This has really engaged people.

As we do not celebrate Christmas our club [from when I was a teenager] used to spend Christmas eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day at the local hospital - some ran the hospital radio service [as they did every Sunday], and the rest did whatever was needed to make it a joyful occasion for patients, and to help the nursing staff wherever possible.

I do not know if this particular weekend has some sort of name, I just know that yesterday was Black Friday and Monday is now called Cyber Monday when people really start buying Christmas gifts and things online.

Whatever happened to the Christmases of years gone by?

Full Christmas happening here, me and hubby have been abroad for Christmas the last few years and this year we are staying home with our son and my daughter, her hubby and our three grandchildren are here from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day. Breakfast on Christmas Day will be selection box chocolate followed by something sensible

Hubby will cook the Christmas dinner, I will be responsible for cooking the sprouts, that's my only job as I do them with sesame seeds and garlic and they're beyond gorgeous yum yum - while he's happily in the kitchen cooking the dinner I plan on playing with lots of toys, doing some colouring in and stopping Marco from trying to attack and eat the afore mentioned toys

When they all go home on Boxing Day I'm going to bed for a week

I'm not really a fan of Xmas but we will be having a fairly normal day. Me the OH and my youngest son for dinner, his girlfriend is working xmas day and eldest son is working away. We will have turkey and all the usual veg but definitely no sprouts. It will be a bit odd because I haven't eaten meat since February, not for any ethical reasons just trying to be healthier since my stroke, so I won't be going overboard on any of the usual food items. Funnily enough I haven't missed any of the things I've dropped from my diet, not even chocolate, which I've found quite shocking.

We always have our meal Christmas Eve, probably has something to do with my mum being Polish, we'd always done it that way, so I sort of carried it on with Dave. This then means I never cook on Christmas Day, I can drink instead, which is always champagne, but now that there's just the two of us, and Dave has turned t-total I shall have to drink the whole bottle myself , tcht If I don't drink it all before lunchtime (and end up on the floor) we're off out for an Indian Meal cos it's a normal day for them, so prices remain the same, otherwise, they sting you for £80 odd quid for a Christmas Day lunch and I'm not paying that , but we have decided this year to go out somewhere for lunch. We've done it before in a big, posh hotel and paid the earth for a 5 or even a 7 course meal, but I wouldn't do it again, and it was only to get away from my parents and the rest of the family that we did it. I always celebrated Christmas Eve far too hard to want to be in a raucous crowd on Christmas Day, I like it quiet, so again, it's Christmas Eve that holds the magic more for me.

Christmas Day here has always been a buffet help yourself type of thing, with hot sausage rolls in the oven, mince pies, jacket spuds, cold meats etc. Boxing Day I always cook a big roast.

It's strange being over here now though cos all my pals are too far away for them to pop in Christmas morning and I really do miss that, but hey ho, I've got Dave and Zena, and maybe I'll get another invite into somebody's house for a quick 'arf!

They've gone My wife and I have been saying for a good many years now that it has all become too commercial. I don't have a problem with a few presents being exchanged within the family but nowadays it seems like everyone is competing with all their friends and neighbours to show how much they can spend, it's crazy, I'm not religious but it would be nice if people could just reflect on what the day is really all about and it sure ain't getting drunk, spending excessively, and sitting on front of the box like a vegetable.

What was the Christmas of years gone by.......was it the Christmas we read/see of films/books.
Or those of our childhood.........and will the children of today be saying the same thing Christmas is a feeling of all things good and wonderful.

KAZZ like the people who yearn for a return to the 'good old days'. What I say to them is - what you mean if they took your pension book away from you and shoved your grandson up a chimney to work?

Exactly......life sadly jades the majority of people in various ways I think loss/illness/money/work/stress.

And we hanker for the familiar/safe/fairystory.


However I adore Christmas will have my lights up and Tree. I like the spirit of Christmas - I ma not religious but like to volunteer my time where and when I can. As well as looking after those closest to me.
I also love finding quirky odd presents no one expects or thought they needed till I brought them It is the thought that counts.

As the old saying goes "give them the flowers now"