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View Full Version : CHRISTMAS - and how to survive it? Help



Lottie32
27-11-03, 11:55
Dear All

I am desparate for some tips on how to survive Xmas, it brings out the worst in me, and I'm always physically ill. This year I've also managed to shoot myself in the foot as well as chopping my nose of to spite my face - let me explain .....:(

My dad died four years ago, so Xmas is always a bit miserable, but I try not to get too down. Xmas day usually involves me going to muck out my horses, having a glass of champagne and opening presents with my friends where I keep my horse, calling into the local pub for a very swift pint, to hug all my friends, then home to open presents with family (sister, her fiance, my gran and mum), with a sherry, then lunch about 1.30 - 2.00, followed by walk (mum/sister) and the Great Escape (gran/sisters fiance/me).:D

However ..... LAST YEAR my mum invited her new man (the Ex Dentist). And declared that lunch would be at 3.30pm. So we did our thing, and sat around, and our stomachs rumbled, and rumbled, and I snuck some Ferrero Roche in for me and Steve, and mum caught us and said we'd ruin our lunch, which resulted in the obligatory Xmas argument.:( The Ex Dentist finally arrived at 3.32 pm, where upon we all shot into the dining room. Mum asked if he'd rather sit down and have a drink first, but luckily for him, he decided to join us in the dining room. We ate our starters (which we never usually have, and were horrible, we just had them cos mum was trying to be posh infront of the Ex Dentist), and he sat and looked at his and said he wasn't really hungry!!!!!! My sister held her fiance back, whilst I whipped the starter plates away, and fetched in the turkey!!!! (No gap between courses - how rude). Anyway, we finally finished eating about 5.00pm.

As my sister, her fiance and myself were washing the pots, it transpired that the Ex Dentist HADN'T been visiting his two children, and their related off spring, showering them with gifts, and passing on festive cheer as we thought, whilst we sat and starved. NO - HE'D BEEN ON A BLOODY PUB CRAWL TO HIS LOCAL BOOZER AND THE GOLF CLUB THE $*£()&%!!!!!!!!!

Then - and bearing in mind this was the first time during Xmas we had had a male at the head of the table since my dad died, he got out a video of his dead wife for us all to watch as our lunch went down. Obviously she was alive when the video was taken - it wasn't one of her dead in the coffin or anything, although he did have her embalmed after she died? Before she was cremated? Logically - why? Anyway, I digress .....

Fortunately my sister and fiance had to be at his sisters at 6.00pm for tea, and I had a horse whose hoof had an abscess and needed polticing, so we made our excuses and left.

To cut a long story short, I threw a tantrum, and declared that I was cooking lunch, to be served at my sisters house at 1.30pm, everybody welcome.

Now it's approaching I have realised that

1. Won't be able to drink on Xmas Eve
2. Will have to have an early night on Xmas Eve
3. Will have to get up ridiculously early to do horses on Xmas Day (or do in evening)
4. Will have to forgo meeting best friends in pub

I'm getting stressed already!!!

The only plus side is that I have found out a load of videos of dead horses I have competed on, so have informed my sister that we shall be watching these after lunch!!!!

My mum however, is already trying to push the time backwards to accomodate the Ex Dentist and his pub crawl. My sister and her fiance will be leaving at 5.30pm anyway to go to his sisters, so they don't want to eat too late.

But already it's getting too much and it's not even December yet.

How does everybody else cope - I keep saying to myself its one day out of 365, you'll only be awake for about 18 hours of it, so just calm down, but it's not happening.[?]

I can't drink either, because of having to drive round the county.

Help !!!!


Charlie

sarah
27-11-03, 12:21
Hiya
WOW charlie...where do I start...lol
I dont like xmas either for a start, too much hard work and stress for me i think, im going to my mums for dinner at 2pm but before that we have to do the rounds of my hubbys family and various friends with kids who expect us to play santa and come with their pressies in the morning (wow, like im really looking foreward to all that....NOT...lol).
Anyway, suggestion for you -
prep your veggies the day before and stick them in water in the fridge, i always do this if i can... saves lots of hassle..and the only thing you have to get up early for is to bung the turkey in the oven!!!!
Failing that...aunt bessie does great roast potatoes, yorkshire puddings and stuffing balls...lol..frozen veggies, s** the turkey and buy a couple of ready cooked chickens from the supermarket and hey presto, xmas dinner in half an hour.
(You can tell im a cooking cheat cant you!!!)
good luck with it all mate and remember try and please yourself as well as everyone else.
love Sarah
xxxxx

Lottie32
27-11-03, 12:36
Thanks Sarah

And Xmas is supposed to be fun.

Will try your veggie preparation tip (although to be fair, the cooking is the least of my worries!)

It could be worse - I could have to suffer somebodys horrible sniveling brats. (I only do well behaved quiet Victorian Style kids!!!)

If I was really pleasing myself, think would do horses, have drink with friends, then put all favourite vids on - can you do Pulp Fiction on Xmas Day. Maybe better stick to the Alan Partridge Xmas Special.

Thanks mate

Charlie

Laurie28
27-11-03, 12:40
my brats don't snivel (well not all the time!!)
my brats tend to bounce off all 4 walls at Christmas (well my 6 year old)but saying that he does it all year round.

Must admit I love Christmas. I love watching 6 year old opening all his toys and I love all the great food that someone else makes

I love Xmas telly (apart from the queens speech) and I quite like new year as it is my b'day

Love
Lucky

sarah
27-11-03, 13:04
hi all
I have to say if i was pleasing myself at xmas, i would stay in bed eating cornflakes watching all the cool tv programmes. Thats my idea of a good xmas. Always wanted to do that but never have yet...feel too guilty.
Bah humbug...lol
Speaking of pulp fiction, i put it on last night and the b***** video chewed it up and wouldnt spit it out, guess what im asking for on dvd for xmas...lol
love Sarah
xx
lol to the victorian kids idea, unfortunately my mates kids are all hyperactive nutters, but i still love em (sometimes)!and yeah i love watching them opening their pressies.

Lottie32
27-11-03, 14:17
The problem I have with Xmas and visiting my friends kids who are great, and who I love loads is that their obnoxious cousins who should have been smothered in their cradles will be there.

And they are nasty, spiteful, pinching brats who break the other kids toys if they are better than theirs. (I'm afraid I get them back when nobody is looking)

Maybe you could send me some of your Xmas Spirit Lucky - it certainly sounds much more potent than mine!!!!!! So all I need to do is gatecrash somebodies house who has a six year old and who will do all the cooking! Cool!

Think somebody might notice I'm missing though - particularly when it gets to 2.00pm and theres still no sign of dinner!!!

Charlie

Laurie28
27-11-03, 14:37
Charlie,

I must admit to liking my own kids (well..) Other peoples spoilt children I can't stand.

My friends daughter who is 2 (just) was jumping on my sons head!! as he is six he knows not to hit her, but when I said 'Jodi get off his head' she came right up to me looked me in the eye and said 'B#####d' I was stunned. Her mothers fault though as she just shook her head at her. I feel like putting my foot out as she passes (does that me me bad I suppose it does!)

Yeah gatecrash someones house to see their (nice) children opening their pressies then go to someone elses houses (who preferably has no kids)and stuff yourself!!

Lucky

Meg
27-11-03, 14:53
I'm going to Switerland to be a galley slave as my best friend has invited 35 of our family. My partner is only coming out later as he knows what mayhem it will be.

I totally draw the line at babysitting - what an awful godmother I am..!


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

benoo5
27-11-03, 14:57
XMAS 2003 :(,

well,my youngest is going to cyprus,with the old witch of the north.

my middle one is spending her first xmas as a nurse...working.

and my eldest is going to meet her boyfriends parents,in county clare.

so yours truly has decided to work,all over xmas,better than being on my own,plus ill probably bump into vicky during the day :)

XMAS HUMBUG [:p]...bryan.

Lottie32
27-11-03, 15:35
Bryan

Can I train to do something useful in a year - then next year I can have a legitimate reason not to do Xmas - I'll be working!

Charlie

benoo5
27-11-03, 16:19
charlie,

easy peasy..you can train as an ambulance technician.

all the guys love a girl in uniform! lol...bryan.

Lottie32
27-11-03, 16:41
Well I am mechanically minded. And I have rebuilt an engine before, albeit a horizontal one (air cooled beetle of course).

Not sure about the uniform though - I never pulled in my light blue A line zip up the front Nylon Little Chef get up when we used to go straight to the pub from work

Meg - lucky you - it almost makes me wish I could travel a bit further afield! Hope you are going to get some ski-ing or something in as well though - not just cook and clean for others!

Charlie

benoo5
27-11-03, 19:21
charlie, :)

an ambulance technician isnt a mechanic lol :)

how come you can have me rolling over laughing,every time you post,you truly have a gift,you should be a comedy writer..in fact you can take an online course...then next xmas you can say,SORRY FOLKS,SPENDING XMAS WITH MY PUBLICIST...bryan.

twister
27-11-03, 21:09
If Christmas is at yours this year then everyone plays by your rules, simple. Ex dentist can use a microwave cant he?[}:)]

Emily

benoo5
27-11-03, 22:49
emily,that is soo true,

when i was happily married,we had a great evening meal,every night..my wife was,and is a great cook,but we had three daughters,and it wasnt fair to the girls to wait for dad to come home,just so they could eat.

so my wife would make dinner in the afternoon,and as we all came home,she would pop it in the microwave.

sooo,as far as ime concerned,if he as a guest ,was rude enough to be late,then you should have had your dinner,and put his majestys in the microwave,once he arrived...majority over minority...bryan.

Lottie32
28-11-03, 09:10
Fraid not - the ex-dentist can't even take the top off a bottle of bleach.

I am being truly serious here. My mum finds it funny, but I think it's pathetic a grown man of 60+ can't understand a child proof cap. It's not like he's got arthiritis or anything and can't grip.

If nobody cooks for him, he lives of beer, whisky, pork pie, bread and cheese. Infact anything that comes in a packet and doesn't involve cooking. Or any form of preparation whatsoever.

But you are right. I have spoken to my sister, and we are sticking by our guns. 1.30. Be there or get a cold and congealed plate of leftovers.


Charlie

nomorepanic
28-11-03, 10:37
Charlie - I have only just read this post cos I am 2 days behind so far (gulp). It really made me laugh. You have such a great talent for telling a story and making us all feel as though we were there watching it! I loved the bit about watching the videos - nice touch!

As for the practicalities of it all - then get ready-prepared veg - that will save some time. Potatoes are easy to cook. Tell everyone that you want them at whatever time suits you and if they can't make it then just say "ok - no to worry then".

My mum cooks a superb Xmas spread so we are going there again and she swears that a couple of glasses of wine help her cook it much better so treat yourself Charlie - just not the whole bottle.

It is your Xmas too so try to enjoy it the best you can and don't get too stressed will you?

Charlie - can't you tell the ex-dentist that you have a phobia of them now so you can't possibly have him for dinner!

xxxx

Bryan - my mum would have accomodated you at Xmas - she hates seeing people alone and when we were kids she would end up taking everyone back for dinner (from the pub) as she couldn't stand knowing that they were alone. She is an excellent cook as well :-)

xxx

Radar - that sounds like hard work to me




Nicola

Lottie32
28-11-03, 11:37
Nicola - glad you enjoyed it, but sadly it really is all true!!!

Am going to do that - lunch is at 1.30 - be there or starve. Already planning three potatoe dishes!! Apart from anything else, there is my sister to think of. If we eat later, she will have to rush off to her sister in laws, and the house will be in a right state, cos we won't have had time to clean up properly. And who wants to return at midnight to a house stinking of brussells and covered in a thin layer of turkey grease.

The dental phobia is a complicated one. The ex dentist was our family dentist till he retired. My sister calls him the ex alleged dentist, and it's interesting to note that none of his family have ever been treated by him. Although to be fair, he was always very gentle and patient with us. Having said that I have several fillings in my mouth that could be made from absolutely anything, and have caused great consternation with my new dentist!

He didn't "get" with my mum until after he retired.

So not sure if the dental phobia started because of amalgams potentially made from dodgy materials have made me mad, I now have to see a new dentist, or seeing the size of the gusset on the ex-dentists pyjamas (whilst doing the ironing I hasten to add). The gusset is so big it has an oval shaped piece of fabric sewn in to make it bigger. I have looked at all my trousers and I don't have any "extra" bits, so it must be a special thing for very overweight people.

I forgot to mention this when I posted my dentist post. I was scaffolded up, and imagining ironing the ex-dentists grundies! Sometimes I think I'd be better off not thinking!

Charlie

nomorepanic
28-11-03, 13:57
Charlie

Please to hear that you are going to do that and tell them when you want dinner - good on you.

I have even funnier images now of you at the dentist - that story will haunt you in the message forum forever more - lol.

Nicola

Lilith
03-12-03, 18:26
quote:I have to say if i was pleasing myself at xmas, i would stay in bed eating cornflakes watching all the cool tv programmes. Thats my idea of a good xmas. Always wanted to do that but never have yet...feel too guilty.

Hear, hear! That was how I spent this past Thanksgiving, not cooking for the first time in 8 years. It was heaven. Of course, it would have been better if I hadn't had the flu! (Yes, that's what it took to get me out of cooking dinner for 12 people.) I truly believe it was psychosomatic.