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

Oh boo hoo. I hate Christmas. Well I hate the stress, the crowds, the shopping, the panic buying, the manic buying, buying things for the sake of buying.

So, I am here in the land that Christmas overlooked. So far. But I do have to return to face it all.


Things about Christmas I actually like:

The Food
Giving presents to children
Christmas lights and *some decorations around the house
If it snows a bit, and you get to sing carols in church at midnight with lots of candles in the windows.

Other than that it is all complete sales hype and I feel like Scrooge. You may persuade me otherwise by inviting me to a boozy, friendly Christmas party with some mistletoe and lots of laughter and dancing to the soundtracks of my youth.

"please tell me that Christmas is going ahead without all that dreadful stress, manic shopping and overspending." [lanzababy]

The stress will always be there, but money seems to be tighter, so the shopping and spending may be more moderate. That's the best I can do, and it's all very subjective, so you and I might look at the same scene and draw different conclusions...

Nip to mine if you are over for Christmas, Lanza. I hate 'false' Christmas cheer, but love it from treasured friends & family. I hate Christmas shopping, but love giving prezzies, especially to kids.

Receiving prezzies is sometimes difficult, as basically it tends to show up how much people haven't been listening to my prattle. Fair enough. The best Christmas prezzies for me are those that reflect what I have previously said in day-to-day convos - eg, one time I said that I wanted to take up drawing again, & the most impressive gift I received was a set of chalks & paper.

It's the little things that keep me going. Oh, & boozy parties are an absolute *must*. It's the only way to get through the modern day 'Xmas'

Getting together with the nice people in my family tops the list for me. Good food, a pretty tree, maybe some games like trivial Pursuit or cards.

Food is always near the top of my Christmas wish list, & meeting with those you haven't seen for a long time is always brilliant, be it family or friends.

I'm afraid the last time Trivial Pursuit was played, it turned into an intense competion, which was entirely unnecessary, & spoiled an other-wise great time. (It has since become known as the TP Xmas in some circles, competition between certain players became that fierce). Trivial Pursuit is henceforth banned

I lost the xmas spirit after kids grew up and now with lack of makes it just another day on the calender.

But round here, it's the usual excuse for a booze up by most anyway

Any excuse for a booze up - I'm with you, Prof Animal Chaos. Christmas = alchohol, regardless of kids & New Year is to be celebrated. Kids are Kids, regardless of - Christmas their age. They are to be celebrated.(I say that as one who is child-defiecient). I envy Your family situation, may it bring you large amount of pleasure

my youngest is 21 now and there are no grandkids around yet so i have a lot of fun celebrating ( = eating, drinking and playing games) with my ex, our kids and kids-in-law

other than that i spend the rest of xmas scrooging like a natural

Ooh, I've yet to shop. I dont have *much* to buy really, mum's getting a new sewing machine which will be bought in the sales (it's what she wants ), bro is getting a dressing gown which I shall buy this weekend and I think I'll grab some other bits and pieces off the internet this week for the other people I'm buying for.

Mostly me and my friends buy each other small gifts in the year and dont do presents at christmas (although their children will get gifts from me) because they have quite big families which is a serious drain on income before you add every friend and friend's partner etc... It all gets bit silly! I'm going to make loads of Cranberry and Port sauce and give it to, well, everyone, in some nice jars as my version of cards. I dont really do christmas cards, unless it's for someone I actually have a message for. I suppose I ought to find something for my grandparents, dad and his family...

Anyway, I try to be calm at christmas and enjoy lots of time with friends and family and FOOD!

Anne-o-mallykidsson 23yrs and will be out ing with his mates as per and daughter 22yrs is staying at the ex's and I might see just before or just after xmas day

I'll have a couple of bottlesin and I'm also happy in my own company

That gives me an idea for a story. < to write it and post it>

I am up early this morning - we are setting off for a picnic. Just noticed Anne-o-malley's German Shepherd entry has been featured on the BBC homepage. Ain't that just wonderful?

... the picnic was a bit of a let down - and it was best friend's penultimate day here . The sun went behind a cloud - then more clouds rolled in. The wind blew sharply and it even rained a bit on the way home. The tide was really high - so the lagoon where we were headed was covered over with rolling waves.

We did have a lovely at Mirador del Rio, with a yummy chocolate magdalena.

I read the first entry in this journal just now, to remind me how warm it was when I arrived. Today it felt quite chilly, but I presume it was still about 20 C, but that the wind and spots of rain made it feel colder. Well, it is the winter here too of course. I seem to remember it being colder than this in November last year, but I was sad that my friend had to huddle under a blanket to eat her sandwiches today. We had taken lots of cold drinks in our cool box - normally this is essential, but we could have done with a thermos of hot coffee.

I hear that the weather in the UK has gone very cold and frosty - so I should make the most of any sunshine that comes my way.

Lanza, for the advert, much appreciated, especially as you had input into the article.

Sorry for the smiley-fest, but I'm still chuffed to bits, as I'm not what could be called an author. Cheers again!

Sorry the picnic was not as you would have wanted, but you were with friends - never a let-down. And yes, it's bloody freezin' here, I'm currently in a sleeping bag with a blanket over the top , in the sitting room!!! (Not jealous in the least - razzer razzer razzer, mumble mumble mumble)

Prof Chaos, I hope you have a good one(or a few). I finish nights at 8am on Christmas day, so will be asleep for most of the day, hopefully I'll be awake for the inevitable 'The Great Escape', brilliant. I love the 'Cooler King', he may very well be the modern-day God (I'm joking, just in case some people are lurking)

Steve McQueen - the epitome of cool. Just don't give me ET, please

German shepherds are so intelligent they're almost spooky. Are they called Alsatians because they originated in Alsace?

Paul H,
Yes, German Shepherds really are that intelligent. And yes, they are sometimes called Alsations because they originated in the Lorraine-Alsace border.

But they are not 'That spooky' - as dogs they they get their cues from humans - Their masters. So in effect, the personality of a dog is often times dictated by their master, although a gregarious personality has been known to survive past a 'retricted' master/mistress.

if I may say,?GSDs are stunning I luv'em

F1926355?thread=6186425&skip=40&show=20

post 50 Anne
and my other friends of course

Sending good wishes to you too Prof


I think as it's Advent - I will put up some lights in here. Do you think this will put us in the Christmas Cheer?





I'd put up this tree too but it seems to be rather lazy

Prof, that's fabulous, & of course, the same sentiments are returned from me.

All the best, always

anne