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

Once again it is time for the annual Christmas chat thread!
For those who don't like christmas I have set up a thread for you too, so please respect those who like Christmas and don't spoil our enjoyment of Christmas here. Many thanks.

Blimey, although I have bought all the main presents, I haven't even thought about Christmas decorations yet! I might go for more laid back lights in window this year colourwise, the blue LEDs were a touch bright,lol.

I tinselled my office yesterday!!!!!

Got more xmas shopping to do but I'm off work from the 18th so that's fine.

I've not any decorations yet either, loads of shopping left to do too. Sneaks up on you!

Did loadsa shopping today: started at the continental Christmas market round city hall, which always has some great food stalls - Dutch salty licorice, smelly cheeses, unusual salamis and chorizos, as well as lots of other goodies. Then hit Boots for their 3 for 2 offer, as well as stocking up on essential meds for the season.

I've even managed to start wrapping some stuff! I use a different paper for each person I'm wrapping for, but don't label them, so that if they do go on a pressie hunt, they don't know which is theirs

Yay, I have just put my decorations and Christmas tree up!
Well I say tree, but it is actually an LED cone shaped creation that gives a lovely bright lights and a flashing star atop. It is hard to describe but works really well despite not being a conventional Christmas tree.
I have gone for red LED lights in window as opposed to blue LED lights I had last year due to red being a little more subdued.

I have it on good authority from my FAther that he's begun putting the decorations up, not sure how far he's got with it all yet... Don't put any decorations up in my house as I'm not hear over Xmas Itself
Am holding off ordering in a couple crates of beers, as they'll be delivered to my Dads house if I order them too* early they'll disappear by the time I arrive there
err not managed to do any shopping yet.... can't figure out what to buy for my Dad, brother or Dad's partner So I'll as likely not be in the high street come the afternoon of the 24th

Blimey 2legs mate, Christmas Eve shopping might be like that TV advert where everyone rushes late on Christmas Eve to a petrol station and buys everyone car parts for Christmas!
.
I have slowly started to buy Christmas food type stuff. Not having a car means getting everything loaded onto my pushbike handle bars which makes the loads of tins of soft drinks I like to get for Christmas difficult. I can get 6 bags of Christmas food stuff on handle bars at a push, and the pushbike really does become a pushbike as I have to push it as so overloaded,lol.

We're keeping things simple this year, although not as simple as last year. (Our house was a mess and we had nowhere to put decorations, so it was one LED 'Bah Humbug' sign in the window and a small fibre optic tree.)

This year it will be: an LED 'Bah Humbug' sign and some small lanterns in the front room window, another LED 'Bah Humbug' sign somewhere else, the small fibre optic tree in the library and a larger fibre optic tree somewhere else. I've put some shiny metallic decorations in the library, and we'll put some tinsel round the monitors in the 'office'. That will be it as far as decorations are concerned.

I've bought all my Christmas presents, so there's only the food to get. I can't get it too far in advance as we only have a small freezer and we need all that space for day-to-day food. So I'll have to leave buying the Christmas dinner till a bit closer to the time.

I have done all my shopping for consumer-mas a record 4 days early. I now have plenty of time to watch the delightful Kerry Katona Iceland adverts all day & night *loads shot-gun*

Decoration has changed slightly. The lanterns are hanging on the front room wall, and tinsel is draped on various pictures and cupboards as well as my monitor. We also bought a couple of mobiles with colour-changing LEDs, and they're hanging in the library. That's it. Decorating done, just presents to wrap.

I am just about done, well done really. I always buy WAY too many Satsumas as love them so much I could literally eat them all day none stop which is better than it being chocolate!

A thought for all those (like me) who do love Christmas, and for whom it has special meaning:
"Christmas - that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance.
It may weave a spell of nostalgia.
Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think of everything (or everyone) we have ever loved."
.......Augusta E. Rundel.........
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!!
MAY 2009 BE A BETTER YEAR FOR US ALL!!

As well as a time of celebration, Christmas is a time of sadness for us. Mum-in-law died a week before Christmas 2006. We put flowers on her grave on the anniversary of her funeral. That's the only thing about Christmas that I don't like - the anniversary of her death.

Christmas is full of joy and happyness
we all have things that we dont like about christmas mine is while growing up not having my Dad around at christmas.
Being a Dad now i look back and get upset over what he has missed as both my boys love every minute of it.

Anyone for eggnog? huh? last chance........

Please be careful with the tinsel on the monitor - a friend of mine did that and a piece of the tinsel found its way into the workings and caused some sort of short circuit.



But they tell me that the fireworks were pretty

Wow, fireworks at Christmas!
.
I just went to the small Sainsbury's near me and that Christmas week jams thing is starting but with everyone still having time to wish people a Merry Christmas though, which is sweet!