OV9

A few 'firsts' for us this Christmas day.

First Christmas with our baby boy. It's gonna be amazing!
First Christmas that we're hosting. We'd normally go to my parents or my brother's house.
First Christmas with a totally new (to me) member of the family; My wife's cousin is studying in Germany (sponsored by the Brazilian Government). The only family she has in Europe therefore is my wife, so she's staying with us over the Christmas break. I've spoken to her on Facetime, but never met her in person. That'll be different.

What are your plans, you horrible lot?

I'll be enjoying what I hope will be a few days without having stupid questions asked of me, although I expect that'll be a pipe dream.

Really not planned anything, but I'm likely to go over and see my brother, and nick some of his longer, more wobbly extension bars to get the passenger side headlight out and dry it out. Oh, and eat some of his food etc.

General tidy up of the house. Buy new chair for the house.

Otherwise no real plans I suppose. Xmas has proper crept up on me this year, particularly the last couple of months which have been proper bonkers.

We're going to the other half's sisters place as she has a much dining room - there'll be 12 including the kids. I'm cooking and can't wait. I love cooking the Christmas Lunch, no matter how much I complain

Boxing day will be more of the same with "Ham Egg and Chips" made from the left over Gammon and then all the usual left overs. I normally fry homemade chips but I'm still traumatised after burning my arm last Easter so it'll be Oven Chips this year.

Other than that, not much, I'll do a day's work at our Rental House that we're selling in Jan and I'm doing "Managing Successful Programs" exams in Jan so I'll probably come into the office for an afternoon or 2. Like a lot of these exams, the "Foundation" is the hard one as it's a memory test and there's shite loads of content. The Practitioner will be easier.

New years Even will be in the local "Working Men's Club" (Don't want to cause any offence - it's just what it's called. all genders are welcome... ).

I'm off from this afternoon until the 2nd so quite looking forward to the break. It's been a very busy year

Edit - probably try to fit in the new Star Wars film in there somewhere

Watching the new Star Wars movie with the kids on Xmas Eve, stay at home and do the traditional Xmas Day thing on Xmas Day, Boxing Day...well I’m dreading Boxing Day.

Boxing Day is the day we go to the mother-in-law’s for Xmas Day II. Usually in attendance are the mother-in-law and her partner, the mother-in-law’s sister, her partner and her 3 kids and their kids, and of course it guest stars my brother-in-law and, for the first time, his new girlfriend that we haven’t met because he hasn’t spoken to us in over a year. I’m about 90% certain it’ll kick off.

Quiet one for us, we’ve both managed to get the whole week off this year.

Meeting my sister and her kids for lunch on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day at our house with anyone who fancies coming over. A couple of quiet days then her birthday on Friday. Star Wars and dinner on Friday and a party on Saturday.

I sponge off the folks over Xmas period so I'll head up Xmas Eve to help with preparations for the big day, and do food prep on the day itself. My sis/nieces and uncle with his partner will be over too, so usually a very pleasant and easy day.
Boxing day means the wider family come over, more food, I'll play with all the kids to avoid the usual passive aggressive comments about me riding bikes and making "Legos" and not finding a good woman..

After that I'll go home and enjoy the peace and quiet until I go back to work, and try to figure some loose plans for next year. Going to be busy at work for at least half of it, and I have various silly ideas on vehicle changes, most of which I'll doubtless bottle.

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:25 am Watching the new Star Wars movie with the kids on Xmas Eve, stay at home and do the traditional Xmas Day thing on Xmas Day, Boxing Day...well I’m dreading Boxing Day.

Boxing Day is the day we go to the mother-in-law’s for Xmas Day II. Usually in attendance are the mother-in-law and her partner, the mother-in-law’s sister, her partner and her 3 kids and their kids, and of course it guest stars my brother-in-law and, for the first time, his new girlfriend that we haven’t met because he hasn’t spoken to us in over a year. I’m about 90% certain it’ll kick off.

Once again, thank God for Gun laws eh ??

Best of luck.

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:25 am Watching the new Star Wars movie with the kids on Xmas Eve, stay at home and do the traditional Xmas Day thing on Xmas Day, Boxing Day...well I’m dreading Boxing Day.

Boxing Day is the day we go to the mother-in-law’s for Xmas Day II. Usually in attendance are the mother-in-law and her partner, the mother-in-law’s sister, her partner and her 3 kids and their kids, and of course it guest stars my brother-in-law and, for the first time, his new girlfriend that we haven’t met because he hasn’t spoken to us in over a year. I’m about 90% certain it’ll kick off.

Hourly updates on the BIL please.

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:25 am I’m about 90% certain it’ll kick off.

You can't wait for accidents to happen Dave, you have to make them happen.

Dark though it is, I've always insisted that most of my family being dead or disowned really makes Christmas a lot less stressful

ZedLeg wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:33 am Christmas Day at our house with anyone who fancies coming over.

PM me your address...

You’d be more than welcome Dinny.

How does a vegan Christmas dinner with a bunch of communists sound?

At home Christmas morning, MiL’s for late lunch, my parents coming too. Stay over, then BiL’s for Boxing Day lunch. They have other commitments in the evening so we’ll be home by 7pm having got all the immediate family out the way in a bit over 24 hours. I can then enjoy the holiday

Gavster’s in NYC until the new year so I’ll catch up with him in Jan.

ZedLeg wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:38 am You’d be more than welcome Dinny.

How does a vegan Christmas dinner with a bunch of communists sound?

You must be fucking joking. I find that ethically offensive. You should know better.

I mean, vegan???

Not a million miles different than mine Zed...

999,999 miles different but not a million...

Seriously, have a good one..

I was going to be spending it with my sister and niece. But, a short notice job has come up, so instead I'm flying out to site on Monday and don't return until the 8th of January.
Never mind, it's only going to be 40°C...

I was supposed to be on an oil rig in the North Sea but as I’m super awesome got the work done quick sharp so I’m travelling home tonight

My punishment though is a 2 week job in Invergorden so I’ll be travelling up there on Boxing Day.

Will just enjoy time with the kids and wife, everyone else is busy as last year was a hectic one for us.

Dave!

Well I did have firm plans for Christmas but kicking off with the squits 12 hours before I’m due to travel could make things very, very unplanned and difficult to manage.

Working Monday and a half day xmas eve.
Star wars on Xmas eve evening, which I'm a bit Meh about, but we'll see if its as bad as the last one.
Second Christmas without my Dad so last year we all went to Mum's (my family and by brothers family) on Christmas day and had her and the in-laws to ours for Boxing day.
This year it was the turn for us to go to my in-laws for Christmas day (same for my brother) so as not to leave mum on her own we've decided to have both her and the in-laws to ours. Seems to be well accepted as my mum and my MIL have become a lot closer since my dad passed.
We will then go to my mums for Boxing day with my brother and his lot while the in-laws have a dad of chilling together.
Then enjoying some time off up until Jan 6th, up to Doncaster for NYE with our friends (first NYE off in 3 years as I turned down the disco this year).

Same tried and tested routine for me.

One day allocated to each (with interchangeable dates Each year):
- day drinking with mates
- Xmas at mums house
- Xmas at Dads house
- Xmas at wife’s family’s house
- uplift mtb at Forest of Dean

Then try and chill for any days left. Should be good as the little boy is old enough to really enjoy/join in what’s going on!

Beany wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:40 am

ZedLeg wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:38 am You’d be more than welcome Dinny.

How does a vegan Christmas dinner with a bunch of communists sound?

You must be fucking joking. I find that ethically offensive. You should know better.

I mean, vegan???

We did duck alongside the mushroom, chestnut and leak pie we made last year but only two of the 9 people at dinner had it so we're not bothering this year. If someone wants meat they can bring their own .