Count down to Christmas

[T00ts]

With 4 sleeps to go until Christmas day the word is that that in England Christmas is safe. Everyone I know has curtailed their arrangements in some way or other, but once the leftovers are gone we just might see some changes. As it is all seems to be on a need to know basis and left until the very last minute possible perhaps we should all practice holding our breath. 

[srb7677]

Ive come to the conclusion that people are wierd.

When it comes to politics that is certainly true.

My own family is such a mixed bag politically that if we all got together over a few pints to debate politics, there would be a serious danger of a punch up, . My extended family includes people who have sympathies for the BNP, UKIP supporters, Tory supporters, Lib Dems, Labour, Greens, and someone who was once a member of the SWP. All in about two dozen people.

[johnofgwent]

Lol, the political disagreements after a few drinks must be epic, . The SWP manages to make me look like a right winger in comparison. They genuinely believe in a workers' revolution, taking power from the bourgeoisie in the streets and at the barricades,  one day when the workers recognise their class consciousness. And all that bullshine.

Funny you should say that, Moira's cousin is a canon of the cathedral on town, his son is a dyed in the wool Marxist atheist of the full on religion is the opium of the people variety. 

Ive come to the conclusion that people are wierd.

[johnofgwent]

Well, Christmas is rapidly approaching, and what does everyone have planned?

I guess we fall into two camps, the religious and the non-religious. The religious ones will invest great spiritual significance in it all, whilst the rest of us mostly just celebrate it because we always have done and it's a kind of tradition and everyone else is doing it anyway.

I personally am going around to my mum's on Christmas day. We kind of have a tacit aggreement by which I buy the turkey and she cooks it. Both she and I live alone, so it makes sense for me to go there. Then in the evening am driving my car home before walking to bruv's for a few drinks.

It's a wierd time of year now. What used to be a huge matriarchy of seven daughters of seven daughters are largely dead, and the children all drifted apart so thanks largely to my mother who hated most of the dynasty we've completely lost touch with the few branches that had kids at my generation level.

I haven't spoken to one of my brothers for months and the other has ignored me for years.

Jennifer and Ollie will be at church on Christmas Eve he will probably be in the pulpit, they'll be at his mum's for Christmas Day and come to us for Boxing day. Sarah and little madam will be down at ours of course, but that's it.

[Borchester]

Lol, the political disagreements after a few drinks must be epic, . The SWP manages to make me look like a right winger in comparison. They genuinely believe in a workers' revolution, taking power from the bourgeoisie in the streets and at the barricades,  one day when the workers recognise their class consciousness. And all that bullshine.

Well, you would think that being a class traitor and a lackey of the capitalist boss class

To be honest, we are a bit dull. The only one who gets excited about that sort of thing is my daughter's wife, but she is very sweet so we all just sit there while her earnest rants wash over us. The last time we were there the big topic of conversation was whether or not a friend could claim to be self employed or on PAYE. The row went on for three days before my son, who until then had said sod all, wrote down the relevant case law on half a sheet of paper. His conclusion was that the friend should be on PAYE but that it was unlikely that HMRC would bother. He was thanked politely but it was obvious that everyone was a bit pissed off because we were all thoroughly enjoying the row. Which started up again as soon as he left..

[srb7677]

My daughter is an ex branch secretary of Edinburgh University's Socialist Worker Party

Lol, the political disagreements after a few drinks must be epic, . The SWP manages to make me look like a right winger in comparison. They genuinely believe in a workers' revolution, taking power from the bourgeoisie in the streets and at the barricades,  one day when the workers recognise their class consciousness. And all that bullshine.

[Borchester]

Well, Christmas is rapidly approaching, and what does everyone have planned?

I guess we fall into two camps, the religious and the non-religious. The religious ones will invest great spiritual significance in it all, whilst the rest of us mostly just celebrate it because we always have done and it's a kind of tradition and everyone else is doing it anyway.

I personally am going around to my mum's on Christmas day. We kind of have a tacit aggreement by which I buy the turkey and she cooks it. Both she and I live alone, so it makes sense for me to go there. Then in the evening am driving my car home before walking to bruv's for a few drinks.

Bit quiet actually. Usually we end up in Cardiff for a few days and like John, catch the grandkids at various concerts. But that has died down a bit since they became teenagers. My daughter is an ex branch secretary of Edinburgh University's Socialist Worker Party and as such threw the most traditional Christmas celebration you ever saw. She even had a doll called Rosa Luxemburg she stuck on the top of the Christmas tree in lieu of a fairy. But as said, it is not a lot of fun without a bunch of pre teens running around like hooligans.

So, midnight mass, church, dinner, a few drinks with friends. As said, quiet but fun. The plus is that because most of us are creaking on a bit and can't really manage a lot of tear arsing around, the celebrations tend to be a bit spread out over a week or so rather than a mass bash on Christmas Day.

[srb7677]

Well, Christmas is rapidly approaching, and what does everyone have planned?

I guess we fall into two camps, the religious and the non-religious. The religious ones will invest great spiritual significance in it all, whilst the rest of us mostly just celebrate it because we always have done and it's a kind of tradition and everyone else is doing it anyway. 

I personally am going around to my mum's on Christmas day. We kind of have a tacit aggreement by which I buy the turkey and she cooks it. Both she and I live alone, so it makes sense for me to go there. Then in the evening am driving my car home before walking to bruv's for a few drinks.

[srb7677]

 Serves you right filling the forms in for reporting such a trifling incident.

If I hadn't, the customer who witnessed it and commented on it and who was heading into the store might have reported it, which would have resulted in me getting a bollocking for not reporting it myself. Just covering my own ass, basically.

[srb7677]

You have obviously never been a centre forward for the bin dippers . The correct course of action was to go down as if shot by a sniper and scream like a stuck pig . Hold the back of your neck while rolling around the car park a pull a few trollies on top of yourself for good luck before feigning unconsciousness .


All things being equal that would have got you 3 months off on the sick and about £10K compo  

[johnofgwent]

My grand daughter getting stuck in to her solo for the combined church choir ....

There is a video but I think it's in Welsh. 

[Good old]

srb, you haven't really read the room. This is a light hearted thread, or at least, it was.
Now, do I have to tell you the ins and outs of the road traffic act which sat "technically" it is not even a Road Traffic Accident? For goodness sake. Serves you right filling the forms in for reporting such a trifling incident.

Understand your point about ,light hearted. But I haven't seen a copper in my neck of this police state for months.
And once on the occasion of me being educated not to speed I was reliably told by my instructing  police officer that . The most traffic accidents happen not on the road, but  in car parks. Just saying, Happy Christmas, all . .

[Streetwalker]

11 days until Christmas and the wearing of masks in our stores is supposedly mandatory but no one is enforcing it so that in effect people are free to please themselves in practice. As usual half the pensioners plus a few younger people too seem to think as always that a mask is actually a chin strap, and wear it with their noses utterly uncovered, which is about as effective as tying it to a flagpole and waving it in the air as a signal of intent. These idiots might as well not be bothering. And of course no one is enforcing this either.

Those who claim such rules are the beginnings of a fascist state need to get to grips with the fact that if it is akin to anything of that sort - and that is surely stretching it anyway - it is a bit like a police state with no frigging police!!! And none of the anti-libertarian laws being enforced at all.

And my store car park at this time of year is frequently a source of wonder as to how many people who cannot drive nevertheless must at some point have passed a driving test. Cars reversing into each other, constant near misses, parking disasters galore, horns beeping. I was out in the car park for a time pushing trolleys whilst the trolley boy was on a break, during the course of which some daft old bat reversed into me. Not my car, not my trolleys but physically into me. She then gave me a dirty look in her wing mirror as if it was my fault for being there and then drove off. My manager told me i should have gotten her number plate because technically that is a hit and run, and although I was unharmed, what if it had been a child?

Anyway, though entirely unharmed I was made to spend 30 minutes filling out forms in regards to this incident just so my store's back is covered I suppose. In a way since no harm was done I am slightly relieved that I didn't think to take her number plate. Had I done so, my store would have contacted the police and I would have had to give witness statements and all sorts to them, with the possibility of being asked to attend court at some later date to give evidence. OMFG I could so do without having to deal with shit like that.

You have obviously never been a centre forward for the bin dippers . The correct course of action was to go down as if shot by a sniper and scream like a stuck pig . Hold the back of your neck while rolling around the car park a pull a few trollies on top of yourself for good luck before feigning unconsciousness .


All things being equal that would have got you 3 months off on the sick and about £10K compo   

[Barry]

srb, you haven't really read the room. This is a light hearted thread, or at least, it was.
Now, do I have to tell you the ins and outs of the road traffic act which sat "technically" it is not even a Road Traffic Accident? For goodness sake. Serves you right filling the forms in for reporting such a trifling incident.

[srb7677]

11 days until Christmas and the wearing of masks in our stores is supposedly mandatory but no one is enforcing it so that in effect people are free to please themselves in practice. As usual half the pensioners plus a few younger people too seem to think as always that a mask is actually a chin strap, and wear it with their noses utterly uncovered, which is about as effective as tying it to a flagpole and waving it in the air as a signal of intent. These idiots might as well not be bothering. And of course no one is enforcing this either.

Those who claim such rules are the beginnings of a fascist state need to get to grips with the fact that if it is akin to anything of that sort - and that is surely stretching it anyway - it is a bit like a police state with no frigging police!!! And none of the anti-libertarian laws being enforced at all.

And my store car park at this time of year is frequently a source of wonder as to how many people who cannot drive nevertheless must at some point have passed a driving test. Cars reversing into each other, constant near misses, parking disasters galore, horns beeping. I was out in the car park for a time pushing trolleys whilst the trolley boy was on a break, during the course of which some daft old bat reversed into me. Not my car, not my trolleys but physically into me. She then gave me a dirty look in her wing mirror as if it was my fault for being there and then drove off. My manager told me i should have gotten her number plate because technically that is a hit and run, and although I was unharmed, what if it had been a child?

Anyway, though entirely unharmed I was made to spend 30 minutes filling out forms in regards to this incident just so my store's back is covered I suppose. In a way since no harm was done I am slightly relieved that I didn't think to take her number plate. Had I done so, my store would have contacted the police and I would have had to give witness statements and all sorts to them, with the possibility of being asked to attend court at some later date to give evidence. OMFG I could so do without having to deal with shit like that.