[chrysostom]

As it's the beginning of advent this Sunday, I thought I'd kick this one off.

Firstly - What are you all doing for Christmas? Do you have any traditions?

Secondly - For the love of God, have you got any decent discount vouchers for online shops or decent in store offers?! I have so many people to buy for and we're buying our Christmas decorations from a standing start!

Thirdly - What Christmas foods do you lot like? I'm going to be experimenting with making mulled bacon on Monday.

My sister is due for her first child on the 13th of December, so Christmas will be a funny one . Quite a few people from the family will be coming from overseas to coo over the baby - luckily I get to try out new Christmas recipes as I'm responsible for dinner.

Good lord I love Christmas.

[The Deadly]

Christmas Eve is a night I've always enjoyed. It's the only night of the year I drink red wine. Not sure why but I always have.

[chrysostom]

Would CM.net secret santa make it a little better?

*hides before everyone tells me what an awful idea it is*

[Nicola_Red]

I dunno yet. I'll probably be at my parents' place from the 24th to the 27th or 28th. For once I have a decent chunk of time off, the first time in years really. But I'm not a massive fan of Christmas generally - I love buying stuff for people, but I sometimes struggle with the 'enforced jollity' aspect of it.

[The Deadly]

Would CM.net secret santa make it a little better?

*hides before everyone tells me what an awful idea it is*

I'm looking forward to receiving shit in a box.

[chrysostom]

[Yudster]

We have lots of traditions, they are what make Christmas I think.

First tradition is that we have Christmas at home. I always did as a kid and loved it - when Mr Yudster was a child and then a young adult living at home he never had a single Christmas in his own home. His childhood memories of Christmas are of being in the back of the car feeling sick on the way to whichever relative they were going to that year, and sleeping on various living room floors. I never wanted that for my kids.

Second tradtion is that we have advent candles not calendars - one for each child in the family (although we are still having three this year even though the older two have left home now). I do provide daily chocolate.

Third tradition is that I cook a massive glazed roast gammon on the bone on Christmas Eve, and because it takes a long time we have that as our Christmas Eve dinner with roast potatoes and stuff, and then we have the rest of it for cold ham over Christmas.

Fourth tradition is the candlelight carol service at our church - it starts at 6.30 but I have to be there early for rehearsals, so dinner will be a late lunch/early dinner.

Fifth tradition - when we get back from church at about 7.45 we have a drink, and I read Twas The Night Before Christmas aloud before Baby Yudster goes to bed.

Sixth tradition - we start Christmas morning with bucks fizz and croissants. Everyone is allowed to open ONE present before church at 10.00, then when we get home its a free for all. Dinner gets started, and bucks fizz is replaced by champagne * (for me and Miss Yudster anyway).

After that, its all a blur really...!

[DevilsDuck]

As it's the beginning of advent this Sunday, I thought I'd kick this one off.

Doesnt advent start on Saturday?

1. We are having Xmas at our house this year! Traditions include stupid table gifts, going to the pub on xmas eve and buying the landlord a drink...then he buys the whole family one each and eating too much

2. no, but let me know when you get some.

3. Ginger Bread...I know its not really a xmas food, but its the only time of the year I have it

and CM.net secret Santa sounds like an Amazing Idea

[Yudster]

Advent as a church "event" comprises the four Sundays before Christmas.

Advent as a secular event starts on December 1st.

[Badger Mark]

Since my wife is in retail, we really don't enjoy the run up to Christmas. Haven't been able to for years. And then the holiday comes and goes and she's got to go back to work for the big push post-Christmas. Seriously, it's lost a lot of it's magic for me over the years given how much it's been commercialized (here in the States at least). But at least it gives us an opportunity to head down to Chicago, where my wife and I are originally from, to see our respective families.

[bmstinton93]

I have just Christmas Day and Boxing Day off work. Other than that working flat out from Thursday 20th right through to the new year.

[Yudster]

Would CM.net secret santa make it a little better?

*hides before everyone tells me what an awful idea it is*

I'm looking forward to receiving shit in a box.

Deadly, you are stubborn, argumentative, pig headed, narrow minded, blinkered and sometimes rude but I can't help liking you when you say stuff like that. The key to a happy life on the internet - don't take yourself too seriously. Well done.

[The Deadly]

Would CM.net secret santa make it a little better?

*hides before everyone tells me what an awful idea it is*

I'm looking forward to receiving shit in a box.

Deadly, you are stubborn, argumentative, pig headed, narrow minded, blinkered and sometimes rude but I can't help liking you when you say stuff like that. The key to a happy life on the internet - don't take yourself too seriously. Well done.

Yep fo' sho'. Me on the Internet and me in real life are quite different. Having met the majority of you I can say you're all nice people but the Internet does something to me and a few others. I think it gives a certain sense of freedom that you don't have in a real life scenario. The things I get heated about I genuinely care about thus sometimes I go too far but that's just me.

Anyway enough about that. Lets all drink sherry and get gay.

[DevilsDuck]

So really...you do care about Chris James?

[The Deadly]

Yes........ Yes I do.

He should have returned by now using a new account. The guy is slacking.

[chrysostom]

........

He should have returned by now using a new account. The guy is slacking.

I'd welcome him back with open arms if his new account was called christmasjames. I might just make it as a parody. Is that against the rules?

[Yudster]

doitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoit

[The Deadly]

........

He should have returned by now using a new account. The guy is slacking.

I'd welcome him back with open arms if his new account was called christmasjames. I might just make it as a parody. Is that against the rules?

I love that idea. He could post useless Christmas information on a daily basis.

"Reports suggest Christmas is now in 25 days. Apparently Father Christmas is furious with elf #347".

[Yudster]

doitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Yudster]

Do it.

[chrysostom]

I SHALL.

On Monday. got to give him a chance to do it himself, he'll be able to do a better job than any of us could.

Just worked out my Christmas list, initial budgets come to £330 of gifts (although ~50% of that is for Hannah). Yikes.

[Yudster]

£330? You wait until you have kids. You'll look back at that figure and laugh until you wet yourself.

[The Deadly]

Spent £1400 on a 5 day holiday to Disneyland for kids last Christmas. I hope they have lowered their expectations this year.

[chrysostom]

£330? You wait until you have kids. You'll look back at that figure and laugh until you wet yourself.

Hopefully I'll be earning a lot more by that time!

[Nicola_Red]

I had absolutely no idea how much I should spend on the bf - being that we'll have been going out for about ten weeks by the time Christmas comes around, I just didn't know where to aim with it. I think I'll have spent about £60 on him in the end. I dunno how much I spend on Christmas presents in total though...£250, maybe. That's for seven people.