Great News Folks - Only 91 Days To Christmas!!!!!!!

[sufferer2]

Mince Pies Already In The Shops - YUK!YUK! and YUK! again.

[Sorebones]

I know!! Great isn't it? Lol. I love mince pies so I make the most of their short shelf availability. I'm on my second box of the year lol. They also have big tubs of chocolate in the shops again! I'm stockpiling lol.

So, I'm afraid I'm not with you on your sentiments, in fact, bring it on!!! Xx 🐸

[sufferer2 in reply to Sorebones]

Oh dear Sorebones - you're making me feel really queasy now.

What with the mince pies and those oh so awful tubs of chocolate my 'Sugar Overload Button' has now gone into over-drive.

No more please.LLAP, Eric.

[Sorebones in reply to sufferer2]

Must be a girl thing lol. I shall endeavour to munch quietly lol X 🐸

[stargirl47]

With you on that Sorebones love it mince pies and all , how are you doing my friend and how is your mum ? Im hoping you are both good , im off to docs this week got a bad back its a new one for me usually hurt everywhere but not the back , and then rumo next week so fun all around hope you are as pain freecas possible have a great weekend whatever it holds

Hugs sarah xx

[Sorebones in reply to stargirl47]

Thank you so much for asking Sarah. She is coping, probably the best way to put it. Sadly she is getting very frail now. I sympathise re the bad back! One of my bugbears lol. Let me know how you get on with the rheumy X 🐸

[stargirl47 in reply to Sorebones]

Thanks Sorebones I will keep you informed lets hope your mum picks up a little its still early days love to you both xxx

[BlueMermaid3 in reply to Sorebones]

Great to see you Sorebones

How are the babies and your older g/daughter?

Lu xx

[Sorebones in reply to BlueMermaid3]

All 4 of them now lol. They are all brilliant! I have the thought of seeing them all at once next weekend so the house will be full. The poor cat will be under the bed to escape lol. I have planned a photo session and bought appropriate props. It will be chaotic fun. May as well use all I've been taught lol. Landscapes are so much easier lol xx 🐸

[rosewine in reply to Sorebones]

Yes landscapes don't tend to move around when you are trying to do a photo.x

[Trikki in reply to rosewine]

Nor do they make silly faces when you want to get at least one decent picture out of 25 taken!!!! Maybe that's just my crazy family though!! x

[fenbadger in reply to rosewine]

They do rosewine *hic*

[rosewine in reply to fenbadger]

Enough said or drunk. I can just imagine you trying to photographs omething after one too many and landing in an undignified heap.LOL.x

[fenbadger in reply to rosewine]

moi?

[BlueMermaid3]

I saw the first Christmas advert yesterday.

I do think it's too early personally. The kids get so hyped up over such a long period of time for just one day.

I actually saw Christmas Stocking stuff in a well known newsagent at the end of August.

Sorry to be bar humbug or however you spell it!

Lu xx

[stargirl47]

Hi lu BlueMermaid3 you do know that there will be more of your favourite Q sweets in the shops lol he he xxx

[BlueMermaid3 in reply to stargirl47]

Yay! I only want the purple ones though 😅 Lol xx

[Sorebones in reply to BlueMermaid3]

You can have all my purple ones! I hate them! I love chocolate, I love nuts, but don't put the two together..... Yuck. Same with chocolate and pastry!! One I do love is meat and fruit! My sister can't stand that combination lol X 🐸

[rosewine in reply to BlueMermaid3]

BlueMermaid3 My favourite as well even though normally I am not the biggest chocolate lover. Have you seen those giant ones. As a child loved the purple crinkly paper no end of games with them.x

[BlueMermaid3 in reply to rosewine]

rosewine I used to flick my purple papers around the room! Such a rebel 😅

Sorebones pastry & chocolate huh??? I am confused.com

Hugs to you both. Lu xx

[BlueMermaid3]

I'm so glad someone is on my side Hidden . I thought I might get pelted by mince pies there.

Although Sorebones and stargirl47 would probably prefer to eat them than throw them at me lol !

I best make a run for it 😁 xx

[stargirl47 in reply to BlueMermaid3]

Your safe today BlueMermaid3 I cant run bad back an all lol who am I trying to kid even without the bad back I wont be doing any running lol cant remember when I last ran anywhere lol so you are safe , and save me the green triangles please yumxx

[Sorebones in reply to BlueMermaid3]

Hmmmm. I think you're right! I would have to take several bites if I did throw them which would give you a chance to escape ha ha! Plus, like stargirl47, I can't remember the last time I ran...... Xx 🐸

[rosewine in reply to BlueMermaid3]

I'm with you as well BlueMermaid3 far too early I also saw my first Christmas cards in early August. I am sorry but Christmas doesn't bring many happy memories for me at all and I am so glad when it is all over but don't begrudge other people's enjoyment but it is so rammed down our throats now I feel so sorry for families on a limited wage with children and grandchildren to buy for. I hate the way (I have alot of birthdays to buy for around Christmas) that you can't get decent birthday cards because there is no room because of the Christmas cards. X

[BlueMermaid3 in reply to rosewine]

Here here rosewine I was too scared to say I can't stand Christmas.

Far too commercialised in my view.

I only buy for my mum and children now. Can't afford to buy for everyone xx

[Tabby-Cat]

I'm afraid that I have to reveal that I am Scrooge. I cannot find words to express strongly enough how much I LOATHE Christmas. I loathe the ludicrous amount of money people spend on presents when it gets them into debt, and I loathe the hypocrisy of it. The churches on Christmas Eve full of people who never set foot in a church the rest of the year. All those people spending Christmas Day trying to be polite to all the relatives they've avoided all year. And millions of people on one side of the world stuffing themselves until they feel sick, while millions on the other side starve. I stopped doing Christmas some years ago now. I take the dogs to visit my 90 year old mum in her care home on Christmas Day, but that's it. I spend the rest of the day alone with my dogs and cats while all the people who are connected to me by DNA spend the day together pretending they like each other. My animals and me, that's my perfect Christmas.

[Rose54 in reply to Tabby-Cat]

Hi

I think I nailed Christmas last year

Informed everyone was not giving presents and requested no presents given .

However still love Xmas making the house look nice cooking dinner having family for a few days .

We give a very small token gift to those who attend on Christmas day.

Play Games ,Go for Walks but focus on us as a family .

Wonderful few days no stress .

Come March booked for 4 days in London sightseeing and spending money I would have spent on Christmas presents .

I have 2 friends who are trying it this year but their going to Holiday Camp with Grandchildren .

Rose

[mmariaaaaaaaa in reply to Rose54]

Can I join your family lol

[Rose54 in reply to mmariaaaaaaaa]

more the merrier

never guarantee dinner will be ready

my sons a Chef but I do lunch he normally starts the day with how's the Turkey doing my reply is no idea open the oven and ask it .

Thiers always fish fingers sandwiches

[peck in reply to Rose54]

Hi Rose54 , Sorry to but in but the way you celebrate Christmas is the way it should be done.I have a large family (about 75) and having all of us together is the best gift I could ever ask for.Those who celebrate differently is fine.This is just how we chose to celebrate. Thanks again. Take care. Peck.🐤 d

[Rose54 in reply to peck]

Hi Peck

Thiers not a lot of us normally my Son my Mum who is 87 ,Brother and .me .

We all live within two streets of each other but its lovely to spend a couple of days together .

This year hopefully will be more as my Son ,Daughter in Law and Grandson who will be 1 in October.

Long way to go to beat your 75

I cant wait till October Christmas Movies start on True Movies .

Rose xxx

[peck in reply to Rose54]

rosie54 , It's not the quality it's the quality, right?? This is only immediate family.I have 6 siblings and all are married and so forth...I'm the only one that has no kids.It can be 4 or 40 and still be the same.This is what Christmas means to us, right?? Peck.🐤

[Rose54 in reply to peck]

Dead right

[peck in reply to Rose54]

Should have been quality not quantity. ..lol .I think I did this after meds!! Take care Rose54 , Peck.🐤

[Rose54 in reply to peck]

Brain fog

I knew what you meant

[ukmsmi4 in reply to Rose54]

Yes, I've tried that before but my Mum and one of my sisters in particular always say "aw but it's not Christmas unless you give presents, even if it's just a little something, just spend five pounds so it doesn't cost as much" 😱.

That makes it even worse. 😱 Have you ever tried to get something for five pounds that isn't just tat. It's practically impossible and even harder work than spending a more sensible amount. But then for most of my family a sensible amount is not much more than that anyway. Certainly none of us can afford to spend hundreds of pounds on each other, even on partners let alone any one else.

So every year I say let's not spend anything, just spend the money on ourselves in the sales and just enjoy being together. One year they all said, Oh ok then. So what happens, some of us stuck to that and some of us didn't. So then the ones that stuck to it just feel awful cos they got presents but didn't' have anything to give in return.

I'd rather not bother at all. I just find it depressingly commercial. I'd rather just spend time with each other and have a pleasant but not over the top fussy meal. I'm not religious either so it's proper significance doesn't mean anything to me either. I just think it should be a nice time to be extra nice to each other without spending silly amounts of money.

[sufferer2 in reply to Tabby-Cat]

With u all the way there Tabby-Cat. LLAP, Eric. 👍👍👍👏👏👏👌👌👌🙋🙋🙋

[Trikki in reply to Tabby-Cat]

Good for you Tabby Cat....We should all spend Christmas the way we want to and not as the shops and media tell us we must!!! I personally like Christmas but do wish the build up didn't start until 1st December......

[caninecrazy]

I too have already eaten 4 mince pies! love them, although I do prefer the cheapest cost ones as they have less mincemeat & more thick yummy short crust pastry! ......yummy but naughty

yes I too have seen Christmas cakes and decorations in my supermarket ready for sale. I admit I adore Christmas as it brings back happy memories of when I was a child. I enjoy giving gifts (we stick to a budget per person) but don't enjoy receiving them. I would rather spend time with my family then to receive a gift. I love the family get togethers, the laughter and fun. I agree with Tabbycat about seeing relatives that you haven't seen all year; ive stopped that a few years ago and I told them I am not into fakery. I know that may sound harsh but if you knew my history you would understand. I spend time with my family, my siblings and their families and my mum; everyone I love x

[Tabby-Cat in reply to caninecrazy]

Doesn't sound harsh to me, I understand completely. My family are the perfect illustration of the saying "You can choose your friends but not your relatives"!

[caninecrazy in reply to Tabby-Cat]

ditto Tabby-cat x

[peck in reply to caninecrazy]

caninecrazy , That's the good stuff!!! Peck 🐤

[mmariaaaaaaaa]

how do you spell bah hum bug lol

[peck]

Hi sufferer2 , Are we that close? ? I love Christmas but have no idea what a Mince Pie is but dosent sound very toasty. That's only my opinion. Peck.🐤

[caninecrazy in reply to peck]

evening Peck, it is currants ,raisins, candid peel & sometimes has tiny pieces of suet in a short crust or puff pastry case. x

[Tabby-Cat in reply to caninecrazy]

Most of the supermarkets sell vegetarian mince pies without the suet too nowadays.

[ukmsmi4]

Oh no. I'm with you sufferer2 . I hate this long drawn out build up to Christmas. It always ends up feeling like an anti-climax when it's been "eagerly anticipated" for so many eons. 😱

I actually enjoy the Christmas week itself, I just can't abide the build up. Way too commercialised as well for my liking.

Hubby and me curled up in front of the telly and fire with a nice box of choccies and our two puddytats. That's suits me fine, can forget the rest of it for me. And if all we fancy on the day is baked beans on toast that's what we do. Because to me it's about doing what makes you happy not what others think you should be doing.

Sorry to sound so miserable, I've just learnt to appreciate much simpler pleasures in life these days.

Gentle hugs, Margaret.xxx 😊

[KrissyB]

Nooooo...please make it stop! It's still far too early - but the shops mustn't miss an opportunity to try to get us to spend too much? 😒 Trying to be a slightly sarcastic face ha ha. It's great to see my family at Christmas as some live overseas but it is a bit full on with the younger members!

[snappy1]

argh!!!!!!!!! halloween and christmas stuff all mixed muddled together need to start online food shopping again. We always start with mince pies to find the nicest ones, normally pied out by the time the day comes around. I get called scrooge as I won't tolerate christmas until about the 2nd week of December, also seen an ad for 2017 holiday bookings, wouldn't it be nice to live in the here and now

[TheAuthor]

I absolutely love Christmas! We make our own mince pies and they taste so much better than bought ones. I do have to do most of my shopping online now as I cannot get out much but that's okay

[Midori]

Well, folks, I will join you in detesting the hype around Christmas, but what really takes the biscuit for me was Selfridges opening their Christmas Department on August !st!