Right, some further qualification.





This is where I fall and I've been in this boat since being heartbroken 3 years ago.



With some editing, this has been my sentiment for that time due to bitterness and loneliness. (So there, I'm putting it out there).



And this is exactly what I'm staring at right now too. I've never understood the need for grown single men to spend an entire day/weekend with their parents. I also feel that driving around spiltting oneself between a multitude of bf/gf's parents (with divorces everywhere multiplying the number of properties one is obliged to visit) is a waste of a day when you want to be relaxing in the company of people you WANT to spend time with. Eating/drinking whatever you want, with no commitment to be anywhere else.

I used to love Christmas, but since I've had nobody to spend it with for 3 years, I've become Scrooge.

Mark, CC, JJ, have you any other ideas? JJ, do you HAVE to be there to work, or could you use the interwebs?

I can.... understand Christmas, but I haven't felt it was particularly special in any real way since I was a kid. The old, pagan justification - essentially that we're past the shortest day, so in theory things get easier from now on - seems much more appropriate than something which, even if you believe in Christian theology, probably didn't actually happen on December 25th.

I used to work a lot on Christmas day when I was younger and I guess I've kind of lost the habit of really celebrating it. I'l probably be invited to the parent's for dinner but then they do that once every few weeks for Sunday roast kind of thing anyway. In general, it kind of just passes me by. I'm happy to take part if I'm asked to but I wouldn't make any effort for it in of myself. So, in answer to the OP..


Nope. Nearest is a two year old nephew, but he has his parents to look after him.


Want to? No, not really. Be invited and have no reason not to go is probably more like it.


None whatsoever.

Jon

I used to love Christmas, too.

Then I grew up.

Seriously, it's just an over-commercialised thing drummed up to encourage people to spend on stuff they can't afford. And overindulge in lots of food and alcohol.

We've been invited to dinner on Chrimble Day with our neighbours. That's probably the only thing festive we'll be doing this year.

Oh, and I reckon sticking a decorated tree up in the last week of November is taking the p!ss. It's not that long ago it was traditional to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve.

I'm actually looking forward to Christmas.
Aaron is two and a half so he'll be really excited about the whole thing.
Christmas day at home then pop to either my Grans or My parents on Boxing day the off to the in-laws on the 27th for a few days.
The novelty will wear off after 3 hours driving on the 27th though

Meh. Christmas. Meh.

I'm heading back home to see family, which'll be nice, and then heading off t'France for New Year, which'll also be nice (and probably very snowy). <eddit>Bugger! Just realised how good French chunnel electrics were last year. Guess how I'm getting to Lille this year???</eddit>


Yeah. Way better to do that sort of journey on the 25th - it's a doddle!

Jon, what do you think of my "friends" idea? Do you know any such people in your life that you'd want to hang out with? What will you actually do, given your answers?

As for the Pagan/Christian thing. I'm much more of an old-time yank Christmas kinda person. Before I got bitter, I loved Home Alone, Miracle (the original), Nat King Cole etc. and the message of peace, goodwill and merriment. As most of the western world still just about goes with that, that's how I chose to think of it. Like Heather, I dislike the commercial aspect, but I simply don't partake. I would just like to be with people I care about and enjoy the company of. That's all. I shouldn't be difficult really.

I've spend Christmas with my parents every year since I was born. This will be the last one though, as they're moving to France next year and my wife and I always said that when we had kids, we weren't going anywhere and people could come and see us.

Yep, I that just about covers my general feelings about christmas time too.

However, as we have moved about 250 miles away from our nearest relatives, this will be our first christmas spent together as a family, without outside influence. We usually spend the day running around visiting and then everyone piles around my parents' house for dinner.

So, I'm actually looking forward to a more intimate family christmas this year.

We have ham on Christmas Eve instead of turkey on Christmas Day. Pagan nom-nom.

Goose or Lamb

Leg of Ham!

No.

Just. No.

You haven't tried it Finnish style, cooked on the bone in its juices in a cooking bag for several hours. Frickin' lovely.

Emily's first Xmas and I can't wait. It's the first Xmas I've been excited about in a long time. It's her first birthday a few days later too (30th) so I'll be a nice few days.

Xmas rocks just cos I'm off work from 10/12/10 to 05/01/11 (also got two new PS3 games on the way)

As a result, I don't give much of a crap what way it goes. Actually, since many of us won't be at work, maybe that's the way to look at it if you're not fussed/despair about the whole thing

I've got a four year old nephew to hand a Toy Story torch to (he's getting money mostly), and that's about the height of the family commitment - I live with most of 'em, and they can rot