Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

Will Christmas ever get back to normal?



Nibble

New member
Jan 3, 2007
19,238
I like Christmas for about 3 days. That's enough time to catch up and take time with family and friends. For as long as I can remember now Christmas consumes about 8 weeks of our time. You see one advert and then before you know it every other advert is about Christmas, shops fill up with Christmas promotions, well you all know what I mean, it's all consuming for weeks.

Will we ever get out of this ridiculous rut and scale Christmas back to a modest celebration and time with friends and family or is this nonsense just going to continue to "snowball"?
 


The Spanish

Well-known member
Aug 12, 2008
6,477
P
Christmas really is a nonsense in the UK. Its way way out of hand.

At least we have dropped the pretense of it being a religious festival now. you could arrive in the UK from space mid November and stay until January, watch TV and go out and about, and never get an inkling that it has anything to do with Christianity.

(any smartarses want to say its actually a Christian appropriated pagan winter festival, feel free. I would love to find that out, that would be a fascinating snippet of information.)
 


Nibble

New member
Jan 3, 2007
19,238
I was in London on Saturday night and wondered along the South Bank. They have a "Christmas market" there. Fine, I like Christmas markets especially Traditional ones but this was ridiculous, must have been at least 30 cabins selling wares. I would say about 10 of them you would associate with Christmas but he others were peddling some right obscure nonsense, one feeling that flogging backpacks was a worthy addition to a Christmas market. Boggling.
 


The Spanish

Well-known member
Aug 12, 2008
6,477
P
I was in London on Saturday night and wondered along the South Bank. They have a "Christmas market" there. Fine, I like Christmas markets especially Traditional ones but this was ridiculous, must have been at least 30 cabins selling wares. I would say about 10 of them you would associate with Christmas but he others were peddling some right obscure nonsense, one feeling that flogging backpacks was a worthy addition to a Christmas market. Boggling.

i can picture the scene, the smell of mulled wine stinking the place out too. probably a german sausage or pretzel van. what a load of old tosh.
 






Nibble

New member
Jan 3, 2007
19,238
i can picture the scene, the smell of mulled wine stinking the place out too. probably a german sausage or pretzel van. what a load of old tosh.

Quite. I tried some of the curry-wurst with some trepidation. I love the way they do it in Germany but have never known anywhere in the UK to get that divine sauce right. I was right. Foul. And they don't even chop the sausage. I love watching those bratty's get fed into the chopper. No joy.
 


Badger

NOT the Honey Badger
NSC Patreon
May 8, 2007
12,750
Toronto
The next developemnt will be when Halloween & Xmas merge.

I've always been a big fan of Christmas so I'm not too bothered about stuff appearing in November. Halloween, on the other hand, is the most ridiculous and pointless event of the year, it serves no purpose whatsoever. Valentine's Day is equally as GASH.
 


Nibble

New member
Jan 3, 2007
19,238
I feel sorry for parents with young kids. They must get so worked up looking forward to Christmas from mid-November. How exhausting for parents.
 




Uncle Spielberg

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 6, 2003
42,781
Lancing
They started their run of Xmas films on Channel 5 last week. I am waiting for the masterpiece, Jingle all the Way to arrive and I will know Xmas is here.
 


Nibble

New member
Jan 3, 2007
19,238
They started their run of Xmas films on Channel 5 last week. I am waiting for the masterpiece, Jingle all the Way to arrive and I will know Xmas is here.

Now, I like a good Christmas film. For me, my favourite time at Christmas is sitting down in the living room about 2 days before Christmas, good film on telly, bottle of red, wrapping nieces and nephews presents up. Cold outside, warm inside. Lovely. However I don't wish to do this for 7 weeks a year.
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,324
Uffern
I feel sorry for parents with young kids. They must get so worked up looking forward to Christmas from mid-November. How exhausting for parents.

My birthday's at the end of November so I could countdown to Christmas after my birthday was over - it was an exciting part of the year for me.

I agree that Christmas is completely out of hand - there's a tree up at Brighton Station already. What's that about? It was up nearly six weeks before Christmas - just absurd
 




Thunder Bolt

Ordinary Supporter
What is normal? The old church tradition was that you didn't put decorations up until sunset on Christmas Eve and then took them down 12 days later on Jan 6th.
I can remember as a kid that parties & pantos were at the beginning of January rather than the beginning of December.
 


Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,110
Surrey
I agree with Badger - I really dislike Halloween and Valentines Day compared to Christmas.

I'm quite pleased that Christmas has started. I have a fairly big family so it's good to get some of the shopping out of the way early. However I know I'm going to be annoyed by early December. My favourite celebration is probably Easter though, as I love the Spring time of year, the more reigned in spending, the two bank holidays, and indeed some of the traditions we enjoy.
 


dougdeep

New member
May 9, 2004
37,732
SUNNY SEAFORD
Scrooge is alive and well.
 




D

Deleted member 22389

Guest
I feel sorry for parents with young kids. They must get so worked up looking forward to Christmas from mid-November. How exhausting for parents.

It's a joke. It's just pressure and people will get themself in debt because of it. Kids have got to have something because you would be a right mean ******* if you didn't. I think people need to be sensible with gifts for adults. Just agree not to send anything and vice versa it's easier and cheaper that way. I don't honestly need anything. I think it's more important that you spend time with family. I feel sorry for the poor people who don't have nobody at xmas, especially homeless and the elderly, must be bloody terrible for them.
 


Thunder Bolt

Ordinary Supporter
It's a joke. It's just pressure and people will get themself in debt because of it. Kids have got to have something because you would be a right mean ******* if you didn't. I think people need to be sensible with gifts for adults. Just agree not to send anything and vice versa it's easier and cheaper that way. I don't honestly need anything.

We have a reciprocal agreement with one side of the family that we don't buy presents at Christmas (birthdays are a different matter) The other side keep to a specific amount so that nobody is skint. It makes for inventive present buying.
 


D

Deleted member 22389

Guest
We have a reciprocal agreement with one side of the family that we don't buy presents at Christmas (birthdays are a different matter) The other side keep to a specific amount so that nobody is skint. It makes for inventive present buying.

That's a good idea.
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Jul 23, 2003
33,820
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
I feel sorry for parents with young kids. They must get so worked up looking forward to Christmas from mid-November. How exhausting for parents.

Scrooge is alive and well.

Try turning on Nick Jr in November with two under 7s.

"Can I have a Gooey Louis?" (a game where you pull bogies out of a severed head)
"no"
"Can I have a La La Loopsy / Moxie Girl / Barbie?"
"no (whispered) because they're a load of old shit"
"Can I have that game where you take poos out of dog?"
"No"
"How about the one with the million bits that I'll have lost by Boxing Day?"
"No"
"An orange?"
"Yes probably"
"And an iPad, an XBox One and some Batman Lego"
"OH F*** OFF YOU ENTITLED LITTLE BRAT"
"That's not very nice Dad. Besides, it's your fault. Well yours and technology and the modern capitalist hegemony"
"Are you sure you're six?"
 




Nibble

New member
Jan 3, 2007
19,238
Scrooge is alive and well.

I don't think it's being a scrooge. I love Christmas I just don't believe 8 weeks of build up to anything is healthy. I think I embrace the spirit of Christmas, I volunteer at a homeless shelter on Christmas Day, I spend time with friends and family and I love the atmosphere of it all, just don't like all this build up and selling and cannot see a time when it gets back to a few days of good will instead of this avalanche of twinkly lights, chocolate and spending hundreds on crap from Argos.
 


Durlston

"Garlic bread!?"
NSC Patreon
Jul 15, 2009
9,762
Haywards Heath
What is the big fascination with alcohol at Christmas and New Year? You're stuck at home, you can't go anywhere with the lack of trains or no one wants to drive and you have to see the in-laws. All this ends in rows and tears with one drink too many.

Football on the other hand. A 7am train to somewhere up north and the first bottles of beer get opened! Marvellous! :)
 



Paying the bills

Latest Discussions

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here