[gr4z]

Hosting Christmas with the family for the 12th year in a row....sigh. Every year I hope someone else will volunteer but before they do my Mrs tells everyone we will do it. So 5 days of waitering, cooking, cleaning, washing, tidying up, etc.

I look forward to going back to work for a break.

[gr4z]

Originally Posted by GOF_430d

The wife & I will be on holiday in the sun.

My sister lives in New Zealand. She celebrates Christmas with a swim in the sea and a BBQ. Sounds much more civilised!

Enjoy your break

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Pond

My mum died on 24th October, so the first Xmas without her. Dad died 5 years ago.

We've got to go and 'do' a little ceremony for her final resting place on Thursday. My son is also buried in the same churchyard, so gonna be a well happy day...not!

Xmas is just me, wife and daughter this year as the outlaws live abroad and can't be arsed to come over this year (thank Christ on my part).

On a happier note, daughter passed her driving test today (1st time like her old man and mum).

Sorry to be reading this... You'll be with your closest loved ones; that's what counts

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by gr4z

My sister lives in New Zealand. She celebrates Christmas with a swim in the sea and a BBQ. Sounds much more civilised!

Enjoy your break

That doesn't sound too bad at all!

[danb1979]

To add to this we were hoping to be up in the Highlands this Christmas as a family but my Dad's got a check up appointment with his cancer consultant on 27th and he needs to be home for that really (600mile round trip isn't fun)

We'll all be going up in Jan for a few days and then for 2 weeks in Feb (I work from home so it's no issue to me, my wife will have a weeks leave and work a week as she can work from home too)

Brother & sis-in-law have lots of leave carried over as they had a few cancelled holidays this year and never got round to taking them again; so should be a good craic

We've a few distillery tours booked in

[3-GT]

Started having Christmas at home with the misses and two daughters a few years ago instead of going to my mum n dad's (mainly so the girls get to play with their toys more on the day).

It's manic at the parents on Christmas with all my siblings and there kids, total about 15 of us in an average size 3 bed house. It's like a scene out of Home Alone, but in a much much smaller house.

This year though, my brother is hosting all of us in his cafe. Looking forward to it, at least we'll all have a seat to sit on there.

Reading some of the posts on here, it really hits home how valuable time with the family is.

Warm wishes to everyone.

[KRS_SN]

MIL FIL SIL BIL and 2 kids arrive on friday. They'll be staying for a week. Ill be picking them up from Edinburgh airport and the X7 will be marshalled into action. Somehow we end up hosting most years its the milder weather here or the coziness of the now (ab) used house or the copious food and drink on offer or a combination of all but its a chore and the time spent shopping on food and drinks and cleaning up etc.
Yesterday I was busy touching up all the areas on the wall and all the areas on the skirting boards etc that the dogs had scratched/chewed on(the youngest who is a girl pup is a character, picked her up from a farm in wales and she has that farmer girl energy and is very clever and knows how to do stuff and give us the cute look and get away with it), I wanted to keep it the way it was but the Mrs was keen that people don't get the wrong impression about our dogs. In other news the traditional xmas eve carp is out and substituted chosen scottish loch trout marinaded with tamarind and garlic. This will be washed down with Barszcz soup and pierogis and the other traditional dishes out of the 12

[GOF_430d]

Originally Posted by KRS_SN

MIL FIL SIL BIL and 2 kids arrive on friday. They'll be staying for a week. Ill be picking them up from Edinburgh airport and the X7 will be marshalled into action. Somehow we end up hosting most years its the milder weather here or the coziness of the now (ab) used house or the copious food and drink on offer or a combination of all but its a chore and the time spent shopping on food and drinks and cleaning up etc.
Yesterday I was busy touching up all the areas on the wall and all the areas on the skirting boards etc that the dogs had scratched/chewed on(the youngest who is a girl pup is a character, picked her up from a farm in wales and she has that farmer girl energy and is very clever and knows how to do stuff and give us the cute look and get away with it), I wanted to keep it the way it was but the Mrs was keen that people don't get the wrong impression about our dogs. In other news the traditional xmas eve carp is out and substituted chosen scottish loch trout marinaded with tamarind and garlic. This will be washed down with Barszcz soup and pierogis and the other traditional dishes out of the 12

This sounds a lot like The Wigilia supper [Polish parents] - and should comprise twelve distinct dishes in memory of the twelve Apostles. It begins with a soup, either borscht with uszka (tortellini), or wild mushroom consommé (grzybowa), followed by herring in different forms.

The last one we hosted was when my Mum was still around [she died 8 years ago] many happy memories, less so of carp - I was never a fan.

[Danj94]

I'm 29, my girlfriend and I don't have kids... Christmas tends to be low key for us.

Going to my mums for the afternoon and usually go to her parents in the evening for a few drinks and some family games which is a good laugh.

My eyes are firmly set on our trip to Dubai at the end of Jan... can't wait to get Christmas & new year out the way so we can go on our holidays

[Pond]

Originally Posted by AlwynMike

Beware anyone driving in the Lincolnshire area....I'll be out with the caravan.

Also beware if driving in South Lincs as my daughter is now legal on the roads!

Shouldn't be too bad TBH, as her pile of shit Mini will probably break down again before the end of the driveway.

[Lorcan]

Originally Posted by Pond

Shouldn't be too bad TBH, as her pile of shit Mini will probably break down again before the end of the driveway.

Just keep her out of Norfolk please, we're a local town for local people

Last day of work for me today, back on 2nd January. Quiet one at home with my partner, her twin grown-up boys and their associated gfs and offspring via multiple partners - modern family life!

[Pond]

Originally Posted by Lorcan

Just keep her out of Norfolk please, we're a local town for local people

You can rest easy mate, that Mini would never make it to Lynn even if she had any clue of how to get there, which she doesn't!

She thinks that 'Norfolk' is the breed of the Xmas dinner!

[RustyBitz]

Hosting for the first time ever.

My and my other half are hosting her mum and niece and nephew. We normally go away for Christmas but booked a big trip for May instead.

I’m not a massive Christmas person, but I do enjoy the time off and slower pace for a week or so.

[gangzoom]

Sounds like everyone is getting ready for some relaxation. Working everyday including the weekend till 10am Xmas day, than driving down to the in-laws straight from work, driving back on boxing day for 8am start at work on 27th, but at least I can dream about the pension .

Cannot complain though, everyone’s healthy and that really is the best present .

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by gangzoom

Sounds like everyone is getting ready for some relaxation. Working everyday including the weekend till 10am Xmas day, than driving down to the in-laws straight from work, driving back on boxing day for 8am start at work on 27th, but at least I can dream about the pension .

Cannot complain though, everyone’s healthy and that really is the best present .

Indeed it is, time with family and your (and their) health is all that really matters.

Isnt there an irony that on the one hand the govt are having to change the pension tax rules to stop senior health service workers retiring too early and at the other junior doctors are complaining they dont get paid enough. Maybe take some of the extra pension contributions off them until they reach a certain grade and pay it as salary - 2 birds with one stone as they say....

[XAlp]

Kids are home (16,18,20) my dad will come round and also my SIL and her two kids (8,10) who bring a bit of the childish excitement into things - which is quite nice.
Then it’ll be tip runs and packing ready for January house move.
Best wishes all.

[crAbb]

Originally Posted by Lorcan

Just keep her out of Norfolk please, we're a local town for local people

Last day of work for me today, back on 2nd January. Quiet one at home with my partner, her twin grown-up boys and their associated gfs and offspring via multiple partners - modern family life!

Any Boxing Day sales ? I'm looking for discounts of at least £1?

[Troopa340i]

We're spending Christmas Eve at my Mum's, then Christmas day with the in laws, so it will be a busy couple of days. My Dad passed away last year on Christmas Eve so no doubt it will be strange one, but the main thing is we're all together as a family and try to make the most of it.

For anyone else going through a similar situation, i feel your pain. Remember the good times and be thankful for what we still have

[F30Andy]

For the first time in a few years I will be "working" over xmas covering staff that actually celebrate it.

Hopefully it will be quiet, but knowing my luck someone will leave an Escooter on charge and the battery will explode burning down an entire site.

On the 28th, i will be taking the entire family plus mother in law for a jolly around a few countries in the middle east.
I will leave the wife, kids and mother in law to it while I drive around in rented exotica and rent exotic women!

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by F30Andy

For the first time in a few years I will be "working" over xmas covering staff that actually celebrate it.

Hopefully it will be quiet, but knowing my luck someone will leave an Escooter on charge and the battery will explode burning down an entire site.

On the 28th, i will be taking the entire family plus mother in law for a jolly around a few countries in the middle east.
I will leave the wife, kids and mother in law to it while I drive around in rented exotica and rent exotic women!

Enjoy, and lets hope nothing goes wrong at any sites.... no one wants their christmas dinner spoiling with that news, and thats before you start with all the pain that will follow.....


(there are some good bits to looking after H&S and insurance but an incident that creates work under both hats is definitely not one of them... as 2023 has shown me!)

[boba-fett]

We have just bought a new property, so Christmas feels a bit in the way!

All being well, It will be our last Christmas in our current house, so we are having a few over for Christmas and a new years eve party!

[KRS_SN]

Originally Posted by F30Andy

For the first time in a few years I will be "working" over xmas covering staff that actually celebrate it.

Hopefully it will be quiet, but knowing my luck someone will leave an Escooter on charge and the battery will explode burning down an entire site.

On the 28th, i will be taking the entire family plus mother in law for a jolly around a few countries in the middle east.
I will leave the wife, kids and mother in law to it while I drive around in rented exotica and rent exotic women!

not jealous at all... ;-)