Ship of Fools: IT'S CHRIStMASSSS!

Thread: IT'S CHRIStMASSSS! Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it's still November, isn't it? I know the shops have to start getting ready, and I confess that I've done most of my present buying already (the first present being bought on holiday in June), but last night we saw 4 houses with lights and decorations in the windows.
We may be ruddy duddies, but we don't put our tree up till Christmas week, but it stays up till 12th night. And I insist that carol singers sing at least one verse of a proper carol before paying them, which is why, a couple of years ago, we had three consecutive groups of youngsters singing "while shepherds watched"!

Posted by HCH (# 14313) on :

I suppose many people would rather decorate the outsides of their homes earlier rather than later due to the threat of inclement weather.

In the United States, many retailers seem to organize their retailing schedules around major holidays. We do have Thanksgiving between
Halloween and Christmas, but they usually ignore it (save for food stores).

(I have been to Wales, last spring, and I would probably enjoy visiting there at Christmas.)

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

I drove past a church last Sunday (Baptist) that had a Christmas wreath hanging on the door.
[Help]

Posted by Hedgehog (# 14125) on :

Although I live alone now (well, with my cat--but you know what I meant), I take my inherited family Christmas traditions very seriously. It is absolutely forbidden to put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving (a USA-based rule, obviously). But those decorations do NOT include the tree, which is always decorated by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. And, yes, the tree must stay decorated with lights lit every night until at least January 6--although there is no prohibition in letting it stay up longer if you desire.

The manger Nativity scene is set up on a convenient sideboard, but the Baby Jesus is not put in it until Christmas Day.

Sadly, I rarely get carol singers, although there is always assorted Christmas candy (peppermint bark, ribbon candy, assorted hard candies etc.) near the front door Just In Case.

And, of course, the stockings (for the cat and I) are hung by the chimney with care. Quite A Lot of care if the fire happens to be going.

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

We had our first local radio station change over to 24/7 Christmas format two weeks ago. The second started this week. A third has started running advertisements making fun of the early jumpers, which I think is totally appropriate.

We were looking forward to the release of a bad Christmas movie that was filmed in our neighborhood last winter, which has apparently been called "Heaven Sent." Unfortunately, despite the assurances of an obnoxiously self-important production crew member we asked, they apparently couldn't get it released in theaters. IMDB has updated the theatrical release date to 2016, but something tells me it will get its debut in Wal-Mart discount DVD bins next September.

Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :

Heaven Sent. Looks like the director has watched too many episodes of "Highway to Heaven". Oh, look, that was daddy!

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

My local supermarket has an outdoor area which is used throughout much of the year for selling plants or special items. On Monday as I passed by, cheery Christmas carols were blaring out and an embarrassed looking employee standing by a stack of boxes of artificial Christmas trees.

They aren't the first to start marking the season. I arrived at a different supermarket 2 weeks ago to find an enormous Christmas tree in the entrance hall, opposite a stack of reduced-price Halloween items and a British Legion stall selling poppies in advance of Remembrance Day.

Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :

The supermarket I usually use here was playing Christmas music when I was in there on Tuesday. But, Christmas is a big thing in Japan ... but, it's not Christmas like we know it.

Though, of course, I'll be home for Christmas with my children and family.

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :

I am planning to wheel the recycling bin down to my letterbox so that the junk mail can be dealt with more smoothly. There is heaps of it. I must get a sign to put on my letterbox as the people who deliver actually do take notice.

At this time of year just turning my hearing aids off when I go into the mall isn't enough - I need earplugs. I loathe hearing Christmas songs and carols this early.

I must look out my copy of Carol Our Christmas which is a CD of NZ Christmas carols so I have it ready for the season.

As today is 'Stir Up Sunday' I'm planning which cakes to make.

Huia

Posted by Wild Organist (# 12631) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
The supermarket I usually use here was playing Christmas music when I was in there on Tuesday. But, Christmas is a big thing in Japan ... but, it's not Christmas like we know it.

I was intrigued by this, so I did a little googling and came up with this: http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/japan.shtml & this: http://japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp/en/1112_christmas.html which, as your starter for 10, is probably ok. I think I'd flounder a lot.

Still, it's better than moaning. Someone sent me a picture of a cross Santa with the caption "there's 12 days of Christmas, and none of them is in [omitted] November" which I agree with. Why do supermarkets sell mince pies with a best before date of before hallowe'en?
Hope you have a good Christmas - when it comes - Alan.

Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :

I think the best bit is the fried chicken Christmas dinner. Which must be the result of one of the worlds most successful advertising campaign. No where else would you need to book a table at KFC months in advance. I don't intend to ever experience a Japanese Christmas, being with my children is too important to me.

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :

A local hotel is currently advertising its New Year celebrations...... [Help]

Posted by Pine Marten (# 11068) on :

Being in London the supermarkets etc round here have had decorations and trees up for a few weeks, and are probably still selling hot cross buns.

What irritates me now is why they are called Christmas wreaths and not Advent wreaths, which is what I've always called them. Next week, being the start of Advent, I shall hang an Advent wreath on the front door.

Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :

Having heard "Fairytale of New York" for the first time this festive season today, this sounds like the ideal moment to say

"Merry Christmas yer arse!"

AG

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
A local hotel is currently advertising its New Year celebrations......

I.

It seems to me that when I’ve visited England in the middle of the summer that some hotels and pubs have been urging businesses to book their Christmas parties, and New Year is only a week later.

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

Most of the family birthdays fall at this time of year, and it's hard to get suitable cards. This year, the reduction in choice has worked back to the one in October.

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :

We went to the mall last week and the Christmas theme was fairly bloody obvious! Under 20% of the population here are Christian but that doesn't deter the marketing people!

Posted by cattyish (# 7829) on :

We started rehearsing the carols in October. I unfortunately had to pull out due to lack of time. I've been making recycled Christmas cards with the children at church for weeks too. It's a way of getting them to sit down and tell me tales of school while pretending they're doing something practical. Many of their cards are more glue and tape than good cheer, though there are gorgeous exceptions.

Mr C and I have no idea what to do for Christmas. It's probably going to be a quiet one at home; the in-laws are otherwise occupied and my Dad is reasonably far away for the most part so getting there and back in winter weather can be tricky on Christmas day; one year I tried and failed and nearly got stuck in Inverness. I'm almost tempted to work it.

Meanwhile, my early Christmas present is a microphone. Apparently Mr C took far too seriously my vague intention to record some amateur tracks of me and my Dad singing our favourite songs for posterity and possibly for my Grannie. It looks as if I'll now need to get something down for Christmas since he gave me the thing early so I could get on that.

Cattyish, wondering what to sing for Grannie's daft Christmas pressie.

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

Did she sing with you when you were tiny? Nursery rhymes etc.

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

I'm happy enough to start rehearsing for the carol service more-or-less as soon as we start back after the summer, especially if we're doing anything new or elaborate; we've had a carol written for us this year, and probably need all the rehearsal we can get, especially as the choir missed three rehearsals while we were away.

As for decorations, the Advent candle-bridges will go up in the windows next weekend; the tree and the rest of the stuff will usually wait until after D's birthday, which is on 10th December. The main decorations will come down on Twelfth Night, and the candle-bridges after Candlemas.

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :

I had to google candle bridges to find out what they are...don't think these are common at all in Oz, but then it is the height of summer here, with fire restrictions abounding, so putting candles in windows is not the done thing. May become different now there are so many safer artificial versions.

But I must say, I like candle bridges! Is there a tradition behind them, or are they just a symbol of the journey from Advent to Christmas?

Posted by Galilit (# 16470) on :

Looks to me like an appropriation of the Jewish Hhanukka candelabra...

Posted by cliffdweller (# 13338) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Pine Marten:

What irritates me now is why they are called Christmas wreaths and not Advent wreaths, which is what I've always called them. Next week, being the start of Advent, I shall hang an Advent wreath on the front door.

An advent wreath on the door??? Round here an advent wreath means something like this which can't be hung on a door, but is set on the table with the candles lit over the four Sundays of advent (beginning this Sunday).

Then there's advent calendars which usually entail 25 of something-- envelopes, boxes, etc.-- that are opened one each day from 12/1 thru 12/25. Which is how some enterprising soul came up with this.

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

quote:
Originally posted by cliffdweller:
Then there's advent calendars which usually entail 25 of something-- envelopes, boxes, etc.-- that are opened one each day from 12/1 thru 12/25. Which is how some enterprising soul came up with this.

That would have been good for last year's SOF Badvent Calendar Contest.

Some store I was in the other day had "Holiday Calendars" rather than Advent Calendars.
[Disappointed]

Posted by Timothy the Obscure (# 292) on :

My wife put on Sting's Christmas album tonight. I bit my tongue.

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :

True forbearance Timothy. [Overused]

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :

I insist on playing Bob Dylan's Christmas album at least once every year, usually while we're trimming the tree. My family know not to say anything.

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

The Best CD Of All Time™ - Praetorius' Christmas Mass sung by the Gabrieli Consort - will come into season chez Piglet from next Sunday, and will be played whenever I'm producing culinary pressies (and probably while we open our own after church on Christmas Day).

[Yipee]

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :

It must be the Christmas season, as my local Halal butcher has his decorations up.

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Banner Lady:
... with fire restrictions abounding, so putting candles in windows is not the done thing. May become different now there are so many safer artificial versions.

But I must say, I like candle bridges! Is there a tradition behind them, or are they just a symbol of the journey from Advent to Christmas?

I've never seen "real" ones - they've always been electric. We first came across them in Iceland, 20 years ago, where they seemed to be in every window in every house, and we thought how nice they looked. Shortly afterwards, they became available in the UK, and we had one in the front window. We had our front windows here replaced a few years ago, and I'm gradually investing in a bridge for each window.

I don't really know the significance, except for the idea of going from darkness to light. Possibly something to do with the festival of St. Lucy, which is celebrated on 13th December with light festivals (and tree-lighting) in some Northerly Parts?

Or this may explain a bit.

Posted by Hedgehog (# 14125) on :

My family always had electric candles in the windows for Christmas (laboriously going around to each window to plug them in at night--why we didn't invest in timers I'll never know). But those weren't candle bridges as such, just single candles.

Along the same lines, I have obtained, for my own house, some German Christmas pyramids which do still use real candles (whose heat makes the carousel spin around). There are electric versions, but I still use the candles--carefully.

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Hedgehog:
My family always had electric candles in the windows for Christmas (laboriously going around to each window to plug them in at night--why we didn't invest in timers I'll never know).

My electric candles have built-in light sensors. They go on when it gets dark and go off when it gets light.

One thing I really appreciate about them is that it only takes twenty minutes to put them all in place and to take them down after Christmas.

They look lovely.

Moo

Posted by Pine Marten (# 11068) on :

quote:
Originally posted by cliffdweller:

quote:
Originally posted by Pine Marten:

What irritates me now is why they are called Christmas wreaths and not Advent wreaths, which is what I've always called them. Next week, being the start of Advent, I shall hang an Advent wreath on the front door.
An advent wreath on the door??? Round here an advent wreath means something like this which can't be hung on a door, but is set on the table with the candles lit over the four Sundays of advent (beginning this Sunday).

Oh yes, we have those too, of course. But I have always called the thing you hang on the door an Advent wreath, and nobody has ever said different. What do other people call them then??

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :

I was in Walmart last night (buying a refill card for my phone). The store was amazingly empty, even the grocery part, although the grocery store across the road was somewhat crowded with shoppers for Thanksgiving foods.

Walmart was empty in another way - huge wide and long empty aisles. I don't know where thy put all the usual stuff but they must be moving in pallet loads of stuff for Thursday and Friday. I saw a line of big trucks pulling in as I left for the grocery store.

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Hedgehog:
I have obtained, for my own house, some German Christmas pyramids which do still use real candles (whose heat makes the carousel spin around).

I've never gotten mine to work. If the candles are tall enough for the heat to reach the blades the wood scorches, if shorter the heat isn't enough to make it turn. Maybe I got a "lemon" although I bought it in Germany decades ago. Or it needs a specific kind of candle?

I also have a Swedish one in metal, it works fine with any candles.

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

Our first Christmas card - from my cousin - arrived this morning.

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Belle Ringer:

quote:
Originally posted by Hedgehog:
I have obtained, for my own house, some German Christmas pyramids which do still use real candles (whose heat makes the carousel spin around).
I've never gotten mine to work. If the candles are tall enough for the heat to reach the blades the wood scorches, if shorter the heat isn't enough to make it turn. Maybe I got a "lemon" although I bought it in Germany decades ago. Or it needs a specific kind of candle?

I also have a Swedish one in metal, it works fine with any candles.

Try putting wax (not burning) on the places which bear the turning bits. Can't really describe what I mean clearly here, without seeing exactly how it is constructed. The metal angel chimes have sort of inverted cups which rest on points which allow them to move. The equivalents in wood may need some sort of lubrication.

Posted by Hedgehog (# 14125) on :

I do have one very small one that is a bit fussy about where it is on the pivot point. Even a little off to one side increases the friction too much--it has to be right in the middle.

I just started a new one that is about a foot high and it is turning happily. You do need to match the right sort of candle with the pyramid. The candles (4 of them) are about a half inch in diameter and 3 inches tall. That is more than sufficient to send it spinning quite briskly--fast enough not to let the blades singe.

Posted by cliffdweller (# 13338) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Pine Marten:

quote:
Originally posted by cliffdweller:

quote:
Originally posted by Pine Marten:

What irritates me now is why they are called Christmas wreaths and not Advent wreaths, which is what I've always called them. Next week, being the start of Advent, I shall hang an Advent wreath on the front door.
An advent wreath on the door??? Round here an advent wreath means something like this which can't be hung on a door, but is set on the table with the candles lit over the four Sundays of advent (beginning this Sunday).
Oh yes, we have those too, of course. But I have always called the thing you hang on the door an Advent wreath, and nobody has ever said different. What do other people call them then??

I just call it a wreath, or possibly a Christmas (or Christmass-y) wreath-- thus engaging your wrath. Because for me an advent wreath is the one with the candles which we use with our weekly family readings and devotionals throughout advent.

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

My neighbour has put her wreath out today. And there are outside lights on up the road.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

A thatched cottage near where I work had their Christmas decorations up at the start of last week. I'll be putting my own tree up tomorrow and the office decorations will probably go up on Monday. We already have an Advent calendar and I drew a sprig of holly in red and green on our noticeboard.

Incidentally, our local council is offering "festive parking" during the season. Your speculations are invited as to what that might involve.

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

I just went to a Christmas market in church. It was nice.

The lady who sells the boiled wine (how do you call that?) already declared me her best costumer [Smile]

[ 28. November 2015, 17:13: Message edited by: LeRoc ]

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Mulled wine, if it's the hot sort with spices. It's not supposed to actually be boiled, just heated to near boiling temperature. If it's a German market it will be Glühwein.

I need to catch up on Christmas markets. I may not get time but quite fancy an afternoon at the Bath one. Otherwise just Oxford I guess. Birmingham has got too big and crowded these days.

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

I changed the wallpaper on my computer to this -- more appropriate for Advent 4, but it will stay until the 24th.
[Smile]

Posted by rolyn (# 16840) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:

The lady who sells the boiled wine (how do you call that?) already declared me her best costumer

Was that because you were the politest or cos you bought more than anyone else [Razz]

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