h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Carols by candle-light - magic! brings back memories of my old church, it was about the only time we ever lit all the candlesticks on every pew.

Looks like we're going for goose for the dinner (only cos we discovered Lidl do frozen breasts, so no wastage since it's just the 2 of us, and no bones to choke on)

It's quite traditional, I understand - any suggestions as to accompaniments?

Veg, sauce, wine....

I'm thinking roast parsnips, mashed potato, brussels sprouts with bacon, some gravy /sauce type liquid...

Those in the know, don't buy stuff from that shop (mentioned above) as they are not that fair to their staff, in general.

Also Organic birds taste much better ... if you can afford a little more!

We're having turkey for a change this year. Mum's getting it from the Game man who sells stuff at the farmer's market (she works in the permanent market where the farmer's market is put on once a week)... We usually have pheasant or goose. I would advise something like a redcurrant or cranberry jelly with the goose, and put some in it's gravy too! if not berry then a citrusy feel certainly.

And you cant have yuletide cheer without Mulled Wine, Chestnut and Sausagemeat stuffing and a pile of brussels sprouts left on the side of the plate after dinner!

We do the "Make the kids wait while we put on all the lights" thing.

My eldest found out the big secret last year, but has been told that if she informs her sister about Father Christmas, then he won't be visiting at all. She is curently playing along!

The year before she had some suspicions, and in her note she asked for a photo of Rudolph, to prove he is real. I got a picture of a reindeer, photosopped it so the nose was red (but still looked real), and printed it on a 6"x4" bit of photographic paper. She was thrilled on Christmas morning, to find the picture, along with the empty beer bottle and mince pie crumbs (we leave Santa a little bottle of beer, he gets fed up with sherry!).

I asked my mum for a final definitive answer when I was 11 after a couple of years of wondering and scepticism. We cried for a while and then I was allowed to help with my brothers' stuff and I played along with my own stockings and so on... I enjoyed it But it was so sad that I wasn't innocent anymore too... I was very aware that I had 'grown up'.

Aw, isnt it sweet about making the Rudolf photo of a reindeer, that is really what Christmas is all about!
I took some photos of deer in park in summer and one is one wall still and suddenly it looks kind of right now I have just put my Christmas decorations up. I wonder how many kids see their first deer in a park this time of year and say there's Rudolf!
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I have just recorded a Christmas film I have never seen before and will save it for nearer Christmas. There aren't many Christmas films I haven't seen before or have recordings of so nice to find an unseen one, good old Halmark they always come up with something at Chrismas.

We love sitting down as a family and watching a Christmas film - the living room has all the trimmings and lights up, and looks wonderful.

As for The Question...

We have a thing where if we think the kids are telling s, we look them in the eye, and say "I want the TRUTH". They have learned that if they tell the truth at this point, any punishment will be far less severe than if we find out later.
Last year my eldest daughter (aged 10 then) looked me in the eye, and said "*IS* there really Santa? I want the TRUTH!"
Faced with that, I couldn't lie to her.

Wonderful that - "Tell the truth, or Santa won't come"

Ah, when little uns grow up! *sob*

Quoting Moonhogg: "We love sitting down as a family and watching a Christmas film - the living room has all the trimmings and lights up, and looks wonderful." Our favourite films at Christmas are: The Sound of Music and The Polar Express - See thread Favourite Films at Christmas http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F16034?thread=4851544

I suppose my favourite Christmas films are A Christmas Carol, and Jack Frost with Michael keaton.
A Christmas Carol has many versions though I suppose my favourite is the one with the man who was in Star Trek as Scrooge as is fairly true to original and acted well.
Jack Frost is very sad but happy too at end as about a boy whose dad dies and comes back as a snowman. It sounds silly but actually works quite well and can bring a tear or two.
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I have just been wraping my Chrismas presents for frienda and one, a DVD rack, was without doubt the most difficult ever to wrap as large and oval shapped and required a lot of fiddling about with oval shapes cut from wraping paper and ribbon type stuff to cover sellotape. I ended up with four sets of ribbons around it to cover sellotape!

You bother covering all the sellotape? Why didnt you just steal a box and give it straight sides or something??? I like wrapping extra shape-changing things into or around presents to make them less obvious (or easier to wrap!)... cardboard, loo roll inners, that sort of thing!!!

So long as it looks nice on the front, I dont worry too much about presentation. I also find that you can do a lot with a couple of sheets of tissue paper and some florist's ribbon...

I don't normally worry about covering sellotape but it was all around both ends and halfway across front as had to join paper and looked not great, normaly tape is at ends and not seen.
It was a Sunday evening and everywhere was closed and with DVD rack being an odd size a box would be dificult. I did think of buying bubble wrap but with the more expensive paper than normal I used and bubble wrap it would have been more expensive to wrap the £8 rack than buy it!
Actually £8 doesn't sound a lot but it is ready assembled and really good quality from Sainsbury's, I when back and bought one for myself so must be good.

I think I realised there was no santa apart from my dad when I was woken up by him loudly falling up the stairs with the presents to go on our beds after a bit too much christmas spirit ,I still like to listen out for the sleigh bells though, just in case

heh, sometimes there is no option!

Who knows where are the good xmas parties are being held then?

It's our office doo today

We're off to the local catering college (cheap and hopefully tasty) which is conveniently situated in the city centre, so a bit of a persuse of the Christmas market round city hall, and some serious shopping afterwards.

Hah! Robyn, I thought I was the only one who put extra bits in to disguise what a present is! I once managed to get a very large box (almost washing machine size) filled with those little polystyrene wotsits from out stores department, which I used to wrap a necklace for the Missus.

The box was then a huge success with the kids!!

That's gotta be a medal-winning disguise effort! Was she disappointed, ecstatic or just smothered in static-ey polistyrene?

I forgot to mention I used a really nice wrapping paper from Sainsbury's. It comes in a pack of gold and a pinky purple rolls that go well together, the paper has a simple Merry Christmas message written on paper in subtle letters. I bought some ribbon in a silvery blue colour that contrasts well with gold and purpleish paper. I have to say, even if I say it myself, the presents look very nice this year. Since the presents for other people will be around my Christmas tree every year for around three weeks I always try to choose nice paper. I have used my rope lights and gold tinsel around window this year and wraping paper goes well with them and gives a nice slightly old fashioned traditional feel to my lounge.

I'm a huge fan of red, gold and green with just clear or white lights... I find it ever so cosy!

Nicely wrapped presents are great, I have sainsbury's wrap this year... Red and gold (well, burgundy) foil, has sort of holly-style pattern on it, but it's not got writing on... Not always appropriate with my family's yuletide traditions!