my street is a cul-de-sac and is full of them, its like driving down the golden mile and my next door's house is full from top to bottom with lights.
i agree tho, its too commercialised. I saw a good poster that said "Christmas, spend lots of money you dont have on the people you love to let them know you love them " - sums it up quite well i thought.
------------- why is there so much month left at the end of the money?
No outside lights for me this year - last year's gales damaged them and can't affford replacement (nor the lecky bill)! My tree lights will will go up next week. What I do love here is driving around and see the decorated naturally growing Christmas trees.
------------- " When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"
Romany Girl - can I come and cook for your 19-strong brood?!!! I'm one of those wierd people who absolutely LOVE cooking a huge feast for as many people as possible, and I just don't have the chance now. We lost my Dad in February and Mum is now housebound, so I'll be trying to do Christmas dinner for 4 of us in her tiny kitchen this year (I'm used to my own kitchen with 2 ovens and a 6-ring hob!!). I can feel a 'delayed Christmas' feast coming on for anyone I can persuade to join us early next year!!
Have to say that I was a bit disappointed that the thread seems to rate Christmas spirit according to the amount of illumination erected. What has one-upmanship got to do with Christmas? Because that's what much of it is. After more than 25 years in the same road, I can confidently say that those who put up the biggest array of lights are the same ones who give the least damn about their neighbours.
I can hark back to a time when Christmas trimmings were mainly at ceiling height in the main room of the hoime, and illumination was usually limited to one Christmas tree. And kids were appreciative of their presents - regardless of a friend's present being upmarket to their own. And wellwishing was a genuine display of care and friendship towards one's neighbour.
We have personally met people who have had sleepless nights, debating how they can afford little Johnny's demand for something expensive; and worst still, in many cases knowing that he will ungratefully express condemnation if it isn't likely to fill his pals with envy.
Got a string of blue lights that go along the front porch, most folk in our close do the same. They will go up at the weekend along with the tree, that's it!
Not a huge fan of xmas, far too commerciallised and we are not religious!
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
Our christmas tree and lights go up the first week in december, this year they are still in the loft. we were going to decorate last weekend but after watching a house in our street catch fire last week,( electric overload caused by christmas lights) my husband doesn't want to put them up. Plus i work in retail and have been pricing and mecherdising crackers and christmas cards since august and have to take xmas as my days off, dont get xmas hols! roll on next year will be doing xmas big and camping loads(taking a gap year) thought if teens can do it so can i! Oh just remember got solar lights for my tent, going in the shed to get them out!*** Merry**Christmas** xx
My Kitchen isnt a bad size, but after my last cooker died, we now just have the traditional 4 rings, one grill and an oven. Our last house also had a lovely big dining room, so seating all 14 of us at the time was never a problem, and some of my girls were still at home to help with the prep and table laying, pot washing ect.
We now have a more modern house with the standard modern size dining room, seats 6 people and no more, and there have been a few new grandchildren arrive since we moved into this place, hence the total number of nineteen mouths to feed!
Thanks for the offer anyway, i used to do catering for charity events at our local animal rescue place, loved every min of it, im sure theres something in your area similar to this if you really do love cooking. the Age Concern lunch groups are always on the look out for people to help with the cooking of lunches and the baking of a few cakes for the members to take home with them.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
I am not a big Christmas person, when I was young i was a window dresser in a big department store and we started our Christmas windows in September by Christmas I was sick of it and that feeling has lingered to old age. I wouldn't bother with any decorations but OH wanted to do them so I let him. He has managed to find every decoration that we have ever had and put them up mostly in the living room, you can hardly get in there for them. But it kept him happy for a few hours finding them and putting them up. He will have even more fun when he has to take them down. I will be busy that day. We have some lights in the village but no outdoor power point for lights on the outside of our house fortunately. Not many people here put up outdoor lights the cost of electricity is too high.
When we lived in California everyone did them, I tried not too but was out voted. The light pollution from them must have been visible from space. Some people spent thousands each year on lights. I'm too cheap to do that.
Burt whether you do decorations or not I hope everyone has a Happy safe Christmas.
We have a christmas tree in the front garden and every year its covered in red twinkling lights. All the neighbours have loved it. This year however some drunken yob decided to ruin it. He ripped them off the tree breaking all the cables. Had to bin the lot!
We have 3 sets of lights outside (led blue/white and plain blue) which look very effective but do they really add much to the lccy bill? They are on for about 4 hours a day.
Personally I'll be glad when it's all over. All that shopping, money spent, Christmas music, starting in October......all for one day (we are not religious either, so no significance from that point of view). My lot tell me I'm bah humbug but then they don't have to run round the shops buying everyone pressies, sitting in traffic jams of xmas shoppers, standing in queues, pushing the trolley round Sainsburys while everyone runs around with hugh piles of stuff in trollies (enough to feed them for a month, not a day).
We have done nothing yet - the ast 3 weeks have been disastrous - Dad died , Mum had a stroke and today we had to have our Samtheman - yellow Lab - put to sleep!! Going to have to dig deep for any Christmas spirit this year!! At least Dad and Sam can keep each other company and have lovely long walks together and Georgeieboy and Oscarbigboy will help ease the heartache here.
Ali - Sam was 12 and a half but in the last month or so his legs gave up, he became doubly incontinent and in the last day or two barked and cried when he was left alone.
Mum is not doing too well - it was a slight stroke afffecting her face and speech but, on the back of the bereavement, has really knocked her for 6. She is housebound and virtually blind, add to that her fondness for the bottle and we have a situation that can only spell disaster. I am doing as best I can to sort out carers and visits as well as all the financial side of things but it is very difficult to do from 500 miles!
Poor you, sending big hugs and as carer to both my parents currently I understand your situation. Sorry about Sam, good age for a lab but you did the kindest thing.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: as the xmas magic gone
