How will you spend your Christmas?

[ausdreamer]

Another year has passed by and with it great change has unfolded in our lives, some for the better, but for some it has also brought sadness and disappointment.

 

Christmas and the holiday season are normally a time for being together as a family, when relatives from all over the country and abroad come together to celebrate and catch up. It can be the only time of the year that everyone is together.

 

But what if you can't make it back home for the holidays? Sometimes it's just not possible for you to travel or your loved ones to travel, whether its for financial reasons, work is getting in the way or simply that they have other commitments or, you just live too far away now! Even those who do plan to fly back to the UK for the holidays may find their best laid plans ruined by snow and ice on the runways?

 

To all of you at home and in Aus who are separated from their fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, children and any other family member and friends, I wish you every happiness that Christmas can bring. May the new year carry us towards our dreams and those that are living their dreams, may they continue.

[BritChickx]

Well I am still in the UK but I will be working!

[TheOptimist]

Well said Ausdreamer :notworthy:

[whopperdaisy]

Christmas wishes of happiness to everyone, especially those who are missing family, friends and home :hug::hug::hug:

 

Also wishes of peace and comfort to those who have lost loved ones as Christmas is so much a time for reflection - may that reflection include the good memories.

 

[ausdreamer]

Well I am still in the UK but I will be working!

 

Will you get any time off britchick? X

[BritChickx]

Boxing day and new years .

[Guest guest30038]

Bridget is working Xmas day early and boxing Day is the start of 3 night shifts so we've only got Xmas evening to celebrate.

 

PIO members Andy&Yvonne and Generalis (Sam and Martin) and my foster daughter, partner and bubby are coming round for a late Xmas dinner............a cold spread of pork, ham, turkey, seafood, and not forgetting the grog. A swim in the pool is compulsory, raining or not :biglaugh:

 

kev

[Guest The Ropey HOFF]

Bridget is working Xmas day early and boxing Day is the start of 3 night shifts so we've only got Xmas evening to celebrate.

 

PIO members Andy&Yvonne and Generalis (Sam and Martin) and my foster daughter, partner and bubby are coming round for a late Xmas dinner............a cold spread of pork, ham, turkey, seafood, and not forgetting the grog. A swim in the pool is compulsory, raining or not :biglaugh:

 

kev

 

Sounds horrible kev, surely you miss the tradtional cold white winter christmas like we have here in the uk?

 

Wish i could swap you, after a month of horrible freezing cold snowy weather, i'm getting really fed up with it now, and we will be spending christmas day, indoors again, too dangerous to go out, not that we would anyway.

 

Seeing all those thousands of people stranded, at the airports, train stations and in their cars, because of the snow, i feel we are lucky, theres always someone worse off than others, but the last thing we need is someone posting that they will be having a swim in their pool, sounds fantastic though.

[chalkyhill]

Christmas eve midnight - skype family back home

Christmas day morning - breakfast and presents with OH

During the day - beach

Evening - dinner and drinks

[Guest guest37336]

Christmas morning, awake at 6, :shocked:, though kids are now 17 and 15, they insist on a bright and early start. Even though dad needs his caffeine and nicotine fix before he can function as a 'Merry and Jovial' soul at Christmas.

 

Open presents with family. 'Receipt' box gradually filling for the 'refund' or 'exchange' counter in the new year as I have either got the wrong size, colour, blah, blah, blah., :biglaugh:.

 

Dogs now eating several rolls of unwanted wrapping paper, (dad disappears outside again to calm down) with ciggy and coffee.:goofy:

 

Come back in, and feign excitement and joy yet another pair of socks or pants, and be met with the same saying from family, 'You're so difficult to buy for'. To which I reply, 'No I'm not, is it too much to ask for a one way flight to Australia?

 

Phone calls to rest of family based all around the country, after the normal pleasantries back into living room to see my youngest daughter know looking like a 'Hooker' from 'Sex and the City', because other half insisted that she bought the dress I said would make my daughter look like a WHORE.

 

Tears and tantrums, because dad now doesn't like the dress. At this point I go to do the cooking. Other half comes in to ask, 'Can I do anything', when in reality she needs a map normally to find the kitchen.:shocked:

 

Christmas lunch is served. 'Anyone for Christmas Pudding' I ask. 'Ohh, aahh, yes please, I love Christmas Pudding', to which I reply, 'If that's the case why the hell don't you eat it at any other time of the year?

 

Everyone then seems to then disappear as the washing up is inevitable. All of a sudden the kitchen becomes a wasteland, as 'urgent' phone calls have to be made.:shocked::policeman:

 

Afternoon, all settle down to watch Home Alone again, and STILL one of the family pipes up and says, 'What happens in the end'.:goofy:

 

By this time I am exhausted, the dogs are bloody schizophrenic and I am slowly getting wasted on the Tesco premium brandy that was meant to 'ignite' the Christmas pud, instead it just made it disintegrate into something resembling the monster from the black lagoon.

 

Night time finally comes, 'Ah well, that was nice, only another year to go and we can do it all again'. Deep joy, deep joy, indeed.:wubclub::wink:

[TheOptimist]

Christmas Eve - bro coming from London, games, food and WINE

Christmas Day - opening pressies with family, roast lamb for lunch, games, snacks and more WINE

Boxing Day - Nice long walk (if the snow allows), roasted ham, and yep, more WINE

[Guest cazbob]

Christmas Eve - dinner and present giving with the parents, siblings, nieces + nephews

Christmas Day - OH coming to my parents place for the 'feast',... a little snowman making if the snow survives that long!

Stephen's Day - (sorry, I'm Irish, it's not Boxing Day! ) - 'feast' take 2 with family

 

can't wait! om nom nom!

[Guest guest17301]

Working Xmas Eve, off to the beach when I finish for sausage sizzle, sunset and wine with family.

Xmas morning, special brekkie/presents/champagne/chocolate/reflection on what the day is all about:eek: Lunchtime off to family for eating, drinking wine, opening presents and splashing in spa....

 

Boxing Day, barbie and pool party at ours for family involving yet more food/wine and fun and maybe a walk when the temp gets below 30d after 7pm:cute:

[B1K3R]

Unfortunately, it will be an unpleasant one, me somewhere in a corner watching OH and her parents/siblings hugging and crying and guilty trips over our move...

 

:dull:

 

B!K3R

[ali]

We've had visitors for the last 2 years and whilst that's been great I have felt responsible for 'entertaining'. This year it's just the 4 of us for xmas day and we've all said how much we're looking forward to it. Have friends round Boxing day, hoping to see friends on the Monday and have friends round again on Tuesday ... a busy time ... but we're looking forward to it.

[ausdreamer]

Unfortunately, it will be an unpleasant one, me somewhere in a corner watching OH and her parents/siblings hugging and crying and guilty trips over our move...

 

:dull:

 

B!K3R

 

 

:hug:

[ausdreamer]

We've had visitors for the last 2 years and whilst that's been great I have felt responsible for 'entertaining'. This year it's just the 4 of us for xmas day and we've all said how much we're looking forward to it. Have friends round Boxing day, hoping to see friends on the Monday and have friends round again on Tuesday ... a busy time ... but we're looking forward to it.

 

Sounds like yr crimbo day will be all about just you and the fam, purrrrrfect x

[ausdreamer]

Working Xmas Eve, off to the beach when I finish for sausage sizzle, sunset and wine with family.

Xmas morning, special brekkie/presents/champagne/chocolate/reflection on what the day is all about:eek: Lunchtime off to family for eating, drinking wine, opening presents and splashing in spa....

 

Boxing Day, barbie and pool party at ours for family involving yet more food/wine and fun and maybe a walk when the temp gets below 30d after 7pm:cute:

 

 

Now your crimbo activities sound lovely but I am intrigued about your sausage sizzler, tell me more...I am already licking my lips! Yum

[Bobj]

Had a weather forecast from BOM...Up to 500 mm of rain from Cairns to Bowen on Christmas Day...and moving down the coast.

 

500 mm? 20 inches.

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[ali]

Sounds like yr crimbo day will be all about just you and the fam, purrrrrfect x

 

Yes it is and I think that's what's making the day seem a little more special.

 

We have pressie opening, then brunch (always have smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and the kids have pancakes), play in the pool, get a board game out ... a day for chillaxin!!

[Guest guest30038]

Sounds horrible kev, surely you miss the tradtional cold white winter christmas like we have here in the uk?

 

.

 

Not at all Jim. I think all that white Xmas stuff is just something lodged in the back of our brains from our childhood, when things were much simpler and we were more easily pleased. ............a sort of yearning/acknowledgement for/of "better times," that is awakened every Xmas.

 

I do find it strange that we are forecasted for monsoonal rains on Xmas day, which we have never experienced before. Xmas day, as far as I can remember, has always been hot and dry.

 

kev

[Guest Andy]

Not at all Jim. I think all that white Xmas stuff is just something lodged in the back of our brains from our childhood, when things were much simpler and we were more easily pleased. ............a sort of yearning/acknowledgement for/of "better times," that is awakened every Xmas.

 

I do find it strange that we are forecasted for monsoonal rains on Xmas day, which we have never experienced before. Xmas day, as far as I can remember, has always been hot and dry.

 

kev

" Christmas day hot and dry "

 

Sounds like heaven to me:yes:

[Guest guest36762]

I'll spend Xmas morning enjoying my boys' excitement as they rip open their presents (spoilt little buggers, bless 'em) and then (unfortunately) it's on to the in laws for another thrilling Chrimbo lunch....more Asti? ooooh wine, how posh! hicc! (on 7% alcohol FFS).....This is my 3rd 'Aussie christmas' in a row now.................................:cry:

They don't begin to compare with the conviviality (and pissedness) of Christmas back 'ome with my bonkers but entertaining family

[Guest chris955]

We will be hoping it stops raining for a few hours sometime this week so we can take the kids somewhere, doesn't look promising though. At least we haven't lost everything in the floods like so many others around the country. My wife especially really misses a white Christmas, not that she had them that often in the South.

[ali]

I'll spend Xmas morning enjoying my boys' excitement as they rip open their presents (spoilt little buggers, bless 'em) and then (unfortunately) it's on to the in laws for another thrilling Chrimbo lunch....more Asti? ooooh wine, how posh! hicc! (on 7% alcohol FFS).....This is my 3rd 'Aussie christmas' in a row now.................................:cry:

They don't begin to compare with the conviviality (and pissedness) of Christmas back 'ome with my bonkers but entertaining family

 

Next year have it at your house and re-create your christmas .... Have a good one