Get excited about Christmas 2023!

Get excited about Christmas 2023!

Author
Discussion

smithyithy

7,278 posts

120 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
I'm always excited for Christmas to be honest, although it's interesting to think back about being a kid and being excited for the gifts I was receiving, to now looking more forward to giving gifts and the reactions they get..

We should be in our new house in the next month or 2, so first Christmas there will come up really quick.. Probably won't be very extravagant especially if we're still getting everything furnished and sorted out, but I'm dead-set on a real tree - that's non-negotiable laugh

RizzoTheRat

25,318 posts

194 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
UTH said:
usn90 said:
I usually have Xmas off up until the kids go back school in January, so usually a good 16 days off give or take a couple of days, however last year I “only” booked off the Xmas week as I needed to save some leave for this year.

Won’t be needing to save this time around so usual service resumed biggrin

Definitely my favourite time of year, I have a tradition every Christmas Eve of watching home alone 1 + 2 with the kids, then die hard 1 whilst I attempt to wrap the mrs’s presents
We make sure we watch both Home Alone films, Die Hard and Die Hard 2 during December, with Love Actually our Christmas Eve tradition.

Also need to watch this for the first time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violent_Night
That's an ok collection of films but it's just not Christmas without the ultimate Christmas film, The Muppet Christmas Carol. We'll be in the South African summer this Christmas so must remember to take it with me biggrin

UTH

Original Poster:

9,031 posts

180 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
RizzoTheRat said:
UTH said:
usn90 said:
I usually have Xmas off up until the kids go back school in January, so usually a good 16 days off give or take a couple of days, however last year I “only” booked off the Xmas week as I needed to save some leave for this year.

Won’t be needing to save this time around so usual service resumed biggrin

Definitely my favourite time of year, I have a tradition every Christmas Eve of watching home alone 1 + 2 with the kids, then die hard 1 whilst I attempt to wrap the mrs’s presents
We make sure we watch both Home Alone films, Die Hard and Die Hard 2 during December, with Love Actually our Christmas Eve tradition.

Also need to watch this for the first time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violent_Night
That's an ok collection of films but it's just not Christmas without the ultimate Christmas film, The Muppet Christmas Carol. We'll be in the South African summer this Christmas so must remember to take it with me biggrin
I forgot to add Elf, essential viewing.

shirt

22,713 posts

203 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
UTH said:
Think I did this thread for 2022, and I just spotted the SS 2023 thread, so thought f**k it, why not get this one going too!

Last year I saved up plenty of my annual leave to use a load at Christmas so I had about 2.5 weeks off which was awesome and probably the longest time off work I've had for 5 years.
This year, I've gone for the full 3 weeks off, so my last working day is 11th Dec and frankly I cannot wait. Dangerous to be counting down the days already, but there we go.

I've also been super organised and booked the Christmas lights at Kew Gardens months ago, I was front of the 'queue' for tickets to the world dart's championships so I'm going to two days and have got pretty much the very best table seats you can get.
I've pre-ordered my red wine advent calendar, and Mrs UTH's surprise Prosecco advent calendar has already arrived and is hiding in the boot of the car.

Anyone else with me, or am I about to get hounded out of town for bringing up the C word so early!
Last year I had similar, took a full month from 15th Dec to 15th Jan as annual leave.

Went skiing in Italy pre and post Xmas, Xmas itself was 4 days in Vienna. Went skiing again to France in Jan, and spent the rest in Switzerland.

Not sure my leave balance will cope with similar this year and I’ve got a project in Oman with a COD of 31/12 but let’s see what I can wangle.

geeks

9,249 posts

141 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
UTH said:
RizzoTheRat said:
UTH said:
usn90 said:
I usually have Xmas off up until the kids go back school in January, so usually a good 16 days off give or take a couple of days, however last year I “only” booked off the Xmas week as I needed to save some leave for this year.

Won’t be needing to save this time around so usual service resumed biggrin

Definitely my favourite time of year, I have a tradition every Christmas Eve of watching home alone 1 + 2 with the kids, then die hard 1 whilst I attempt to wrap the mrs’s presents
We make sure we watch both Home Alone films, Die Hard and Die Hard 2 during December, with Love Actually our Christmas Eve tradition.

Also need to watch this for the first time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violent_Night
That's an ok collection of films but it's just not Christmas without the ultimate Christmas film, The Muppet Christmas Carol. We'll be in the South African summer this Christmas so must remember to take it with me biggrin
I forgot to add Elf, essential viewing.
Odd tradition in our house of watching every Star Trek film over December finishing with Galaxy Quest for New Years Day hehe

A500leroy

5,179 posts

120 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
UTH said:
RizzoTheRat said:
UTH said:
usn90 said:
I usually have Xmas off up until the kids go back school in January, so usually a good 16 days off give or take a couple of days, however last year I “only” booked off the Xmas week as I needed to save some leave for this year.

Won’t be needing to save this time around so usual service resumed biggrin

Definitely my favourite time of year, I have a tradition every Christmas Eve of watching home alone 1 + 2 with the kids, then die hard 1 whilst I attempt to wrap the mrs’s presents
We make sure we watch both Home Alone films, Die Hard and Die Hard 2 during December, with Love Actually our Christmas Eve tradition.

Also need to watch this for the first time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violent_Night
That's an ok collection of films but it's just not Christmas without the ultimate Christmas film, The Muppet Christmas Carol. We'll be in the South African summer this Christmas so must remember to take it with me biggrin
I forgot to add Elf, essential viewing.
What about 'super dooper looper' with Dudley Moore?

HTP99

22,699 posts

142 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
Used to really look forward to Christmas, we usually hosted, I cooked, around this point before Christmas I would start researching Christmas dinner getting ideas for food etc, I liked being at home and having it at our place.

9 years ago this coming Christmas eve my dad died, totally out of the blue, whilst I still enjoy the family being together and seeing everyone, it s all a bit bittersweet and I don't put nearly as much effort into preparing and generally start only a few weeks prior, I'm more than happy to go to someone's too as opposed to having it home, I'm just not as interested or into it anymore!

Gary C

12,611 posts

181 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
HTP99 said:
Used to really look forward to Christmas, we usually hosted, I cooked, around this point before Christmas I would start researching Christmas dinner getting ideas for food etc, I liked being at home and having it at our place.

9 years ago this coming Christmas eve my dad died, totally out of the blue, whilst I still enjoy the family being together and seeing everyone, it s all a bit bittersweet and I don't put nearly as much effort into preparing and generally start only a few weeks prior, I'm more than happy to go to someone's too as opposed to having it home, I'm just not as interested or into it anymore!
Go full out and have a celebration of your Dad this Christmas, make all the food he liked best, get all the drinks and tell the best of his jokes.

Make a new memory

Riley Blue

21,086 posts

228 months

Thursday 5th October 2023
quotequote all
I bought three packs of mini-stollen in Lidl last weekend, that's more than enough 'Christmas excitement' for this year.

UTH

Original Poster:

9,031 posts

180 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
Seems I've got a red wine AND a whisky advent calendar coming. Excitement just went up a notch. But my liver may have shuddered.

Tango13

8,516 posts

178 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
Yesterday the village co-op was still selling hot cross buns whilst also having Halloween and Christmas foods on the shelves.

UTH

Original Poster:

9,031 posts

180 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
Yesterday the village co-op was still selling hot cross buns whilst also having Halloween and Christmas foods on the shelves.
As much as I clearly like Christmas, I do think it's bizarre to be selling the food, decorations etc this far out.


Hoofy

76,601 posts

284 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
The advantage is that it does mean that there are more choices for chocolate box gifts when deciding on a present for someone whose birthday is in October.

I'm not sure the looks are of appreciation though when they open their gift to find it's chocolate Santas. biggrin

Tango13

8,516 posts

178 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
UTH said:
As much as I clearly like Christmas, I do think it's bizarre to be selling the food, decorations etc this far out.
I'm inclined to agree, Morrisons in Skegmess started selling mince pies on August Bank holiday weekend. It's a bit ridiculous when the best before date on Christmas food is in November.

UTH

Original Poster:

9,031 posts

180 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
UTH said:
As much as I clearly like Christmas, I do think it's bizarre to be selling the food, decorations etc this far out.
I'm inclined to agree, Morrisons in Skegmess started selling mince pies on August Bank holiday weekend. It's a bit ridiculous when the best before date on Christmas food is in November.
Yeah that makes no bloody sense at all.
I suppose there is a market for people who love Christmas food but want to be able to eat it a bit more often than a couple of weeks a year. Personally I hate things like Christmas cake, mince pies so I won't be touching them.
Turkey, pigs in blanket etc I could make any time of year if I really wanted I suppose.

williamp

19,293 posts

275 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
Our eldest has a birthday end of november, so any christmas talk is verboten untik after then.

...but yes i am thinking zbout it. Or rather, where could I put the lego Concorde..

UTH

Original Poster:

9,031 posts

180 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
williamp said:
Our eldest has a birthday end of november, so any christmas talk is verboten untik after then.

...but yes i am thinking zbout it. Or rather, where could I put the lego Concorde..
I am getting tempted into a lego thing this year, it is quite impressive the range of bits you can buy these days.

Just can't help feeling once it's built I don't really care what happens to it, so it's a potential waste of a fair bit of £££

Chipstick

320 posts

42 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
UTH said:
I am getting tempted into a lego thing this year, it is quite impressive the range of bits you can buy these days.

Just can't help feeling once it's built I don't really care what happens to it, so it's a potential waste of a fair bit of £££
If you buy right, you won't lose a lot of money by reselling

UTH

Original Poster:

9,031 posts

180 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
Chipstick said:
UTH said:
I am getting tempted into a lego thing this year, it is quite impressive the range of bits you can buy these days.

Just can't help feeling once it's built I don't really care what happens to it, so it's a potential waste of a fair bit of £££
If you buy right, you won't lose a lot of money by reselling
Oh really? There's a market for preowned? Guess there always is, never really thought about that.

22

2,328 posts

139 months

Wednesday 11th October 2023
quotequote all
My daughter puts on a Christmas radio station for the school run. There are so few people listening to it at the moment that they don't even have adverts yet. We've decided that when adverts start is the official acceptable time to tune in. It does put you in a good mood although seems like there are only a couple of dozen different songs.

Oh, and a swinging penguin with Christmas hat in the windscreen.