Come on own up.

[Reynard]

As a kid by the time I had eaten half a tin of quality street and the Christmas dinner the Christmas pudding was too much. So now prefer to have that two or days later - which means you can buy them in the sales Aldi top ones not bad. Use by date over a year so you can, on a run, always buy in January for the year after. Many years ago, running very late on Christmas eve I discovered that everything was being sold off cheap. Had the impression a fair few gannets had cottoned on to this so now don't bother. Definitely no point buying a mountain of stuff for the day - impossible to eat it all and you risk doing the Monty P exploding man thing and feeling really bad. So get what you need, then pop out on the 27th on the bike for more.

I buy my puds from one year to another - after Christmas. They actually keep several years beyond the date. I got a job lot in the Co-op previous year and they're really rather nice. I think I still have one left. I also have a couple from Tesco and one from Waitrose.

I remove the plastic film from the pud in the morning, stab it mercilessly with a long skewer, then give it a good glug of brandy or strong black tea. By the evening, the liquid is absorbed. Then just cover with cling film and whizz it in the microwave for however long is needed.

 

[Dave7]

I have no religion, but the only possible reason for loving Christmas is as a celebration of the birth of that religion.

Without that it is just a commercial festival that gets worse every year.

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I think most religious people know Jesus was not born in December. December 25th was the pagan festival of Saturnalia (think thats correct) and was adopted by christendom.

 

[Bazzer]

Since I was married, (many years ago now), I have enjoyed it more than as a child. Particularly since one year we moved house a few days before Christmas in 1990/91 and took the opportunity to set our own agenda instead of being driven by others. One we have stuck to since. - Boring perhaps to some but we enjoy it.
Although the day this year will be accommodated by grandchild 1, who will be three months and 5 days old. I am not sure if this will be a or a . Certainly the former for Mrs B.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I think most religious people know Jesus was not born in December. December 25th was the pagan festival of Saturnalia (think thats correct) and was adopted by christendom.

I think most non-religious people know (or believe) he wasn't born at all.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I did a 50 km ride around noon on Christmas Day a couple of years ago and was surprised by the amount of traffic! Yes, there was probably less than usual but I still had scores of vehicles driving past me. I assume that a lot of people either go out for Christmas dinner or go visiting family.

Admitedly you do have to time it for the Christmas Meal, games, and sleep period before families return home.

 

[fossyant]

I like Christmas, but Christmas Day is just a bit pants - it's the same every year, sorting out the Mother In Law, and the logistics of bringing her to one of our houses and the fact someone can't have a wine, and the fact she will suddenly turn round and demand to go home at that point (when others might be mid conversation/film/playing a game), I dread it. Fancied a quiet one this year, no. One of us (me probably) will be responsible for getting her home. Sounds horrible, but I've enough problems of my own to be sorting others out. I just want some piece and quiet.

It's been the same every Christmas for years. It's been 'might be her last Christmas' for at least 10 years. Yeh, another day we could do.

 

[Jimidh]

I like Christmas Day - my children are still young enough to enjoy it.

I love buying nice presents for my wife and I actually get on with my family so a nice big fat Christmas dinner washed down with a few red wines and massive cheeseboard is always a pleasure.

 

[MikeG]

.............Never could stand turkey, horrible dry, tasteless.

It doesn't have to be.

 

[Brandane]

I did a 50 km ride around noon on Christmas Day a couple of years ago and was surprised by the amount of traffic! Yes, there was probably less than usual but I still had scores of vehicles driving past me. I assume that a lot of people either go out for Christmas dinner or go visiting family.

There's probably quite a lot going to work. I know I worked most Christmas and New Years' when I had a proper job, and now that I'm semi retired, that tradition continues - but at least now it is fun! I will be Santa on Christmas morning at my work (care home) and will join them for Christmas lunch. Any jobs needing done will get done too. Boxing day is a normal day as our residents still need cared for, even by their janitor .

I am not a Christmas fan, and working is the best way to pass the day for me. It means I don't need to go off to well meaning relatives to fall asleep in front of the TV after too much food and drink.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Loved Christmas as a kid, loved it when my kids were little, but now they are grown up it's all a bit meh now.

 

[dodgy]

How do you know if someone doesn't like Christmas?

Don't worry, they'll tell you.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Germany is bit weird about Christmas to be honest: Christmas Eve is in theory the 'important' day and Christmas day is a bit dead rather like Boxing Day in the UK. Except that Christmas Eve is a working day for most people: even the supermarkets open until midday and they don't even open on Sundays normally. Then there are big church services on the afternoon, and traditionally presents are opened in the evening. Very odd.

This year will be interesting at work, as we try and stay open as much as possible for the Christmas/New Year period. Our clients have Psychological problems and / or issues with drugs and alcohol. Unsurprisingly a lot of them are on their ow so we try not to close the doors for longer then we have to.

It is a great day to go for a ride. Roads are fairly empty.

That is true here on Christmas day: that and any day when the German football team is playing...

I remove the plastic film from the pud in the morning, stab it mercilessly with a long skewer, then give it a good glug of brandy or strong black tea. By the evening, the liquid is absorbed. Then just cover with cling film and whizz it in the microwave for however long is needed.

I really must stop drinking tea when reading your posts: I just sprayed the keyboard...

 

[Slick]

I've always enjoyed every aspect of Christmas, even the religious bit even if for me it's less about Jesus and more about remembering loved ones no longer with us who made this time of year special for me without spending a lot of cash. In fact, one of my abiding memories is my old man coming home on Christmas morning after crashing in one last chance of extra cash before the celebrations began carrying more presents for us all.

Mrs Slick used to be like most on here but only because she didn't have anyone to show her exactly how good a time that could be had at this time of year so she chose to always work but now she loves it. We have probably covered all the bases in how we have celebrated from huge family gatherings to just a blissful quiet time with just the two of us. We also took off to Tenerife for a number of years to get some sun on the back to prepare for another hard winter with the nose to the grindstone. The last few years we're back to hosting big family doo's and I'm at my best entertaining the kids, so I'm looking forward to that as this is more than likely the last batch so we intend to make the most of it.

 

[Reynard]

I really must stop drinking tea when reading your posts: I just sprayed the keyboard...

I didn't think it was quite that funny...

 

[fossyant]

A coupme of years ago we had MIL, and just as we were about to serve, the rest of that side turned up to exchange pressies, and wanted to open them leaving us with the wrapping and trying not to burn lunch. I love cooking xmas dinner burnt not when folk turn up just as its ready.

Not seen my mum and dad or had them round on Xmas Day for years.