Thread: Bah Humbug am I a grumpy old man

I have purchased some pizza stones for the BBQ, ham and other Christmas stuff even got some Turkey for the dog. Its going to be a pleasant Christmas day, the In-laws and Outlaws can go and play their games and gossip without us, me Rhonda and the dog will have a nice day to our selves and I intend to raise a glass to all the Forum members.

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Well it pleases me no end to read that the wife & i are not the only ones to have gone thru this very same sh*t. We have been having xmas on our own since moving to Tasmania in blissful harmony - just so long as we leave the phone off the hook.
My advice, move to a different state. lol.

I think, Truth be known, thats about par for the lot of us.
Its the season to be jolly.
Well its not jolly getting lumbered in whatever way you got lumbered. No I think you just got it about correct.

Originally Posted by Phil Spencer

....

Am I becoming a grumpy old man?

Yup, get a badge & wear it with pride.

Whatever is right for you is right for you. Millions of people all over the world get together at this one time in a year to just take time out and be together as a family again. I remember back in the old days in the UK when all my aunts and uncles would get together at my Granmothers house for Christmas. We, as children, would meet all our cousins who we hadn't seen for weeks or months and we would all be together. I might mention that my grandmother had 11 children so you can imagine the size of the "get together" All and sundry seemed to enjoy themselves in their own way. Sure there were gripes about what had happened throughout the year but most of the family cared enough to listen to others stories and gripes.
The only presents that were given was to my Grandmother and Granfather from everyone in the family. Other family members only received gifts from their respective parents or their own children. I guess cost would have been a deciding factor in this arrangement.

I,for one, cherish the memories of those Christmas "get together" days, I'ts all gone now, All those brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, including my own mother and father, now dead. What would I give now to go back in time and just re-live one of those Christmas days with all the family together.
It was a very special occasion in those days and today I feel the family unti has lost some of its special meaning. Christmas is too commercial today and there is no real Christmas spirit as in days of yesteryear.

I remember walking down the streets back in the UK around Christmas time and you would be greeted by eveyone with a smile and Merry Christmas but that all seems to have been lost in the commercialism of Christmas.
No, it isn't the same any more, for me anyway. My son and his family will probably call in for a short visit over the Christmas period and my daughter, who lives with me and my wife, will just go about doing their every day routine as usual. My wife and I will go over to a friends house after Christmas dinner as usual and spend a few hours with them.

No you are not an old grouch. if thats the way you fee,l then do you own thing and enjoy your Christmas. There are many people out there who would just love the opportunity to have a family to visit on Christmas day..I think a lot depends on ones own attitude as to whether you are going to enjoy anything, including a party or whatever it is. If you go somewhere with an attitude of." I am going to hate this" then you will not enjoy it anyway.
So having had my two bobs worth, the bottom line to each and eveyone is to enjoy your Christmas, your way, and then, you can't blame anyone else for anything.

Merry Christmas to one and all.

Well said Munruben. Couldnt agree more. I stopped doing xmas a few years ago and it caused a hell of a fuss with a few people. The same ones who would sit around the xmas dinner table and rave about how good it was to see everybody and then proceed to stab them in the back at first opportunity. Not a very genuine sort of approach really!!!

I decided that I don't need a particular day of the year to tell the ones I love, that I love them. I do so regularly and will continue to do so. Nor do I need to associate and pretend to like those that I don't. I prefer to be true to myself and my friends and family.

Must go and do some shopping for my elderly father, he has just thought of a couple of things he wishes to cook for tomorrow. 2.30 xmas eve, should be fun.

James Brown, the talented , legend musician died on 25 dec a couple of years ago, so here's an idea. For those that choose to not participate in xmas, why not participate in JAMES BROWN DAY, I know I will be.

Cheers

Well I guess I 'm the exception, had all the family over as per usual ( been doing it for 28years or so ). Much fun and laughter, grandkids racing around every where.
A few beers on the side and as per usual one or two close friends drop by for the extended lunch and a Nanna nap about 3 o'clockish to get ready to go again in the evening

Xmas and I parted company about 40 years ago. Must say I haven't missed it. It probably hasn't missed me either.

I'm with you, Phil. The strange thing about Christmas Day is that the lead up to it is so stressful. By the time it arrives everyone's tired and ready to spark up a bit. Then the whole thing becomes a sort of "behavior examination" where we firstly make a note of who has participated and who hasn't, then we analyse the quality of the excuses for not participating, then we turn to the ones who are participating and test out their perceived attitudes towards us collected during the year, and so on. Add alcohol, and it's no wonder there are spin-outs everywhere.

For people who generally don't get on, maybe a better idea is to have families spending Christmas alone and quietly, and have family get together's in the days following. I don't know. Anyway, I had a great Christmas day with some nice people. I won't even begin to tell you about some of the Christmastimes of the past ten years.

I have little kids, so Christmas is a big day for us at the moment, and I live with my in-laws (don't ask!) so I get that joy every year unless we are away at my folks place. The kids get a kick out of it, and I like it because of that, but I spent most of Christmas day in the workshop this year as well, a bit before lunch and then most of the afternoon, so I felt quite spoilt.

If the big family Christmas do happens we go along and I drink beer until the pain stops, then sleep on the way home while my wife drives. That works for me....

Hooray.....I thought it was just me that couldnt put up with the over comerciallised crap thrown down my throat..................AL

You can pick your friends, but you cannot pick your relatives (you just don't claim them)

you can, however, pick on them or pick at their foibles

There is a lot of stress and bulldust about Christmas and that can bring out the worst in seemingly sensible people ... and that's before you start on those who are just plain hard to get on with. It should and it can work well but some people just aren't willing to put stuff aside and try to be friendly.

I just sit in the corner, make myself horribly sick and enjoy the kids. The kids (all of them) come first followed by my Mum and Dad, everyone else's problems are their own.

Remember, it takes all kinds to stuff up a world.

Richard