Christmas thread to share greetings and plans.

[Sassy]

Every year we wish each other the best on a thread and it fades away.
Here is a thread to share our Christmas Greetings and plans. In fact any news you want to share or anything about Christmas you want to discuss.

Christmas is going to be very different for me this year. Something happened a couple of weeks ago and another stage in my Christian life began.

My prayer for each of you here is a Christmas to remember where you are happy, content and peaceful. I hope the joy that Christ has brought to this season somehow finds it's way into your hearts and minds so you may feel loved and cared for.

Blessings.

Sassy.xx

[Brownie]

That's a lovely prayer, thank you.   I wish the same for you and yours.

I will be doing the same as usual on Christmas day, going to my son, with my husband of course, and my cousin, Pat.  An old friend is coming too this year, whom we haven't seen for about four years and I'm looking forward to that.  We always have a good time there.  He cooks well (like his mum)!

He usually has a party on Boxing day or the day after and we are invited, I don't know if we will go yet, might just look in.

I'll be cooking a turkey crown with trimmings either Boxing day or next.

I've found  and wrapped all presents, sent off everything that needs posting but we haven't put tree up yet.  I don't know how others feel but I really like a real tree.  About three years ago I sort of gave in and bought a good artificial one from Next for us and one for David who was going to decorate his this evening (he came over today).  I'm not mad about it and as we haven't got it sorted yet, I might buy a small real one, growing in pot.   Husband is up in Norfolk all week so when he breaks up on Friday, he will come home and find the new real tree all decorated and accept it.

Hee hee, I bought a new clothes airer a couple of weeks ago, a big one that resembles scaffolding!   I thought, as it is tall and not too wide (though it has sticky-out extensions), it will take up less room than the ones we currently have.   Very sensible.  It was self-assembly and I gave it to the old man to put together, he likes doing things like that and is good at practical tasks - or used to be.   

Wish I'd done it myself!  John managed to break two bits of it and has used aruldite (?sp) and tape to fix, which doesn't seem to have been effective.   It is currently lying on its side in my living room, quite long as it has been assembled except for broken bits.   I am tempted to decorate it with tinsel and baubles - and throw out in the new year.   John protests when I say I want to dump the thing, "No, no!  I can fix it!" - but when??  I can foresee it becoming a feature of our room, after a while I won't notice it .......

I have some new books to read and feel warm and cosy about that.  A friend sent me two CDs which I will play tomorrow.

May everyone have a blessed Christmas.

[Anchorman]

I'm preaching in a local charge on Christmas Eve - their minister retired earlier this year - before going to my own church to the Watchnight service. After the norning worship on Christmas day, I'm off to the rellies' for lunch. I'll probably get back in the wee small hours and watch Doctor Who on the iplayer. Boxing day is filled with a few visits to local retirement homes.

[Gonnagle]

Dear Sass,

Is this it!! The official Merry Christmas and Happy New Year thread, give it a sticky Mods, go on you know you want to

First off, let me have my little dig

Dear Jim,

You are off to the rellies!! You are such a teenager

My plans, I am working on Christmas day, I will be having Christmas breakfast and lunch with thirty four members of the NHS, Doctors, Nurses, Sisters, Domestics, and various other members of staff, my task is to bring in the breakfast sausages ( please, any suggestions on buying the best cumberlands sausages ).

The Doctors are all weird but absolutely Wonderful, they live on another planet, catchment areas and skiing holidays But I would ask you to spare a thought or a Prayer for these wonderful people, who I often find slumped over the reception desk in the morning trying to complete a 17 hour shift

The Nurses know no shame, I am a 57 year old man and they still make me blush but they are overworked and understaffed, so a thought and a Prayer for these lovely Ladies and gents.

The Sisters Well they all scare me S******* but they are all diamonds so a thought and Prayer for these wonderful ladies.

The Domestics, constantly moaning but they are part of the whole, so a thought and a prayer for these ordinary angels.

Dear Forum Members,

To all ( no exceptions ) Have yourself a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year

Gonnagle.

[Sebastian Toe]

Dear Sass,

Is this it!! The official Merry Christmas and Happy New Year thread, give it a sticky Mods, go on you know you want to

First off, let me have my little dig

Dear Jim,

You are off to the rellies!! You are such a teenager

My plans, I am working on Christmas day, I will be having Christmas breakfast and lunch with thirty four members of the NHS, Doctors, Nurses, Sisters, Domestics, and various other members of staff, my task is to bring in the breakfast sausages ( please, any suggestions on buying the best cumberlands sausages ).

The best place to buy cumberland sausages is in Kwik Fit.
In other words not at all, you heathen.
All hail the square.

[Gonnagle]

Dear Seb,

All hail the square.

Aye!! but that is one of those "givens" square will be provided ( Morrisons, full of fat, delicious ) but ( another but ) it's Christmas, I need to provide a novelty, a bit of difference.

Gonnagle.

[Sebastian Toe]

Dear Seb,
 

Aye!! but that is one of those "givens" square will be provided ( Morrisons, full of fat, delicious ) but ( another but ) it's Christmas, I need to provide a novelty, a bit of difference.

Gonnagle.

Novelty?
Why not give them the square ones with a wee bit of black pudding in the centre?
And as a final flourish, stick a bit of holly on the side of the plates.

[ad_orientem]

Just a quiet Christmas at home. The other half and I have both got influenza so we've got to take it easy. I thought I'd do an English Christmas dinner this year. Roast turkey with all the trimmings and also a whole duck.

[SqueakyVoice]

Oh good grief. It's still a nearly whole week until Christmas and there's already a thread about it!

It seems like they start earlier and earlier every year.

Honestly, this pointless drudgery of visiting relatives, eating and being merry is getting to be ridiculous.

Unbelievable...

[Gonnagle]

Dear Forum,

Right!! That's ole Squeakvoice sorted, he can be Ebeneezer, away and learn yer lines Squeak ( bah humbug ) I claim the ghost of Christmas past ( Showaddywaddy records at my fingertips ), I think the Wigs should be Mr Fezziwig but with a twist, NicholasMarks can be the ghost of Christmas yet to come, hey!! the guy was made for that part

Gonnagle.

[Sebastian Toe]

Dear Forum,

Right!! That's ole Squeakvoice sorted, he can be Ebeneezer, away and learn yer lines Squeak ( bah humbug ) I claim the ghost of Christmas past ( Showaddywaddy records at my fingertips ), I think the Wigs should be Mr Fezziwig but with a twist, NicholasMarks can be the ghost of Christmas yet to come, hey!! the guy was made for that part

Gonnagle.

That might be OK if it wasn't for the fact that old Scrooge Nick is hoping fervently that the end will be here soon (that's soon as in the common definition of soon), and if that is the case then the number of Christmas days yet to come will be limited and you can cook your Cumberland sausages in the fiery lake as Wormwood whizzes past! 

[Brownie]

Just a quiet Christmas at home. The other half and I have both got influenza so we've got to take it easy. I thought I'd do an English Christmas dinner this year. Roast turkey with all the trimmings and also a whole duck.

Oh my goodness, you poor things.  How long have you had it?  Last time I had 'flu was late 1990s and I thought i was dying for an entire week, less 'dying' but extremely wobbly for another week, then.....
Everything hurt, even my skin hurt to touch.

I live in dread of 'flu.

Hope you recover in time for Christmas (didn't know you had another half, well done).

[Sassy]

Christmas trees  aah fake inside and potted for the outside or maybe this year just any old tree could nick one from the woods
don't you.. How heathen of me, I guess so.:-P

And Gonnagle playing doctors and nurses on Christmas day, Oh Matron, I say... sausages for breakfast or be square.

And who needs the preacher?> Christmas eve off to midnight service wonder if anchor and brownie joining us.
We can all pray for each other...:-)

Gonads you could go meat free... that would surprise them and might no go down too well.. Maybe veggies so be prepared.
A nut roast of two.. tongue in cheek.

Hope you ad stuffing to your duck... Sorry you have flu just glad it is not bird flu and praying for speedy recovery guys.

Squeaky having a moment... Go back to sleep Squeky we will wake you for hogmanay with a whiskey or two at your door for the
footin..



Get a whiskey in you and get some sleep. Honey and lemon and a brandy or two could help... No for Gonaggle he obviously has
started early. LOL.

[Brownie]

Dear Seb,
 

Aye!! but that is one of those "givens" square will be provided ( Morrisons, full of fat, delicious ) but ( another but ) it's Christmas, I need to provide a novelty, a bit of difference.

Gonnagle.

Iceland are doing frozen Lorne too, I've been looking for it since it was mentioned here.   I will look up Morrison's to see if theirs are wheat and gluten free, Iceland's aren't but lots of sausages are, such as The Black Farmer range.   I really fancy a square one for a change.  I suppose I could make square ones out of sausagemeat!  There's a thought.  Wouldn't be difficult and I could add stuff, seasoning etc.

I made a decision and ordered a not too big Norwegian spruce, growing in a pot, to be delivered Wednesday.  We can leave the big artificial Next thing in the spare room to gather dust for another year or ten.

[Anchorman]

Any shape other than square sausage in Scotland is blasphemy.

[Anchorman]

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas........ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJoXCwkPVi8

[Gonnagle]

Dear Brownie,

Iceland are doing frozen Lorne too,

NO!!!! The above is a sin against God, please for the love of all that is Holy do not buy the above, it is cardboard!! so far removed from what a square sausage is that it feels like blasphemy to even describe it as a square sausage.

If you can buy Morrisons square then you are almost near perfection, it is full of fat ( when I say full, I mean full ) which gives it a beautiful taste and if cooked properly they almost crumble in the mouth.

I suppose I could make square ones out of sausagemeat! 

I will PM you my address in case you are successful

Gonnagle.

[ippy]

Just a quiet Christmas at home. The other half and I have both got influenza so we've got to take it easy. I thought I'd do an English Christmas dinner this year. Roast turkey with all the trimmings and also a whole duck.

Sorry to hear that A O, threre's nothing much more miserable than flu, they say if you see a fifty pound note blowing around your garden and you can't be bothered to go and pick it up, that's the flu.

You have my sympathy, hope it soon leaves you.

Kind regards ippy

[Brownie]

My Christmas tree, growing in a pot, arrived today and it is really nice!  I've put in front of French doors in our back sitting room (front room full of junk, all piled up  .

I had a grocery delivery with enough food and some drink to last for a month, didn't realise I'd ordered so much!  We are not going to be here Christmas day too; never mind.  It will be eaten and drunk and shared.  I am pleased with myself for finding place in fridges and freezers, when it arrived I was a bit overwhelmed at first.
Silly really though, when you consider the shops will be open on Boxing Day and I have a Co-op and Sainsbury's really near, ie walking distance.

Nothing more for me to do, John comes home tomorrow and can finish off last minute bits and pieces.  Thankfully I feel a bit more relaxed, am having a little drinkie.....could easily go off to sleep now...ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Sassy]

I wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and pray that God will grant everyone here and their loved ones - happiness, good health and wealth now and in 2017.


Off to argos to pick up some presents I ordered in an about half an hour have to go to Leigh and Altrincham to get them.
I fell asleep watching tv and after a couple of decorations left to hang and preparing the veg for tomorrow I am going to make the most of letting events unfold. Thought there would be only 4 for Christmas lunch this year. But now have 8 as people have asked to come and one person not going to their sisters this year.

Whatever you do, please be safe over Christmas and may Gods blessings and peace be with you and make it one of your happiest and healthiest Christmases.  Anyone ALONE... sending you a big hug and hoping God sends someone to invite you to theirs where you need to be.

Love Sassy. xx

[SusanDoris]

There are some of us who are going to spend tomorrow on our own through choice. I choose not to accompany my son and daughter-in-law to one of the granddaughters new home because it would mean I would  have to concentrate all the time, and for the same reason I shall not be going to a neighbour's.  This choice causes other people concern, not me!!

[Brownie]

Well said Susan.

Nothing wrong with being on your own, it gets to me that so many feel it necessary to force themselves to be social, especially at this time of year.   

It also annoys me that others assume someone is 'lonely' if they don't have company.   It is so patronising.  Ha!   

It can be far lonelier being with a crowd of people and feeling trapped.

I like being on my own too.  Enjoy my own company better than anyone else's.

Oh the joy of being able to sleep when I want, eat when I want, read or watch telly of choice.....

Roll on Boxing Day.

[Anchorman]

Have a great Christmas, folks! "In the beginnin o aa things, the Wurd wis there ense, an the Wurd bade wi God, an the Wurd was God. He was wi God i the beginnin, an aa things cam tae be throu Him, an wiout Him, no ae thing cam tae be. Aathing that hes cam tae be, He wis the life in it, an that life wis the licht o man; an ey the licht shines i the mirk, an the mirk downa slocken it nane. There kythed a man, sent frae God, at his name wis John. He cam for a witness, tae beir witness tae the Licht, at aa men micht win faith throu Him.He wisna the Licht himsel; he cam tae beir witness tae tae the Licht. The true Licht, at enlichtens ilka man, was e'en than comin intil the warld. He wis in the warld, an the warld had cam tae be throu Him, but the warld miskent Him. He cam til the place at belanged Him, an them as belanged Him welcomed Him-na. But til aa sic as walcomed Him He gave the pour tae become childer o God; e'en tae them at pits faith in His name." (Frae John chapter 1 in the Scots leid)

[Brownie]

You still have Hogmanay to come, Anchor (I was born on new year's eve).

[Nearly Sane]

Signing off to enjoy Christmas in Paris. May your Christmas be warm, bright, and happy.

NS