With the nice weather we are having, is anybody finding it hard to get in the Christmas spirit? We are :Headbang:And trying to find mincemeat is like trying to find rocking horse dodos Did,nt swear oddy cos its crimbo

People don't put up trees and decorate their homes as much anymore and the malls and shopping courts aren't as packed as they once used to be. Not to mention, you used to have more Christmas movies, specials, and documentaries on TV than you do now.

Sorry, but it just doesn't feel like Christmas anymore... at least not in the way I used to know it.


You can get Mincmeat here [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] ... rch=Search

I don't know if it's because the world is changing, I don't know if it's because so many people are out of work. Maybe it's because it's become too "
commercialized"
or maybe it's because it's been a lousy year (for most people) in general, but it just doesn't feel like Christmas. Thousands of businesses have gone under and a lot of name brand stores have closed their doors, I wasn't around back then, but I'm told things were a lot worse back in the days of the depression - but somehow I wonder if people were 'happier' back then anyway? Families aren't what they were back 40 or 50 years ago - people rarely sit down at the dinner table "
together"
any more and families aren't nearly as close as they were back when I was a kid. It makes me wonder what things will be like in another 50 or 100 years - will Christmas even still exist? The world changes and so do we all , who knows, in another 150 years will anyone even remember what "
Christmas"
was???

Sallyann, you said
"
maybe it's because it's been a lousy year"
How right you are for many reasons

Any way If I lived near you I would present myself on Christmas day with a bottle of brandy, :Drink:a Christmas card and a sack full of presents. :Xmas2:I would then expect you to invite me in for Turkey and Christmas pudding, :Food:pull a couple of crackers,
sit down in the afternoon in front of the fire watching the Queens Speech, raise a glass and toast what we hope will be a much better
[size=200:3abdrl7i]2012 :M3:

Christmases past were always the family highlight of the year when we all drove to Nan and Grandad's place whether it was at their pub business or home in retirement. None of us ever missed and we never had an argument -honest no matter how contrary Grandad was. It was Christmas and always we blew the budget on last minute presents and more food than we could eat.
I truly believe the internet is a lot of the problem. Certainly Christmas cards get less every year and I have even thought myself this year that what was the point although I did send 10 praying they all arrive this time. They didn't one year but that was because I neglectfully didn't check the girl in the VT PO had stamped them!
I have decorated our home a little for ourselves but as Nan and Grandad are no longer with us, my grown children all do their own thing with their friends and family. Its not the same when you haven't got the thrill of giving and receiving of presents physically. I know that at some point over the holiday my 3 and families will meet up for a celebration and a proper meal will be high on the list, so in my case Christmas has lost its allure for me because I am so far away. I make up for it on my annual visits.
I will be singing with our village choir at a party but I don't know when or where yet, so we will have a little Bulgarian Christmas spirit and singing Bulgarian Christmas songs.
I don't think we can generalise too much about lack of Christmas spirit as I'm sure many British families still celebrate the Day. The world is changing and many would say 'not for the better either' but then. us Golden Oldies have always said that!
My man and I are celebrating our early present to each other by having a night in town and staying in a hotel tonight before it all gets too manic. It will be nice to see VT lights which we haven't seen since our first winter here 7 years ago. I wish everyone on the Forum a very Happy Christmas and New Year and lets hope it will be better for us all.

This will be our 3rd full time christmas here in Bulgaria.
Yes we do miss the folks back in the Uk ...i wont call it home because our home is here now,We still do the whole christmas thing but maybe thats because we have 3 children ...weve got the decorations up , flashing lights up outside...thats something that we never did in the Uk...weve got Turkey &
pork for christmas day...beef for boxing day &
two whole legs of lamb for New Years day....&
as the Tv is so rubbish here weve down loaded a load of christmas films to watch ...Helens just burnt off the "
wizard of ozz"
...lol....we have a great Christmas here in Bulgaria probably better than we ever did in the Uk &
i put that down to not having the stress of work &
of the daily grind like we used too.....now wheres that tin of quality street ...

Have a great Christmas everyone :Xmas2:

loopeylou wrote:

WAnd trying to find mincemeat is like trying to find rocking horse dodos

Easy enough to make if you can get your hands on suet

Christmas is always going to be Christmas. Ignore the PC brigade and the Happy Holiday they can shove that up the never come down (note Oddy I'm not swearing either). The Christmas ads still started in September so whats new there. Bing is still singing. Plus we is going to be with the grand babies this year and all will be happy :Xmas2:

willowsend wrote:

Sallyann, you said
"
maybe it's because it's been a lousy year"
How right you are for many reasons

Any way If I lived near you I would present myself on Christmas day with a bottle of brandy, :Drink:a Christmas card and a sack full of presents. :Xmas2:I would then expect you to invite me in for Turkey and Christmas pudding, :Food:pull a couple of crackers,
sit down in the afternoon in front of the fire watching the Queens Speech, raise a glass and toast what we hope will be a much better
[size=200:1otq2kdz]2012 :M3:

:shocked1:PHEW Loops you had a lucky escape there
I :Hearts:him really

Well done Loops Swearing never:: , As Father Tom says we will have none of that fecking nonsense on here :Roll laugh: :LOL2:

oddball
I'm not like tony you know, I would never accuse you of fecking swearing

willowsend wrote:

oddball
I'm not like tony you know, I would never accuse you of fecking swearing

Now now Bryan I would never accuse a lady of swearing

PHEW Loops you had a lucky escape there
I him really

Well done Loops Swearing never:: , As Father Tom says we will have none of that fecking nonsense on here . Could be worse Oddy and have to put up with you over crimbo After all this, i,m back into the Christmas spirit Third glass already, got the tree stuffed and lights round the Turkey :Roll laugh: :Roll laugh: :Roll laugh:and looking forward to Easter hic :Cheers8: :p: :Dance: :Xmas1:Happy Christmas

im full of christmas spirt having just put up our fourth christmas tree. sorry to everyone who is hoping for snow but i'd like it to not start till christmas day because i need a last minute flight for my son next week and no snow is keeping the prices down coz theres no skiing. Hope you all have a fantastic christmas.