Curmudgeoness Abounds.

[Kinoulton]

Whether you love or hate Christmas there are just some things that.... Agghhhh!

Christmas Quizzes. There is nothing to ask. I know that some Europeans call Santa "Kriss Kringel". I don't know the names of the reindeer and I fear for those that do. I don't know who donated this year's Christmas tree to London. I hope it poisons lots of Londoners though.

Politically correct councils and their wintervals.

Adverts for DVDs and CDs, that you've never heard of, and yet "everyone is talking about".

Trailers for Christmas Specials. If you're the kind of morbid suicidal loser that watches Eastenders then you'll watch the 8 hour Christmas Special where everyone has a miserable time and someone dies in entirely unsurprising circumstances. If you're normal, you won't watch anyway. So what use are the 500 trailers?

Brass bands. No one ever goes to see a brass band on purpose, so why do we want them outside of shops, just because they're playing Once In Royal David's City? It's still a brass band.

Cards. I don't want many. I don't want to buy many. I will send one to my stepson who is currently in a war zone. I will send one to my wife's grandmother who is nearly 100 and lives in Torquay. But I don't see what purpose is served by giving a card to my next door neighbours except for them to say: "oooo, we've got another card."

The Christmas number one. Like them or hate them, people remember "Mary's Boy Child", "Misteletoe and Wine", "Last Christmas" etc, because they were songs about Christmas. This year's number one at Christmas will presumably be yet another dirge by Leona Incredibly Overrated Lewis. Who gives a flying ****?

[Rizzo]

People who say "Cheer up, it's nearly Christmas!". aaaaargh!

[Kinoulton]

I bet you can't even go to the pub on Christmas day can you?

It will be full of coffin-dodgers wearing Christmas paper hats from their "De-Luxe Xmas Crackers!!!" and looking forward to their "Coffee with Mints!!!!" which is supposedly the 5th course of their "£39 Xmas Day Menu!!!!!"

(Book now as numbers are strictly limited.)

[Rizzo]

I bet you can't even go to the pub on Christmas day can you?

It will be full of coffin-dodgers wearing Christmas paper hats from their "De-Luxe Xmas Crackers!!!" and looking forward to their "Coffee with Mints!!!!" which is supposedly the 5th course of their "£39 Xmas Day Menu!!!!!"

(Book now as numbers are strictly limited.)

Oh no Kinny, to quote my mother in law and her pals "£39? that's daylight robbery! You can get a proper Christmas dinner and a mince pie with proper cream AND coffee in British Home Stores cafe for £10!"

Hopefully they'll go there on Christmas Day instead of coming to me!

[fleabane]

I wish to be associated with all the above posts.

[Gray]

I arrived at work on Tuesday night (1st Dec) to find that the day staff had decorated the office and put up the Christmas tree and lights.
Every monitor bar one had tinsel artfully draped over them. Mine.

In previous years I have been known to allow tinsel on my monitor after 22nd Dec, ie after the Winter Solstice.

Kinny, I thought everyone know the names of Santa's reindeer: Rudolph and Olive....




And on a more serious note, the people of Norway donate the tree to London in recognition of the help and support we gave them during WWII.

[Gate]

Being curmudgeonly is this year's being over-commercial. Therefore, I shall plough my own bah-humbug furrow by being really excited.




Right, that's enough of that.

[Kinoulton]

Well they always did that in Kinoulton, and the current landlord is a great bloke, so they probably still do.

But I know what you mean.

I remember when a landlord left the pub in Hose and decided he'd let the punters drink for free until the stocks had run out.

The place was suddenly full of "great mates" who I'd never clapped eyes on over a period of 5 years regular drinking.

[Hull Fan]

I just hate christmas starting when the last firework as banged!

By the time it arrives you've had enough of it.

Everyone at work says "are you ready for christmas?" it's like the only topic of conversation.

"OOooh i've still got to wrap!" Who gives a monkies, i'm not going to come and help so stop telling me!

...And the last thing, on posters etc Xmas when people can't be bothered to write christmas because it's soooo long!

[Bill W (2)]

Christmas comes but once a year
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and that is once too often

[Kinoulton]

XMAS issuch an appalling abbreviation.

And whilst we're at it (cos t'other thread's been locked), why is it that when peoples are having 52 inch screen, there is no room to write team names on the TV?

Depending upon the sport we have SCA v MUN, WAT v PEB, MID v DUM, and top of the table reads SAR, LOI, NTN, LEI.

Just write the goddamned names! Borussia Moenchengladbach might need abbreviating, but Munster doesn't.

[Rizzo]

Chocolate Advent calendars. Particularly Barbie, various cartoons, Top Gear and the like. Not much to do with the approach of Christmas and the kids only seem interested in the chocolate each day. Has anyone actually seen a traditional Advent calendar? You know the sort, with a real Christmas picture, a Nativity or even a Victorian village scene, and little doors that open to reveal a picture inside of a star, a tree, a snowman and the last door shows the nativity scene. Are they still around?

[Bill W (2)]

Chocolate Advent calendars. Particularly Barbie, various cartoons, Top Gear and the like. Not much to do with the approach of Christmas and the kids only seem interested in the chocolate each day. Has anyone actually seen a traditional Advent calendar? You know the sort, with a real Christmas picture, a Nativity or even a Victorian village scene, and little doors that open to reveal a picture inside of a star, a tree, a snowman and the last door shows the nativity scene. Are they still around?

Delighted to report that they are! My two granddsons each have one!

[Rizzo]

Good on them!

[cornish tigress]

I do like things that light up though. I had to make myself a Christmas hat for a party today, and was haven't I got enough to do groaning until I found some battery operated lights I could hide inside my new stripy tigers beanie (very Christmassy, well done) and got very excited and have bedecked myself with greenery and dangly baubles, and look a proper prat, but I am happy Becasue I LIGHT UP!