan the recordings whilst slowly looking through every page at every channel

I end up with recordings of anything un-Christmassy and then base my Prime, Disney+ and Netflix viewing around those.

A must to avoid is the Queen's speech, leaked days previously to the press by those closest to her

Or maybe it's the same people who leak all the Prime Minister's announcements days before

I refuse to believe Mystic Meg is the culprit!!

[Cleoriff]

Mine have changed over the years @Marjo 

When I was nursing, it depended what day I was working. (Either Christmas Day or Boxing day)

If I was at work on the 25th, the lads were up before me to open presents. Ray would cook something like steak and chips.

Then we would have Christmas lunch and all the trimmings on the day I was off duty.

I preferred to be off on Boxing Day actually, it wasn't as hectic.

If at work Christmas day, we bought presents for all the patients, had open visiting and the senior Consultant would come in to carve the turkey  and dish up lunch. In those days, they preferred the Ward Sister to be at work.

That changed in the 70's, when many sisters were married with children, so you could be off on the 25th but work 26th.

When I went into management, we didn't work weekends or Bank Holidays so it was another change.

I would cook the traditional meal and have Mum and Dad here on the 25th.

This carried on even when the boys got married, so I catered for them along with wives and partners and our grandchildren..

Eventually, I said enough was enough and after cooking Christmas lunch for 40+ years, we then were invited to our sons.

For the past 5 years we have gone out for a meal on Boxing day (which is our Christmas)

This year it's different again. Our family bubble will come to ours on Boxing day and we will have a takeaway from the local carvery.

We had booked a meal out which is now cancelled.

So I will be looking for our festive Christmas tablecloth which is in a cupboard somewhere. , Sorting out xmas napkins and have bought some Christmas crackers and wine.

All back to square one, without me cooking and no doubt it will be a great day (as long as they don't stick around for hours after lunch)

[Mi-Amigo]

                                                      Christmas - An Ode

My Christmas is just another day.

No-one here with whom to play.

No tinsel, no Christmas tree,

No girlfriend, kids, or family.

I`m not sad, nor depressed.

I`ll get up, washed and dressed.

Carer will come at breakfast time,

Get my food and check I`m fine.

I`ll then log on the Community and post

Happy Xmas to the folks who mean the most

Then lunch without paper hats and crackers

Which don`t really matter.

Carer will come and cook my tea

Plateful of veggie food for me.

Then I`ll curl up on the old settee

And check what`s to watch on TV.

After cups of tea and mince pies,

When tiredness starts to fill my eyes

I`ll wend my way off to bed

And before I rest my head

I`ll think of those out there -

Who help, make me laugh, and care

And at the end of Christmas Day

Say "Thank you. You mean more than words can say".

Happy Christmas everyone

from

@Mi-Amigo 

[jonsie]

Beautiful words @Mi-Amigo 

[Mi-Amigo]

Thank you @jonsie 

[Cleoriff]

Lovely @Mi-Amigo