[sabrina]

I am sick of all the TV programs telling me I have so many weeks to slim into my little black dress. I don't own one. Not everyone will be going to a Christmas party or even have family to be around at Christmas. How sad must they feel, for them its just another day to get through. For the next few weeks Christmas will be shoved down our throats, the food to buy, latest must have toys, what to wear. What about no money to buy these things. No one to share the day with. Rather than keep brain washing us would it not be a far better message to say, visit someone who has no one to make them feel special even if its just to say hello. have a get together in your local church hall to give them a little part of what Christmas should be about. Giving some a little bit of your time cost nothing and would mean so much that's should be the Christmas message.

[Ina]

You are so right. No wonder suicide rates are highest around Christmas; the media definitely doesn't help! I'll be spending Christmas on my own, too; not that I mind, in fact, I prefer it to watching "happy families" at friends' places...
(I've been watching the lights being put up on the huge Christmas tree in Dundee all this week... Argh! For my liking, at least a  month too early.)

[john and helen]

Not being a Religious person, I don't celebrate the meaning of Christmas ,
but sadly , the pressure on some people at this time of year must be immense ,

i would hate to have young children around this time of year,
if you gave a child an orange in a sock these days, they would more than likely throw a benny ..

i looked at a pile of toys in my grandsons room, everything from cuddly toys to cars, there was a massive screen in his room too, i think it was for a playstation thing….. the curtains and bed sheet all matching the latest film craze,

do we give presents now, or expectations …

not so long a go , I asked my son, what was the best thing i ever gave him when he was growing up, apart from the obvious, (Love) he said it was a weekend where just me and him went rough camping on Dartmoor,

I do hope i can give my grandson some special memories when we get the smallholding, maybe that Oh so wrong ride on a tractor , breaking every health and safety law, or collecting a few eggs then teaching him how to cook them

great memories are the real presents in life..they last a lifetime 

[happygolucky]

Consumer hype like other holidays.  I do love a bit of sparkle though 

[Rosemary]

I try to fight it but I can't. I love Christmas - although we're not religious, I love the festive season. It's the turn of the year, looking back and looking forward.

I'm not big on "stuff" but I do enjoy the opportunity to get together with friends and family. And I count my blessings that I have both 

[doganjo]

Isn't it really a Pagan festival anyway? 

I'm an atheist but I still enjoy giving and receiving gifts with my family.  However, the far too early financial hype is way beyond acceptable in my view.

[Alistair]

Christianicised winter solstice with the wrong date

I spend it trying to avoid family, I hate buying gifts for gifts sake, stuff that people don't want, I hate getting things I don't want or need and end up waiting a month or so then giving them to the charity shops, such a waste of money

Humbug

[happygolucky]

The sad thing is some people get into lots of debut just to buy tons of stuff, so much extra food is bought and even if you do entertain, I bet most of us have stuff left over that we bough because we though we had to.  I try to visit my daughters or visa versa but this year I will only visit my daughter in England with the dogs, All we both want is their company and a walk with the dogs and hopefully no rain (snow is actually nice for one day)  Last year we had a lovely romantic Christmas, we packed a picnic of home made soup and bread and went for a lovely walk with the dogs, we met a few people and had a chat, when we returned home, we had a posh ready meal ( sorry all you ready meal haters) that we had bought a few weeks before and was around 10p, all I added were some fresh veg, we lit a fire, I went for  a hot soak and we sat around with the dogs and a bottle of nice whisky watching the TV.........it was my idea of heaven....although it would have been even nicer if the girls were around!! My brother is alone but is used to it, he detests the hype but loves the food and the TV.....I do love Christmas though and even though I am not religious, its one time of year when I sometimes do want to nip into the church!

[in the hills]

    .... well said Sabrina.


Whether religious or not, Christian or Pagan, a chance to think of others rather than materialistically.


My children have already commented on the "BUY, BUY, BUY" adverts.

[southernskye]

I love Christmas.
However I do dislike the early start it gets (and has done for many years). For me it is a time for being together with Herself. This year will be different as I no longer work away. Before it was always a time to make sure I got home for a few weeks and got jobs done around the house/B&B/croft. This year will be muuuuch more relaxed.
 
I don't celebrate in a religious way but there is always ways, around here, of helping out with The Old Folks Christmas events, stuff for the local hospital etc. Herself and I have a quiet time together and, on the 25th, eat whatever meal we fancy then, weather permiting, don wellies for a walk on the beach.
 
Tend not to watch much TV at all so, thankfully, am spared the Christmas hype. Only place I suffer that is when i pop to the CoOp:-).
 
Gifts, well, the Wifw and I don't do pressies apart from a couple of books each and, if I am feeling flush, a CD or two for myself.
Whatever your festive season involves, I hope it is a pleasant, peaceful and relaxed one.
Rgds
Sskye

[Roxy]

My Mother grew up in the early 1930s - she said being 5 kids in the family, money was tight.  They got a stocking, with nuts, chocolate, maybe a little doll, or car for the boys, and an orange tucked in the bottom.  Dinner was usually Pork, having a farm, they kept a pig to kill at Christmas.  Her older brother was in the Army, and he would send chocolate for his younger siblings.  My Mum said they loved getting their stockings and chocolate - no telly to watch in those days.  Obviously none of the hype we now get with Christmas.
 
we withdrew from the dreaded Christmas Day with the family scenario many years ago.  To us, its pretty much a normal day, in that the animals need to be fed - then we may ride the horses out  - back to do the evening farm chores.  As to the meal, we will eat pretty much what we usually do ....after all, just because its Chrtistmas Day, does not mean my appetite will suddenly double, and I want to stuff my face on three times what I usually would.
 
There are a lot of people with nothing, and perhaps those people who stretch their cards to the limit, and fill their trolleys to overflowing, ought to stop and ask themselves why they do it year after year
 
I saw an ad on the telly the other night offering £200 on a card to spend in the high street on xmas presents .....great.  But this has got to be paid back somehow!!!  I am sure people will be tempted to take up this offer, and worry about payments in the New Year.
 
Yes, I do like the traditional idea of Christmas, a tree, holly, etc.  But this can be done without spending a fortune on presents, and food, surely?. 

[sabrina]

I love seeing my family around Christmas. We do not have a lot of money so we just give the grandchildren. I try to give them gifts that I know they will like but does not cost a lot. Emma loves horse riding so I bought her a pair of jodphurs weeks ago in a sale. Tyler is into ice skating so she is getting a outfit for that again bought at sale time. just about everything is bought from July onwards A gift for my mother is a picture frame made up of photo's of her great grandchildren something she cannot buy but I know she will love. For my OH I think I will buy a heap of red ribbon and wrap myself in it 

[Spinningfishwife]

The best thing about Christmas is the weeks leading up to it. Pantomime, school parties, Christmas Eve carols, the Sally army band on the High Street. DD is crafty like me and we make decorations like paper chains and little ornaments for the tree, we bake, she ices biscuits and the cake. I like dressing the house up, Country Living it's not but I like to think it has a degree of rustic charm. If nothing else it amuses the cats.

We don't do a lot of big gifts on The Day, it's mostly daft things, home made items and Wierdest Thing form Charity Shop kind of gifts. The kids are at the age they mostly want money and money goes further in the sales, why buy it beforehand if it costs 50% less on December 27th? We don't do a big lunch either, we have brunch and then a ham in the evening. WE go out for a walk on the beach if weather permits and watch as much bad TV as possible. It's very stress free!

Big social day here is either Christmas Eve or Boxing Day, we take it in turns with one set of neighbours to either have the mince pie and mulled wine do around the carols,. or the Boxing Day buffet afternoon. The whole cul-de sac come to these, plus any waifs, strays, relatives that happen to be around and anyone else we happen to invite. There's only two houses in the street big enough to be able to hold everyone and that's us and the house at the other end so we take turns as to which day we host. Everyone brings food/Christmas leftovers, there is a bit of impromptu present trading, the kids all end up in the park opposite and the neighbours who barely nod to you the rest of the year turn up with odd bottles of this and that and eat you out of house and home. It's all very jolly and much better than having to do the enforced family thing, I think.

My Christmas tree is coming from Ikea btw, costs £25 for a 6' Norway thingamie and you get a £20 voucher to spend in the New Year. All my paper and cards got bought last January and I make most of the rest plus I do a fair bit of canny shopping in advance and stuff it all in the spare freezer. I like Christmas but I have no intention of going into debt for it, there's plenty of ways to enjoy yourself without spending a fortune.

[plumseverywhere]

I'm over Christmas already    Been making seasonal soaps etc since August (such is the nature of cold process soap that it has to 'cure)  I've been smelling of frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon and orange for far too long now.
I will of course enjoy watching my children taking in all the magic around the big day (includign the lovely build up with nativities, carol singing etc) but I'm too involved in the other side of it all now, as in making lots of potential christmas presents to keep my wholesale customers stocked up and I don't like the way its becoming . I feel almost as irritating as the M&S advert 

[RUSTYME]

I detest the modern commercial , insane thing christmas has become , but i don't go into town , don't have tv signal , so don't get all the hype and brainwashing .
I am not religious , i head toward atheism i suppose  , but i seem to be a bit pagan by all accounts .
I have always prefered
to celebrate mid winter and to look forward to new life and growth of the comming spring .
All my family do the modern christmas spend , spend , spend and run about like headless chickens , but i just hide and keep quiet till it's all over .
I think i shall celebrate devilmass instead , it would hit the fan then eh ? lol .