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

So, apart from a few extra fireworks from my friends, last nights festivities went pretty well. Spent some time chatting to a few people I don't see very often and the conversation turned to plans for Christmas. Thus begins my least favourite part of the year: they're all going home to family and I'm staying put, probably on my own.

I do my best to accept this as inevitable, after all people without families don't really get to have family celebrations and it's not like I can crash one of my friends families celebrations but it still really sucks. I can have a good time, in the same situation last year I had a blast but the fact remains I was making the best out of a bad situation rather than indulging in one I'm actually choosing. There's the added problem of my birthday, which is right before Christmas and people tend be skint or away for it. So two big celebrations and I don't get to enjoy either.

I'm generally fine so long as I've got some stuff planned and I'll be looking at making a few trips, buying myself a few treats and generally taking my mind off the situation and instead of this being a big whinge I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask my fellow researchers what they'd do for fun around Christmas.

Ah, yes, it's getting closer fast now, that dreaded time of the year. My birthday is on Boxing Day, so there's usually nobody around to celebrate it with (apart from the logistical problem of having to buy all foodstuff on Xmas eve morning cause shops are closed here from 14.00 on xmas eve until after xmas.

I'd like to go and see my parents, but I guess we'll stay put this year cause my eldest son will probably work over xmas.

You have my sympathies.

we'll be working right up to Christmas, first day of the holidays is 24th december
Much better now is working mon-fri though and no holidays so at least we'll all be home

Why don't you come over HI?

I have an essay due right after Christmas, you can help me...

>to ask my fellow researchers what they'd do for fun around Christmas<

Not a lot.

I used to go on a Buddhist Women's Retreat - http://www.taraloka.org.uk/?page_id=3932

Z's keen on Christmas and his family are really keen on Christmas - ridiculously so for hippies who tuned in, dropped out and gave up on Western Commercialism.

You'd think with my lack of enthusiasm and their higher spiritual values we could avoid the whole bolloxy mess.

Alas no. We do the lot. Z loves it all.

Given that I did manage to work 4 out of 4 Christmases in a row to avoid it..

I also have a birthday just before Christmas, which everyone always used to forget, and now I have no family within 1300km of me, so I do spend Christmas alone.

The first year it felt like a truly weird antisocial thing to do. After that I started to enjoy the absolute solitude, and it has become the one day of the year when I can truly do whatever I want without interruption. ('Whatever I want' tends to involve lazing on the couch with a trashy book whle half-watching some unchallenging DVD and eating something elaborate that I wouldn't have the time to cook on any other day. No turkey.)

Every year, though, I have to dodge at least three invitations from other people who can't bear the thought that I'll be alone. They don't know what they're missing. I turned down an invitation today, in fact, but that came from someone who knew I'd decline so I'll file it under 'modern Christmas ritual'.

I think if I was in a job where I worked right up until Christmas Eve I'd feel differently. In fact, when I worked for Bradford University it was fine: I worked until 2pm on Christmas Eve, got roaringly drunk and went to see a mate who was similarly lonely for Christmas and we hung out on Christmas and Boxing Day. Then I was back in work at 10am on the 27th. I tended to take my leave when I wanted it, rather than when convention said I should.

Working in a school means I have anywhere up to a week off (in fact this year I think we break up on my birthday, the 16th, so it'll be 8 days) so I've already had plenty of time to doss about doing what I like. Then I've got the time between Christmas and New Year I've got to kill when public transport is hopeless and people are too skint/stuffed to hang out and do anything.

I was single twice, but both times I was still military. A circumstance where most times married folks will squabble over who will take in the poor lad for the day, fatten him up and just simply make him (or her) feel wanted.

The couple of times that didn't happen, I looked about for a 'project' to tackle, something normal schedules didn't allow. A series of novels, or movies, or a hands-on something. I got quite good at chemically etching glass over one stretch and still have my 'family coat of arms' displayed on a mirror.

This will be the first Christmas it will just be Mr Vip and me (we put our foot down as I'll be 8 months pregnant at that stage - they can come to us if they want but we're not travelling to them).

We're not sure what we'll do - Christmasses for me have always been spent in a car, travelling from one bit of the family to another. This year will be weird.

Actually, we'll probably spend it with my father-in-law (the one relation who lives nearby), which will be very weird as he stopped celebrating Christmas several years ago to break free of all the pressure he used to feel about it. Now he's had a few years off I think he's looking forward to having a Christmas again, so who knows what'll happen...

Vip, have him come in for a good part of the day, he'll probably appreciate the simple and homey time. We usually have someone join us for the late afternoon, dinner feast and just simple time of the evening. No carols, no jingle-balls, just natter about what-evers and a bit of wine.