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

It's the 2nd of December and the 1st day of Advent. Time to start thinking about buying a few Christmas presents.

But before I really start thinking about the festive season, we've a busy week of singing ahead. We perform "Messiah" in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, on Wednesday and Thursday night, and we have a rehearsal for it tomorrow night, so that's 3 nights gone this week. On Friday I've a rehearsal with my recorder consort group, and on next Sunday morning a rehearsal for our Christmas carols concert. We also may be able to get to a Carol Singing session in a local shopping centre that same afternoon.

Then things will settle down - only two more performances before Christmas - and we can start to think about the festivities. I normally resist putting up the decorations for as long as possible so that we're not all sick on them by the time Christmas itself arrives. And with a real tree, it is essential that you don't put it up more than a week before Christmas as it starts to dry out immediately.

I have actually already sorted out a few presents, so I shouldn't have more than about 10 more to buy.

Is it me or is everyone getting christmas stuff done even earlier this year? saw on the news earlier they reckon Monday is gonna be 'mega Monday' for online xmas shopping.

have a good,safe trip to limerick then.

Thanks.

The trip to Limerick was yesterday and we came back today. El had to be back in Dublin for an orchestra rehearsal.

The Christmas rush is getting later every year for us. We used to have all our presents bought before December. Now I don't buy some of them until after Christmas Day. I can get some bargains on the 27th, for people that I don't see until later in the Christmas season.

oops, it's me lost a day somewhere.


So far I've bought a pack christmas cards.

We've got a Wii.

They've been selling out of the shops. Argos was getting them in - but they were being snapped up and flipped on ebay for twice the price. We had a cunning plan to get one on amazon.de via a German friend's address (they won't ship to the UK - presumably for price-fixing reasons), but we eventually found one by another route.

And in the work Secret Santa, I drew a Kurdish colleague from a different office, so today it was off to the local 'Turkish-Kurdish Cultural Centre and Supermarket' for some Kurdish sweeties. I got some cartons of Ayran, too. (Salty yoghurt drink. Very refreshing!).

I got a christmas card from my neighbour before November had even finished. I was so angry that I nearly threw it away and J had to step in to rescue it.

I absolutely love christmas, but there's no need for that sort of ridiculous behaviour.

I don't know what I'm going to do about presents this year. I had said I'll only buy for the children, then I feel really guilty about not getting my family anything (despite the fact that they never get me anything).

Oh Christmas is often good at surfacing guilt isn't it, CS (along with all sorts of other emotions).

> I feel really guilty about not getting my family anything (despite the fact that they never get me anything).

And any time you feel the pain,
Hey Jude, refrain,
Don't carry the world upon your shoulder

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.