Half the world is entering lock-downs again, so I've come around to Shelf's idea of celebrating the holiday season for longer and I think in a more indulgent way.
So what are your plans for the December/New years?
Me just keeping it to the immediate family and sticking with the lock-down restrictions whatever those are at the time.
Food and drink-wise I'm thinking of starting early, perhaps 1st December, so spreading the rich food out a bit rather than concentrating it into a handful of days. :bowler:
I will go eat in the hotels.
Quote from: mongers on November 15, 2020, 08:14:50 PM
Food and drink-wise I'm thinking of starting early, perhaps 1st December, so spreading the rich food out a bit rather than concentrating it into a handful of days. :bowler:
Gorge yourself for a month instead of a couple days, that sounds way healthier. :wacko:
A constant stream of warmed mince pies and mulled booze. Appropriately festive scented candles.
Christmas tree(s) throughout the season. Decorations up early.
Multi-blankets.
Christmas movies and music on the regular (may have already started this :ph34r:).
I'll be going to family and I'm actually thinking of travelling to the south-west early, self-isolating in a cottage or something for a couple of weeks beforehand and then going in (just because of certain vulnerable family members). Even the alternative of getting in a car all the way door-to-door seems potentially risky given I'll be mixing two very different (if low spread) areas of the country.
Many blankets :)
And when the festive yuletide season comes around, you harken back to the old traditions, pull various blankets out of the ancient Christmas chest, and sleep under them? :unsure:
My kids & SO put all the decorations on Saturday afternoon.
Now to the gift buying!
There was I found some port in the house. :bowler:
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 15, 2020, 10:16:59 PM
And when the festive yuletide season comes around, you harken back to the old traditions, pull various blankets out of the ancient Christmas chest, and sleep under them? :unsure:
I have many blankets and when it gets to winter - especially Christmas - crack out the blankets and stay warm :)
Man hell hath no fury like a waitrose customer leaving a product review for a substandard Xmas item; take that Green and Blacks for selling a defective Xmas chocolates advent calendar.
:bowler:
Quote from: mongers on November 16, 2020, 07:28:57 PM
There was I found some port in the house. :bowler:
:thumbsup:
Vintage?
I intend to have port, champagne and cakes for the
réveillons i.e Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Quote from: Sheilbh on November 16, 2020, 07:33:53 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 15, 2020, 10:16:59 PM
And when the festive yuletide season comes around, you harken back to the old traditions, pull various blankets out of the ancient Christmas chest, and sleep under them? :unsure:
I have many blankets and when it gets to winter - especially Christmas - crack out the blankets and stay warm :)
If I have to do more than a jumper I feel like heating and insulation are failingn me and I get annoyed, which probably doesn't help with the heating bill, not with the outer walls having cardboard-like insulation properties.
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on November 17, 2020, 06:40:09 AM
Quote from: mongers on November 16, 2020, 07:28:57 PM
There was I found some port in the house. :bowler:
:thumbsup:
Vintage?
I intend to have port, champagne and cakes for the réveillons i.e Christmas and New Year's Eve.
No just some bog standard Taylor's special reserve stuff.
Duque, seems you've got your priorities right for the holidays. :cheers:
Quote from: Tamas on November 17, 2020, 07:38:34 AM
If I have to do more than a jumper I feel like heating and insulation are failingn me and I get annoyed, which probably doesn't help with the heating bill, not with the outer walls having cardboard-like insulation properties.
Yeah I grew up with very limited to poor central heating (in Scotland) so have always had that "if it's cold put another layer on" view. But in my flat the heating is on the blink, but I actually like just being wrapped up in lots of layers and blankets and winter. It somehow feels more cosy/wintery than just having reasonable ambient heat. So I don't really have the heating on full whack even in winter.
And yes British properties are horrendously insulated/glazed for energy efficiency :bleeding:
I'm used to seeing most of my family during Christmas. Some are just too far away, or have scheduling conflicts they can't resolve, but I still see most of them between Christmas and the New Year.
On my mother's side, I haven't seen my family for a year. Christmas was the last time I saw them. I was sick for the New Year's dinner so I stayed home. I was sick at my birthday so I stayed home. I was supposed to see them mid march for my cousin's son birthday... Fucking Chinese.
On my dad's side at least, I saw some of them. One my cousin from Montreal dropped by in June after taking a vacation in the eastern part of the province, we had a lot of fun, especially with the kids :) Her dad dropped by a week later too, and I met some of my uncles and aunts in Quebec city, in a restaurant, before the mask mandate, in the brief period where gatherings were permitted.
Still, I can't see my cousins, I can't see my extended family in Ontario, I can't see the ones I'm closest with for a while longer. :(
I think I'll have to 'lay the law down' for the extended family, to ignore the Johnson Xmas truce and continue with a stricter regime; otherwise I think I'll have to wash my hands of the situation.
It will probably be me, my parents and sister+husband and kids. My gf is still debating whether or not to go see her family in the US, it's a tricky one.
I usually spend Christmas Eve with friends' family, but I will skip this year for sure.
Glögg.
Quote from: Maladict on November 26, 2020, 06:08:33 AM
It will probably be me, my parents and sister+husband and kids. My gf is still debating whether or not to go see her family in the US, it's a tricky one.
For me and my wife there were two considerations: age of family members to visit, and implications of local restrictions.
I was already very hesitant to potentially expose my aging parents and elderly grandmother, but I considered perhaps properly isolating myself from them for the first few days and doing it that way.
But then Hungary decided to basically forcibly quarantine people in hospital if they deem them a risk upon their border crossing, so risking that happening to my non-Hungarian speaking wife was right out.
Quote from: Tamas on November 26, 2020, 06:26:30 AM
Quote from: Maladict on November 26, 2020, 06:08:33 AM
It will probably be me, my parents and sister+husband and kids. My gf is still debating whether or not to go see her family in the US, it's a tricky one.
For me and my wife there were two considerations: age of family members to visit, and implications of local restrictions.
I was already very hesitant to potentially expose my aging parents and elderly grandmother, but I considered perhaps properly isolating myself from them for the first few days and doing it that way.
But then Hungary decided to basically forcibly quarantine people in hospital if they deem them a risk upon their border crossing, so risking that happening to my non-Hungarian speaking wife was right out.
My parents have been out and about this whole year, not being stupid or contrarian but definitely taking more risks than I have. Most of my friends have been noticing the same difference with their parents, must be a generational thing. But my parents will be having people over for dinner at Christmas, if not me then someone else.
Older people have had longer to accept that death is a part of life. In many cases, a welcome one.
My parents have not required me nagging them, thankfully. Christmas will just be me and my immediate family (us, mom and dad plus my sisters). That's my risk tolerance.
Very little. We'll get each other some small things and donate more to Toys for Tots I guess. Maybe some Zoom calls with family.
Merry Xmas you sad bunch of old tossers. :cheers:
I don't have the usual plans of having dinner with family and relatives. Most are staying within their own family group except that grandparents might visit to see grand kids but keep their distance and no family dinners. We've all been talking on the phone and texting good wishes and sad that we aren't getting together. Saying we're looking forward to a return to normalcy next year.
I was going to cook something or buy a take out meal but I had cooked a big batch of chicken soup earlier in the week so I'll be having that. Going to the market tomorrow early during senior hours and will buy a ham or instead burger for meat loaf, something like that.
Quote from: KRonn on December 25, 2020, 03:19:29 PM
I don't have the usual plans of having dinner with family and relatives. Most are staying within their own family group except that grandparents might visit to see grand kids but keep their distance and no family dinners. We've all been talking on the phone and texting good wishes and sad that we aren't getting together. Saying we're looking forward to a return to normalcy next year.
I was going to cook something or buy a take out meal but I had cooked a big batch of chicken soup earlier in the week so I'll be having that. Going to the market tomorrow early during senior hours and will buy a ham or instead burger for meat loaf, something like that.
Hey, KRonn good to hear from you, glad you dug ourself out of the latest pile of snow, have a Merry Christmas and New Years. :cheers:
Drove home and hung out with parents, gf, and aunt. Lots of food. Weird and different to normal but felt long and I'm shattered.
I'm not sure I will even make midnight on new year
We invited a single mom and her daughter that we're long-time friends with (and not in some act of charity - she's a Provost at the U of Alberta). They came over on Christmas Eve and Christmas morn, we're on a pause now while kids play with toys, then we're heading to their house for Christmas dinner. Also lots of FaceTime calls with extended family.
It's been nice. :)
Quote from: mongers on December 25, 2020, 03:32:40 PM
Quote from: KRonn on December 25, 2020, 03:19:29 PM
I don't have the usual plans of having dinner with family and relatives. Most are staying within their own family group except that grandparents might visit to see grand kids but keep their distance and no family dinners. We've all been talking on the phone and texting good wishes and sad that we aren't getting together. Saying we're looking forward to a return to normalcy next year.
I was going to cook something or buy a take out meal but I had cooked a big batch of chicken soup earlier in the week so I'll be having that. Going to the market tomorrow early during senior hours and will buy a ham or instead burger for meat loaf, something like that.
Hey, KRonn good to hear from you, glad you dug ourself out of the latest pile of snow, have a Merry Christmas and New Years. :cheers:
Hehe, we did have a big snowstorm last week, about a foot and a half, or half a meter. But it's been warm and raining hard since last night so most snow is gone now.
Merry Christmas and a great year in the new year for you also! :) Let's hope for a lot less Covid worries and return to more normalcy sooner than later in 2021.
Merry belated Christmas everyone!
:)
L.
Quote from: Barrister on December 25, 2020, 04:06:41 PM
We invited a single mom and her daughter that we're long-time friends with (and not in some act of charity - she's a Provost at the U of Alberta). They came over on Christmas Eve and Christmas morn, we're on a pause now while kids play with toys, then we're heading to their house for Christmas dinner. Also lots of FaceTime calls with extended family.
It's been nice. :)
Sounds like a nice time. A small group with someone new too. The FaceTime calls are a good and fun way to connect with family. I spent more time texting and talking on the phone with people. It's like we all make more effort to talk and connect given the times.
We made a few million cookies and dropped them off with gifts early Thursday.
We are glad we didn't lose power. Weird, all that snow gone in a few hours. Now today all that rain is dried up too. A sudden thirty degree temp drop will work wonders I guess.
Hey, all. Sorry I'm late to the party. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas/Yule/Hannukah/Kwanzaa. :)
I spent Christmas Eve with my housemates, participating in a Wigilia Feast. It was a really delightful ritual meal. Christmas morning, I drove down to see Erik and spend the morning with him... and his ex-wife and two children. (Awkward, you say? Why yes, yes it was.) Left there around lunch time, spent the day playing cribbage, opening presents, and making pork chops for dinner. Then relaxed and hung out. I came home the next day around 5pm. It was nice. Quiet.
Oh. The obligatory "what'd you get?"
I received:
Silicone pastry mat
Silicone baking mat
Ceramic beads
Thermal underwear (welcome back to the Midwest, my girl!)
Food dehydrator
Fleece jacket
Chocolates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWrF7ZihFk0
Times Square deserted.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 31, 2020, 11:15:24 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWrF7ZihFk0
Times Square deserted.
One the bright side people were spared the self-inflicted humiliation of putting on diapers to stand in a giant crowd for 8 hours.
Arc de Triomphe/Champs-Élysées area nearly empty as well, with only cops to enforce the curfew.
https://actu.orange.fr/societe/videos/couvre-feu-les-champs-elysees-desertes-pour-la-nuit-du-nouvel-an-CNT000001vYOAs.html (https://actu.orange.fr/societe/videos/couvre-feu-les-champs-elysees-desertes-pour-la-nuit-du-nouvel-an-CNT000001vYOAs.html)
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on January 01, 2021, 07:48:36 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 31, 2020, 11:15:24 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWrF7ZihFk0
Times Square deserted.
One the bright side people were spared the self-inflicted humiliation of putting on diapers to stand in a giant crowd for 8 hours.
Is that what they really do? I always wondered how people take care of business in that crowd.
Quote from: DGuller on January 01, 2021, 12:09:16 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on January 01, 2021, 07:48:36 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 31, 2020, 11:15:24 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWrF7ZihFk0
Times Square deserted.
One the bright side people were spared the self-inflicted humiliation of putting on diapers to stand in a giant crowd for 8 hours.
Is that what they really do? I always wondered how people take care of business in that crowd.
As I understand it once you are in there you can't leave. So they wear diapars and are packed in like sardines.
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on January 01, 2021, 07:55:25 AM
Arc de Triomphe/Champs-Élysées area nearly empty as well, with only cops to enforce the curfew.
https://actu.orange.fr/societe/videos/couvre-feu-les-champs-elysees-desertes-pour-la-nuit-du-nouvel-an-CNT000001vYOAs.html (https://actu.orange.fr/societe/videos/couvre-feu-les-champs-elysees-desertes-pour-la-nuit-du-nouvel-an-CNT000001vYOAs.html)
No light show this year?
Nope, only street Holiday season decorations.
Vienna's inner city is normally a party path with music stages, DJs and 500k-1M people (mostly tourists). None of that this year (and also none of the dozens of Christmas markets that normally dot the city).
Well, that's the Christmas decorations down and away for another year.
Now the only bits of evidence left that Christmas graced this house in 2020/21 are the six Turkey Tikka Masalas in the freezer...