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Tim Watts[_2_]

wrote:

On Sat, 17 Dec 2011 13:55:30 +0000, Tim Watts
wrote:

Happy Winter Solstice (that's on the 22nd Dec this year, BTW) :-

That's my xmas too.
Bugger this religious nonsense.

I was going to use the more specific name of Yule(tide) but that's been
subverted...

I don't mind Xmas as a religious festival for those who care, but when a
large number of people have it in the guise of a eat+drink+bemerry festival,
you might as well call a spade a spade.

It's mostly the vomit-inducing commercialism and the "expectations" that
**** me off on either camp.

We're going back to basics here - about as far as possible without totally
offending family (such as it is).

Tree - tick, OK - the kids did it up and it looks pretty. It's plastic so no
buggering about involved.

Cards - well, OK, need a few, but we printed a few that daughter drew
herself (sorry Hallmark).

Pressies - strict instructions that all I want to see personally is some
choccies, or nothing. Need our money to fix the house. Kids will get one
pressie each that is actually proper fun/useful.

Food - no problem with a feast once in a while. We usually cook a good
quality chicken or duck as it's enough for a good meal and tastes better
than a fat-arsed dried to death took 19 hours to cook turkey. And some
cheese, nibbles and beer for odd visitors. Not much extra on a normal shop.

TV - bugger that. Looked on the Topfield PVR for the next week's worth of
films. All repeats AFAICS. Even the cinemas have sod all worth watching.

Did pick up a game of Monopoly (some habits die hard). Got the Spongebob
version. Same rules, more appealing for the kids. I play Squidward of course
(who else?). Very surprised that my 6 year old son was even into it, for a
whole hour before he "resigned". I thought that would last 5 minutes.
Daughter (8) was marked down as a Donald Trump as she bought everything in
sight and mullered the missus

So that's the pastimes sorted. Have pack of
cards as backup.

I'm actually enjoying this winter break (or I will when I finish working) as
expectations and obligations have been run into the ground, so we might
actually have a bit of fun while everyone else is googling online divorce
services ;-

--
Tim Watts