Mainly the fact my birthday is in December, meaning people think it is OK to get me a joint birthday/Xmas present. It isn't. Not unless you're also going to worship me as the Son of God as well you skinflints.
In recent years however I've had to buy presents for my nieces and nephews. I have no kids of my own, but have 9 of the blighters in my family ranging from 3 to 12 years old. I never have any idea what to get them because I have no idea what kids like these days (is Power Rangers or Thundercats still a thing?) and I hate going into toy shops or to shopping centres. When my brothers do suggest what to get them, it is usually a week before Christmas, meaning prices are at a premium, everywhere is already sold out and it is usually some overpriced piece of plastic from China that they'll stop playing with by New Year's Day.
Also, people asking me 'What do you like/want?' if they cannot think of anything good. I make a few suggestions (whisky, interesting beers/ales, books on a subject I like, or a few shops I frequent where I could use a gift voucher). The big day rolls round and they've bought me some utterly pointless piece of crap that goes straight on eBay or into the bin. Merry Christmas you bell-end.
maybe you didnt mean this but i dont think you ll find Jesus actually got christmas presents !
that reminds me i ll get some myrrh this year for "person that has everything"
One of the things that is interesting about I'm a celebrity is how special everyday things are - like a piece of cheese or a pieceof chocolate. When we can have a piece of cheese etc... whenever we want it isn't so special. I think Christmas is a bit like that - when I think of some of the things I got, kids today would stick their noses up at them, but it was none the less special to me. My dad used to tell me that he got an orange, and that was really exciting for him.
The consumer society we live in has hijacked Christmas in that sense. Christmas is all about money and some even go into debt over it! You only get a real sense of the magic of it when children are very young. It is a bit sad when you think about it.
The commercial 'tosh' of it all and the expectancy/pressure to provide gifts that only end up getting recycled the next year, sold at a car boot or donated to charity. The complete ignoring of it's true meaning by most (and no, I certainly ain't religious in the slightest) including me, and people using it as an excuse to behave even more like a buffoon than usual after a couple of tasteless, watered down, 'Stella's'. Other than that, I love it!! Right, downloaded the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol the other day. Time to go and have a look at that.
Lots of good posts on the subject, reflecting my thoughts. However, my biggest dislike is the fecking Christmas songs played on a loop in all the shops from mid-November. It is a wonder that more shop workers do not go on killing sprees at this time of year.
You lot think you've got it bad, I own a greeting card business. You just get over the run up to Christmas and all the extra work, and I then have to order all my Christmas card stock as well as diaries, calendars etc. in February to make sure that I have them delivered by September!
Baah bloody humbug!
Best thing about Christmas, three games in a week!
I am actually looking forward to Christmas this year as first time having my nephews to stay and its all about the kids! They've had an absolutely dreadful year, in fact its been an awful year for my family so I want to make it the best one possible.
One of the things that is interesting about I'm a celebrity is how special everyday things are - like a piece of cheese or a pieceof chocolate. When we can have a piece of cheese etc... whenever we want it isn't so special. I think Christmas is a bit like that - when I think of some of the things I got, kids today would stick their noses up at them, but it was none the less special to me. My dad used to tell me that he got an orange, and that was really exciting for him.
The consumer society we live in has hijacked Christmas in that sense. Christmas is all about money and some even go into debt over it! You only get a real sense of the magic of it when children are very young. It is a bit sad when you think about it.
My wife and son are in the U.K., I will be alone in Dubai this Christmas. I will probably go to a hotel for lunch whilst they are with all the relatives and all their presents.
My best friend will be leaving next week, so even he won't be here.
It's not exactly a hardship post, but spare a thought for us alone this year.
My wife and son are in the U.K., I will be alone in Dubai this Christmas. I will probably go to a hotel for lunch whilst they are with all the relatives and all their presents.
My best friend will be leaving next week, so even he won't be here.
It's not exactly a hardship post, but spare a thought for us alone this year.
You won't be too alone, mate. Charlton Life gets active again around 4.00 on Christmas Day afternoon. Essential escape.
My wife and son are in the U.K., I will be alone in Dubai this Christmas. I will probably go to a hotel for lunch whilst they are with all the relatives and all their presents.
My best friend will be leaving next week, so even he won't be here.
It's not exactly a hardship post, but spare a thought for us alone this year.
You won't be too alone, mate. Charlton Life gets active again around 4.00 on Christmas Day afternoon. Essential escape.
It's bad enough on a normal day waiting for you lot to wake up, bloody xmas I have to wait until 4pm!!
Rampant commercialism got to me some years ago, love the family and friends bit, endless advertising and the same format every year on the box has lost me, boxing day game is close to me this year so some salvation.
Really noticing those close to you who are no longer with you. Miss my Mum massively every Christmas.
This. First Christmas without my Nan this year. Have missed my Grandad for the last 20 years. Christmas was never the same since he passed.
The first two Christmas' with my daughter were good but since I split up with the ex-wife, I've only ever seen my daughter late on Christmas night or Boxing Day and that has killed me. However, this Christmas, now she's a 10 year old non-believer (she googled whether he was real or not), I've finally got her Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Its going to be bloody brilliant. 11 for dinner and then 28 for the late afternoon/evening god help us. Cant wait.
The fact that, according to John Lewis, Debenham's etc, the festive period appears to start in September. Does it f$@k.
The "Holidays are coming" Coca Cola advert
The pub equivalent of Sunday drivers - people who never normally go into pubs spending all of December going to pubs, getting in the way, not knowing the correct etiquette for ordering drinks, behaving as if they have the same right to be in there as people like me who spend the entire year diligently supporting the pub trade.
The aforementioned group not knowing their limitations, getting far too drunk and then cluttering up the pavements and the public transport network, usually whilst vomiting or behaving in an extremely irritating manner.
Work Xmas bashes - Dear Mr Group Director, you've not bothered to speak to me since last year's Christmas do, and since then I've had no payrise, no improvement in my career prospects and no reason to do anything except silently loathe you. Why do we have to go through this ridiculous charade where you pretend to be interested in me, and I pretend that I actually give a f#*k about what pantomime you're taking your horrible, precocious children to see?!
My post-Christmas body, bloated, ghostly white, like a terrifying Halloween-themed homage to that picture of Demi Moore when she was preggers.
The sense of panic in every supermarket across the land, usually at it's peak about on 23rd December, as shoppers go into panic mode and buy enough food to see them through until the following Christmas, just because Sainsburys is going to be closed for one flipping day.
Reading about the thousands and thousands of arseholes who turn up at whatever time in the middle of the night to be at the front of the queue for the start of the Next sale on Boxing Day. This has absolutely no impact on me at all, I'm just kind of miserable bastard who gets annoyed watching it.
Perfume adverts - there's tons of them, they're all sh#t. Who falls for this pretentious bollocks?!
Those weird houses that go absolutely mental for Christmas and put so many lights and decorations on their house that it ends up looking like part of the main strip in Vegas. What are you doing in there that's so incredibly exciting, while I'm losing at Monopoly and watching Goldfinger on the telly?!
Other than that, I'm really looking forward to it. Merry Christmas everyone.
People who say crimbo. Can't fucking abide that. Work party helmets in places like TGI's when you're trying to have a quiet meal. The point Mr Largo made about the December only pub goers - these people are the worst, always in some shite Christmas jumper in an attempt to be edgy. I'm tight and I don't like spending money on other people. But I suppose I kind of like seeing their faces when they like their gift. I have to spend time with my step brother (sorry dad but whilst we're being honest here..) I'm self employed so the enforced unpaid time off work is a bit of a killer.
Other than that, I enjoy the drinking, the good mood of most people, the cheese boards and when you get everyone together which doesn't happen enough.
Comments
that reminds me i ll get some myrrh this year for "person that has everything"
For instance. My kids have 4 (four) advent calendars each! and not one of them have a Christmas/ nativity theme.
The stress and expense.
I think the reason for celebrating has slowly been eroding year on year. I bet a big percentage of kids haven't a clue what it really is about.
If it didn't make money it would have been phased out long ago.
Grinch!
For me, it has less than zero to do with religion or nativity etc
Spending time with family is 100% what its about and that's why I love it.
All personal opinion and I'm sure for many its still about religion, and yes, that reason has been eroding but each to their own.
Myself, the reason and excitement for Christmas is the same as its ever been.
The consumer society we live in has hijacked Christmas in that sense. Christmas is all about money and some even go into debt over it! You only get a real sense of the magic of it when children are very young. It is a bit sad when you think about it.
Baah bloody humbug!
Best thing about Christmas, three games in a week!
Tacky! how very dare you!
My best friend will be leaving next week, so even he won't be here.
It's not exactly a hardship post, but spare a thought for us alone this year.
The first two Christmas' with my daughter were good but since I split up with the ex-wife, I've only ever seen my daughter late on Christmas night or Boxing Day and that has killed me. However, this Christmas, now she's a 10 year old non-believer (she googled whether he was real or not), I've finally got her Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Its going to be bloody brilliant. 11 for dinner and then 28 for the late afternoon/evening god help us. Cant wait.
Work party helmets in places like TGI's when you're trying to have a quiet meal.
The point Mr Largo made about the December only pub goers - these people are the worst, always in some shite Christmas jumper in an attempt to be edgy.
I'm tight and I don't like spending money on other people. But I suppose I kind of like seeing their faces when they like their gift.
I have to spend time with my step brother (sorry dad but whilst we're being honest here..)
I'm self employed so the enforced unpaid time off work is a bit of a killer.
Other than that, I enjoy the drinking, the good mood of most people, the cheese boards and when you get everyone together which doesn't happen enough.