How did you celebrate Christmas?

It highlights greed mainly, and false sincerity, people wishing you all sorts who wouldn't normally speak during the rest of the year. Whinging retailers who think they should be earning more,why? Quite dreadful people pushing and shoving, both on foot and on the roads. Kids behaving even worse than they do for the rest of the year, here's a tip for parents with holiday homes, the local pub is not your creche. It brings out the idiot more than any other time of year, and surrounded by the most dreadful snobbery and one upmanship, competitive present buying? please.

I'm not. I'm a dog.

Christmas is dead

Like a vast majority of the UK. my wife and I are at work. Hospitals,Emergency Services,Armed Forces, Utility Suppliers etc will have numerous staff at work. I am not complaining but despite the belief that Xmas is about families coming together for the holidays - we are all too quick to forget about those that do work and have to work.

I have such high hopes for Christmas, I live abroad and look forward to returning home for Christmas for months in advance... only to find it spoiled by my 20 something children rolling in drunk in the ealy hours and always with some sort of crisis in tow.
So today, Christmas Day I am tired, grumpy and vowing to have offspring visit by 'invitation only', next year or to stay abroad and forget it all.

I think a lot of the joy of Christmas has gone. Now it is a relentless marketing exercise. How is it that our local supermarket is closed for only one day - Christmas Day - yet people have stocked up with weeks worth of supplies? I'm not particularly religious, but I think it would be nice to get back to the old arrangement; Sundays and religious days like Christmas, Easter and Bank Holidays should see shops closed so that we would be forced to stop shopping, and so that people who work in shops could spend time with their families.
Sadly, that'll never happen. Greed continues to be good, as Gordon Gecko once said.

I'm not.

Christmas with family or what remains of us. It used to be more fun when we were younger all of us. Now it is more of a routine. the meaning of Christmas is lost in media and shopping frenzy. Too many people are intent on making too much money and offering too little in return.
There are good things still and good people as well but not a single one of them is running this miserable country.
Time to forget the nonsense that is UK and look beyond to better and more welcoming times and people and places.

Sooner its come & gone the better. We can get back to sanity. Less mines bigger, better, more expensive than yours. No more supermarket rugby scrums of folk fighting over the last loaf or pound of sprouts in case the half ton they all ready got won't see them through. Everything from pertol stations to McDonanlds will be open for business as usual. Perhaps thats the problem.
I used to love it not any more. Can't really finger why. Maybe something to do with the Durid of Caterbury telling the rich to share more. He doesn't exactly look sack cloth & ashes.... hey ho. Merry Christmas to all......

It's gone from Minus 29 overnight to almost Minus 20 as I write this: Finland is a blanket of snow & ice with every tree, bush & plant covered from top to bottom in frozen tentacles of snow.

Gallant little blue & green finches are at my study's window-ledge feeding off the bread crumbs & sunflower seed I laid out when it was about Minus 24 (7.30amish).
There's the odd unidentifiable, muffled animal noise from the almost totally still surrounding forest where sudden wind gusts twitch branches causing mini-snow and ice blizzards to plummet down. The light splinters cascading irregular shapes across our eyes and then everything reforms to a regular, recognisable pattern until the next blow.

The sky is stunning white (not Dulux, but a Natural sheen) too with patches of ultra-pale blue intermingling among streams of a sort of luminous grey shimmering from the Sun's rays buried within: We'd never see this at any other time of year.

We're about to put a chicken in the oven and I've just finished my peel the potatoes task. The vegetables will wait until we're back.

Whilst the meal cooks gently we're going for a an equally gentle walk in heavy duty, fur-lined winter boots, wearing 3 layers of clothing and bear hats with ear flaps. We'll probably take a walk on the lake: It's been frozen for over a month now and we were skiing on it a couple of weeks ago - - it was easier, quicker & shorter to bring home the Christmas shopping that way - - and maybe visit a couple of neighbours who're spending their holiday season on the deep white-ice encircled islands out on the lake. Last time we visited them, early July, we rowed for half an hour across an expanse of clean, blue waters and on teeming green, flowering land danced under the midnight Sun until the dawn hours.
Nowadays we'll leave in daylight at 11.30ish and be back by 2.30pmish as it starts to rapidly get dark for a few hours until around 8pmish when the Moon is out and everything is so white again a form of Light illuminates at least a 100 metres infront of us at out forest home.

So, basically, just a typical Christmas Day... move along, nothing much to see here...

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

how am i celebrating? well first of all i wont be participating with HYS because its full of kill joys and pesimists

dwangeddy

Not all kill joys and pessimists - some of us are just pointing out the facts;

''Like a vast majority of the UK. my wife and I are at work. Hospitals,Emergency Services,Armed Forces, Utility Suppliers etc will have numerous staff at work. I am not complaining but despite the belief that Xmas is about families coming together for the holidays - we are all too quick to forget about those that do work and have to work.''

I hope everyone has a great time whether you are celebrating Christmas or not. It's great that we get a day or two off to relax - working people deserve it - especially after how they have been attacked by the clown coalition over the past few months. Rest my friends because the battle has only just begun and we will be made to suffer much more by the Tories and their lapdogs over the coming years.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

I will be celebrating Christmas in the traditional style. Today my thoughts and prayers are with those of you whose hearts are broken, if you are poor being relentleesly attacked by government evil, the sick, the lonely, those suffering in what ever way no matter what your status.

If this world doesn not love you and surely we have seen the naked crime of this perverted Coalition placing an unbearable burden on the weakest shoulders while sheltering wicked and corrupt tax havens, then Jesus does LOVE you. Take your burdens to him.

Cameron and his Rich friends cannot destroy our soul and he will pay the price for his moral cowardice as will the British and American Rich for what they have done and are doing widening the gap between rich and poor.

Christain love, mercy and forgiveness is in short supply on both sides of the pond as they embrace corrupt ideology, imoral wealth hoarding of astronomical amounts, and ignore the real message of Jesus our lord and saviour to be like the good samaritan and give to the poor.


IT IS TIME FOR A SERIOUS REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH FROM RICH TO POOR.

Keep your spirits up, they persecuted the Lord and the prophets before him so you are in good company.

Yes this Christmas I will pray for the Worlds poor and and pray God will liberate and deliver us from the corruption of finance Capitalism and all the other isms causing human misery.

JESUS IS ALIVE OPEN YOUR HEARTS TO HIM, LOVE IS THE ANSWER.

Jesus brings us Hope for a better life. Is this so? God will not spare us suffering but he will help us bear it. In one of the Nazi death camps after liberation in the children's section they found butterflies ( the universal symbol of world peace) had been drawn on the walls. Even amongst unimagineable horror there it was...hope!

Yes the vile system will attack and stigmatise us and slander us but through Jesus we can bear this and come out triumphant while all the wickedness that Murdoch and the Right stand for will be utterly banished.


I wish you a Merry Christmas through Jesus christ our Lord and Saviour.

I'm not. I am neither Christian nor Pagan. I prefer to be alone and I shall be doing so again this Christmas. It's got too commercial. There is also a sense ot hypocrisy: "good will to all" should be all year round not just for Christmas.

Happy Christmas to all the miserable people on this HYS. You are so boring. The vast majority of people are not working the vast majority of people will be having a nice day off and enjoying themselves. Ho Ho Ho

Christmas is the time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell government what they want and their kids pay for it.

Merry Christmas!

18. At 10:14am on 25 Dec 2010, Red Robbo wrote:

Christmas is the time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell government what they want and their kids pay for it.

Merry Christmas!

------------------------

Pessimism with a festive twist. It's the way to gohohoho.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Every day I celebrate the fact that I'm alive. Today is colder but no different.

Grumpily

It's just another day to me.

Christmas to me is a day with friends - a day of love, sharing and easy companionship.

Christmas is what you make it, and to a large extent what you want it to be. If you want to be miserable then go ahead but please don't spread your doom and gloom to others - let others enjoy it if they want, without trying to make them feel guilty for enjoying themselves.

I am not a Christian. I am a Hindu living in India......but I always love listening to Christmas carols. I remember listening to carols by Jim Reeves in my school days in the 1960's. It was beautiful. What a singer he was! I am not sure how many people remember Jim Reeves and his 'Snowflakes', 'Distant Drums', 'Put your lips a little closer' and others. I was listening to his carols on the Youtube today. They lend a different aura to Christmas rather than the drinking and loud partying. Youngsters should be encouraged to listen to such music now and then.

Christmas can only mean one thing to anybody, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, that's why it's called CHRISTmas. Sadly, people who are not even Christians use it as an excuse to go on an orgy of over-indulgence. One salutory piece of news, however, is a recent survey showing that for every pub that is closing down, two churches are opening. The Christian comeback might take quite a few years, but at least it is happening at long last, and the greeting "Merry Christmas" will mean what it says again.

To quote post 15:

IT IS TIME FOR A SERIOUS REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH FROM RICH TO POOR.

Until that is done xmas leaves me queasy.

I turn down invitations ,in order to spend Christmas on my own.(people take pity on you if you're single....or maybe it's envy!) I just can't stand the 'inbuilt stress'(that i remember from Christmas's past...in adulthood) on a day that should be enjoyble ,and it can be ,on one's own. Far from being a sad lonely time ,i finally get some peace and quiet and have time to think about people no longer with us and previous great family Christmas's.(and things spiritual too) I avoid any , media intrusions and select my own favourite comedies ,films and music etc. to fill some of the day. I remember 'unmissable' tv shows at Christmas ,from childhood, but now there're all missable for me. Christmas day dinner is double(fried)extra large eggs ,chips, peas tea and bread and butter.I make the turkey dinner on boxing day. In other words i have a slight tendency to reject rituals. I don't have eggs and chips any other time of the year, so it has become special for me. I bet that a lot of other people do the same by choice. I avoid alcohol too, as i drink most of the other 364 days of the year! Yes ,a really special day with no arguments. I go for a walk too. Anybody care to join me?(Ha Ha) I suspect that if Jesus was alive today he would like egg and chips too.... and sherry trifle.. and no fuss. I'm sure that it would all be very different if a had children.. but i just don't have, enough people already do that.

How can we celebrate Xmas fully when lots of people are killed in Afghanistan, Africa and Iraqi not to mention the starving children around the world when people are spending millions on gifts in this country?
It makes me feel that we are living a hypocrite era.....because the government says one thing but do the opposite!!!!

My present to myself is a nice bag of wool for knitting up a nice warm jumper. Blue faced Leicester wool grown, carded, spun and dyed locally. Fairly pricey but worth it. Hope you enjoy your imported presents. Just don't complain when your P45 arrives next year.

Grumpy or what? Realistic I say. Off for a nice clean long walk now that the traffic is low. Christmas does have its up side.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

'IT IS TIME FOR A SERIOUS REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH FROM RICH TO POOR.'
What! I wouldn't hold your breath.

If you're working hope it's quiet for you.

Got to go the family has just turned up.

Happy Christmas and may your God go with you.

I wish all you guys wouldn't be so negative and ......practical.. about all this. Even if a man is himself homeless or sick he can always get some hope and peace (however brief) by listening to Carols or going to church. Its about the spirit....not about physical conditions.

Well, after reading most of the comments on here so far, if the BBC are going to make another series of 'Grumpy Old Men/Women' then they have struck gold with the HYS bunch.

I do not celebrate Christmas. But I do celebrate the winter solstice on 21 December. The prospect of lengthening days is worth celebrating.

A ridiculous fairy story, involving virgin birth and other unlikely events, does not seem worth celebrating.

Happy Christmas Everybody!!! I LOVE Christmas... (: Even though our little boy is all grown up and gone now - those were magical years - I was just as excited as HIM..Santa (who I still believe in by the way), rudolph, my kid's face when santa had been and eaten the mince pie and brandy we left, the 3 of us dancing to Christmas songs (Wizard - our favourite) while we all helped cook the turkey, played charades, sang christmas carols... loved it all... even the Queen! He's off leading his own life now - in California - (we're originally from NY), but he'll sing me and his mother a song down the phone as he does every year - his girlfriend thinks we're NUTS!! (he loved 'let's go fly a kite' when he was 3, and every Christmas we'd sit on the sofa 'stuffed' and I taught him the song cos he loved the movie..he usually sings that)... and of course we 'flew a kite' any opportunity we got!! I know it all sounds puerile and 'vomit inducing' - but we don't care!! Today - well me and his mother had champagne and Bran Flakes(!) in bed... then went for a lovely walk at 8.30 this morning in the BEAUTIFUL snowy English countryside. Awesome. We then sent an email to a kid we have 'sponsored' for years in Kenya...sis lives there and is delivering the pressies... tomorrow we'll do a similar thing here via the church (even though we're atheists - they don't mind - we're all good friends and being kind to each other is all that matters..!) We'll get some things out to the kids in hospitals/homes etc.. We'll do some 'family phonecalls' during the day. We have been invited to Christmas lunch by our wonderful neighbours - and we've baked some mince pies, and we'll take some beers and wine to enjoy. However, before that we are having a great laugh trying to do the laundry.. it is so cold that the pipes have frozen (to the washing machine) - ha - so the water won't go in the machine!! We are washing our clothes in the bathtub (a bit tipsy)..and trying to wring them out and hang them somewhere..??!! They may NEVER dry. Ah well.. This afternoon (after lunch) our neighbours have promised us a game of cards - we are clueless...we only know 'snap'...so that should be a laugh. We are prepared to lose lots of 'change' that we have collected from our bowls/tins when I empty my pockets - I knew it would come in useful!! Then we'll drink and be merry into the night.... and probably flop in a chair sometime later and watch a nice Christ-Massy movie together with a bit more champagne.....

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYBODY - HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (:

Like feeding the cat and nipping down to the pub, reading and contributing to 'Have Your Say' has become just a normal part of checking the BBC News website. As it's Christmas, let's just get a few things straight. You can read the Daily Mail and be poor and vote Labour. You can vote 'Labour' and be an outright capitalist. You can read Viz follwed by the Times follwed by Dianetics followed by the Bible and the starting prices. You can 'go the match' and then 'go the ballet'.You can also avoid being a stereotype and stereotyping other people in the process. I mean, there must be some black youths who really hate rap music and Chinese people who prefer fish and chips to noodles.. or have the 'rulers' won already?

Well, as an expat I'm stuck in Bangkok for Christmas. The sun is a little behind the clouds today so it's only 25C but we'll manage.

After waking up rather late I made my way over to the river side for a 2.5 hour buffet lunch at the Marriot. The miso-glazed salmon was the highlight of the 100+ foodstuffs on offer (ham, leg of lamb, dim sum, etc), although the dessert table wasn't bad either. Total cost? 20 pounds.

Tonight I'm afraid the only thing we can rustle up is a few drinks (€$2.50 each) on a rooftop patio 60 floors up, then off to jazz bar #1 before jazz bar #2. After that we've heard that Bangkok has some kind of nightlife area that could be interesting.

Sigh. It's hardly a traditional Christmas, but we'll try and make the most of it.

What shall I be doing for Christmas?

Spending a couple of hours in bed snuggling with my wonderful partner.

E-mailing or telephoning love and good wishes to family and friends whom I'm not likely to be seeing for a while.

Calling some of our more socially isolated mental health service users so that they have at least a little company today.

Quietly congratulating myself on having gone 23 days without a cigarette :)

Wishing for all of you the Christmases that you'd wish for yourselves!

ive been up all night spewing up from both ends then to top it all off my water pipe burst.managed to fix it by some miracle but not before a water logged carpet. girlfriends just gone off in tears to her family for xmas dinner without me. it will be her terminally ill fathers last christmas so she really wanted me there but in my current state it would be unwise. all in all not a very good day

29. At 11:14am on 25 Dec 2010, Metanol wrote:
How can we celebrate Xmas fully when lots of people are killed in Afghanistan, Africa and Iraqi not to mention the starving children around the world when people are spending millions on gifts in this country?
It makes me feel that we are living a hypocrite era.....because the government says one thing but do the opposite!!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Come on guys, lighten up. Even Jesus said "The poor are with us always." Is there anyone on here who can honestly say that they never celebrate anything or indulge themselves with the odd treat because they are thinking about starving children? If that's true, they should sell all there goods; buy a boat load of grain and take it to the starving children. Otherwise do what the rest of us probably do, which is to give a little cash to charity and then indulge ourselves.

I'll be having a delicious dinner with lots of fine wine, but what I will appreciate the most is having a quiet couple of days with my son when we don't have to be anywhere. It will be a nice rest. Today is also the first time in over twenty years that we didn't go to church : Both of us feeling ill (Not over-indulgence but cold/flu).

Happy Christmas everyone !

How are you celebrating Christmas?

By posting a comment on HYS.

Don't the HYS moderators ever get a day off?

I think its also appropriate to call for justice for christains throughout the Muslim world. Its not right they can live in peace in Christain countries and our people are persecuted in Islamic ones. This is unnacceptable and a violation against human rights to which the UN should act.

People should bear in mind that neo conservatism has hijacked and tarnished faiths be they christain, muslim or jewish. Its time the moderates were heard and time the moderates spoke out againt this ultra conservative attack on human rights be it in the West or as it is shockingly and unnacceptably in Muslim countries.

Jesus was about Love, mercy, compassion, justice and peace. Lets have more of it from human beings no matter what they support.

Just another day. No job, no prospects, no hope.

Once you've grown out of the materialistic facade, Christmas doesn't mean a lot unless you're a Christian. This is probably the only time of the year when I can actually envy Christians because they still love Christmas no matter what their age. Still, the trade-off is a lifetime of blind faith and denial, so I'd probably rather remain a scrooge and be educated about the world in which I live.

Merry Christmas to all who still find it relevant.

Theres a christmas tree in the corner of the room.A nativity set next to the fire and when we come back from church, the sing songs and hymns voiced by our guests is absolute heaven.
I can smell the dinner and i am salivating at the very thought of roast turkey and pork crackeling,christmas puding and mince pies with ice scream and jelly.
After dinner,its dvd time.It`s a wonderful life,then the bishops wife."WHOO,I`M LIVING A FULL LIFE".In the evening its all the past christmas specials of the bbc.It`s a joy to behold and i`m thanking the baby jesus for my salvation.The three kings that have been past down from mother to son,now hang on my tree.The birth of the son of god has been born to save the world and man of his sins.
There are some tv companies who live and worship the devil.They will meet the wrath of public oppinion on day.Their side i will never stand on or agree to.A men to absent brothers, who sell their soul to television companies.

Quietly at home with husband and daughter, having spoken by telephone with mother-in-law in France. Dearly beloved is planning a 'traditional' dinner, timed to be served so that he can sit watching Dr Who in peace (so it will be a bit early).

Before then curled up here in my corner writing a review, sticking stuff on my websites and although a tasty-sounding job has turned up on E-Teach my application can wait until tomorrow...

My fellow students think I'm a swot 'cos I posted something on Christmas Day, er, sort of, the distance learning course is hosted in New Zealand!

Merry Christmas everybody!

How are I celebrating Christmas?

This like every year since retiring from the Royal Navy, I will be making a few wooden toys for the ten toy libraries in the county. Then my wife and I along with our children and grandchildren will sit down to lunch. My family and I would like to wish everyone peaceful and happy festivities, and a happy new year, too.

Last night I went to my local Watchnight service and shared the joy of Christmas with lots of good people. This morning I went to a short Christmas Day service where the kids got to share their presents with everyone and where we sang and laughed and rejoiced; shook each others' hands and wished each other a very merry Christmas. I'll shortly be going out to have Christmas lunch with my family.

And a very happy Christmas to one and all!!

Like @4. At 08:58am on 25 Dec 2010, ozangus and a *minority* of UKlander people, I'm working. Helping to make life a little easier and better for the many millions who enjoy their holidays.
Through some sort of incredible good fortune, I am neither soldier, sailor, fisherman, electricity supply company line-man, rescue worker nor overworked medical person, I work in a nice, safe, relatively warm IT operations centre.
If nothing breaks, if nothing crashes and if nothing goes up in smoke, I should have a relatively easy day.
Certainly a lot easier than many other people who are working.
I am not "celebrating" Christmas, but I'm not miserable about it, either. I don't have any family or friends to buy presents for, which saves me a lot of money and cuts my contribution to rabid consumerism and global warming a bit.
I like working Christmas. There are fewer managers to make life difficult, the roads are quieter and, in general, people put less stress on the kit so it breaks down less often.
I don't have a religion, but, from most accounts, young Josh Carpenter was a fairly nice guy, so I see no reason why we *shouldn't* celebrate his birthday. Of course, there are quite a few other nice people whose birthdays I'd like to see made into global holidays.
Starting with my lady.

Wishing all solicists a very merry christmas and remember 2011 is the year we get back the into power, so strike when ask to by your union.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

I've just read all the other posts on this page and it seems there are a lot of unhappy people out there. Maybe the key at Christmas is to observe the traditions which you enjoy and avoid all the stuff which you don't. This year I am doing less, spending less and taking a back seat in all sorts of ways. And none of my friends and family are in the least put out. Try it.

I am celebrating Christmas with those closest to me. There will be presents and the traditional turkey.
But mostly there will be love, trust and looking forward to the New year together, when we will all try to become better citizens of this poor, mixed-up world as well as better friends to one another.
This year there will be relatives missing, and Christmas will give those of us remaining the time to remember and appreciate the empty chairs.

As you get older it is remembering those who have gone.

And that poor woman, Joanna Yeates, appears to have been found dead. My heart goes out to her family.

A time of reflection.

39. At 11:51am on 25 Dec 2010, greattimereggie wrote:

Well, as an expat I'm stuck in Bangkok for Christmas. The sun is a little behind the clouds today so it's only 25C but we'll manage.

After waking up rather late I made my way over to the river side for a 2.5 hour buffet lunch at the Marriot. The miso-glazed salmon was the highlight of the 100+ foodstuffs on offer (ham, leg of lamb, dim sum, etc), although the dessert table wasn't bad either. Total cost? 20 pounds.

Tonight I'm afraid the only thing we can rustle up is a few drinks (€$2.50 each) on a rooftop patio 60 floors up, then off to jazz bar #1 before jazz bar #2. After that we've heard that Bangkok has some kind of nightlife area that could be interesting.

Sigh. It's hardly a traditional Christmas, but we'll try and make the most of it.

//////////////////////////////

Would 'SMUG' be your middle name by any chance.

Perhaps the Aussies have it right... bunch of whinging pom's. Christmas is what you and yours make it! Now eat drink and be merry!

Just another day to me. I'll warm the left-over from yesterday, and try and finish my MS Office 2010 before they put out another one. Sad news though about that missing lass in Bristol.

@ lizzy labour power msg 52

Ha Ha best laugh I've had all day. A Merry Christmas to you.

What does Christmas mean to me?
It means instead of a simple Birthday celebration, we have the machine that is now called Christmas.Where years ago we were given an apple and an orange etc in a stocking now parents are expected to go into debt from Christmas to Christmas to pay for their avaricious kids.
It's like every year we add new apps to Christmas.

I love spending christmas with my family. My brother is over from Australia and my nephew is home from London and we are all together with mum. The dinner is roast rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding plus Brussel Sprouts and other lovely veg and of course roast potatoes. We talk and talk and we only do nice things and tell nice stories. I check for goodwill stories on the net and we remember that, in reality, there are many many more nice people, in this world, than bad ones.
I wish all people the best and hope that they find happiness and peace in this life.

How are you celebrating Christmas?


I am utilising my spare time & working out climate change.

Coldest December since 1910 divided by global warming, multiply by 41, add emissions, then add volcanic activity, minus economic chill, minus Englad football team activity = Lupins

Merry xmas, have no fear for there is little to fear except fear itself, hence may 2011 be a year with much less agravated media paranoia and much less political deviousness & manipulation to attain taxes & control people.

If global warming is such a real threat and danger, then DEAL with it with urgency and in a determined manner in which such a REAL & FACTUAL threat to human existance necessitates such forthright action.

Also, the UN should just sort out Ivory Coast election crisis & arrest Mr Gbagbo before many more people are attrociously murdered.

Lets start off the new year with NOT allowing people such as Mr Gbagbo & their backers to even contemplate attempting dictatorship and nulifying genuine democratic election results.

This is the first Christmas I have openly celebrated in a few years. My eldest daughter is a Jehovah's Witness and we kept celebrations at a low ebb. My younger daughter was married last year and now we have a Grand Daughter. They live with us now so this year we had an old fashioned "Nova Scotia" Christmas. Lots of Cheer!

i celebrate christmas by questioning existence of jesus christ in history

Having a ball with my wonderful and beautiful family, Merry Christmas everyone.

To #45

Hang in there Richard!!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

How are you celebrating Christmas?

In addition to posting comments on HYS, I intend to stuff myself with Christmas fayre and pig out in front of all the endless repeats on telly.
It's what xmas is all about isn't it!!!

Christmas is an opportunity to recognise the birth of Christ regardless of when his birhtday actually was and spending the time with family. For those who don't believe just remember this time of year, the spirit that comes from it and the bank holidays all came from Christians beliefs which this nation had many years ago. So don't knock it, enjoy it and remember where it came from, I do

I am trying to contact BBC by telephone in the USA for the last 2 + hours. AT&T and UK operators have no competence to access a telephone number to leave a message to BBC I wish to contact. I have been met with belligerence and with contempt. There is a Iron Curtain that exist and it favors the nation you call from in alliance to. This is no free Earth we live on and the abusers control every soul that it is in contact form. I can't even wish to communicate that which imprisons me. Ha, some freedom and some expensive Christmas getting only busy signals, disconnections and incompetent and fear filled subversive compliant operators. Lee ki4jup..

Christmas in too much snow.

Many people stuck somewhere far away .

Transportation stopped.

I think people do enjoy

Happy Christmas and
Happy new year 2011

Armani Pashtun

Merry Christmas to all!
I spent Christmas in church praying.
This special day, the birth of Jesus should be remembered as the "sign" that combines the God of heaven with our earth, with our daily lives. Unfortunately, around the world, it seems that some people have forgotten about this great gift came from heaven.

. At 10:53am on 25 Dec 2010, chrislabiff wrote:
To quote post 15:

IT IS TIME FOR A SERIOUS REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH FROM RICH TO POOR.

Until that is done xmas leaves me queasy.

___________________________________________________________

Just one problem, the poor outstrip the rich by billions of people, so if the rich gave their money to the poor, wouldn't every one be equally poor?

PICTURE CAN LIE......that's what it looked like to me !! Her Majesty not quite obvious in that shot with her furry hat on. She looked like she had a PUNK hair-style....geeez, I thought, not a new fashion surely !!

I find it amazing how many grumpy people are on here!

I am an athiest but I celebrate christmas. I know it's based on christianity but I don't care. To me it's all about family, having fun, getting together etc. I love the whole run up to christmas, the songs, getting together at the pub and swapping presents! Today we have family coming over and we're going to eat the traditional christmas dinner then have some drinks.

The only thing I don't like is how busy the shopping centers get, but it's hardly the end of the world, I can deal with it!

My family and I would like to send our best wishes and sincere thoughts to Mr & Mrs Yates at this distressing devlopment.

I'm an American and my wife is from Glasgow. We really missed being in the UK for Christmas this year. I just love Christmas in the UK - it is where most of our dear friends and family are. There is a bright side, though - we missed out on the really bad weather and saved alot of money by coming in January instead. We'll be celebrating a second Christmas in the UK then. Until then, we are just focusing on the real reason for the season: Jesus the Christ - the most wonderful gift ever given from God the Father. Merry Christmas to all!

52. At 12:41pm on 25 Dec 2010, Lizzy Labour Power wrote:
Wishing all solicists a very merry christmas and remember 2011 is the year we get back the into power, so strike when ask to by your union.

In your dreams. ROFLMAO

I am too angry to comment against the world and BBC's abuses but I do wish all the best individually above all obstacles with no impossibilities, I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and wonderful life.

Good Grief!

Just reading the negative comments on here would bring anyone down. Has life dealt you a bad hand perhaps? You're the only one who can change it so rather than sounding like scrooge, pick your socks up, put on some nice clothes, treat yourself with some respect, be nice to others and it will all fall into place.

My day has just started here at 7:30 AM and it's going to be great. Nice big breakfast with family, go skiing for a couple hours, come back for lunch, have some friends over, then it's time for dinner, have a few drinks, go for a walk in the snow and be extremely thankful for what we have.

Oh and by the way; if you take from the rich to give to the poor, does that mean I'll lose what I have worked hard for? I sponsor three children and have done for a few years now. I gave to the Salvation Army as well and bought a food basket for someone in need!!!

The good thing that came out of it was that someone bought me "Boney Ms Christmas CD"
I always loved Boney M

Merry Christmas Everyone :))

Since I am not a Christian, I will be celebrating by ruminating on the spiritual work I did at Solstice; a noncommercial holiday that will likely never win the support of the corporate industrialist owners of this planet. I am quite tired of the whole "holiday thing", frankly. People are seldom less full of cheer and good will towards human kind than when clawing each other's eyes out over disposable junk, or gouging each other at the cash register. Hardly anyone even talks about the folklore behind the religious aspect of the holidays anymore, and those that do speak of it only to try to quash it in favour of their own narrow beliefs, so the days themselves have little meaning anymore, except...

Happy spending!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

27. At 10:53am on 25 Dec 2010, chrislabiff wrote:

"IT IS TIME FOR A SERIOUS REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH FROM RICH TO POOR."

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Translation: It is time to STEAL wealth from those who have earned it, or inherited it, and then give that stolen wealth to people who have not earned it and who do not deserve it. It is time to be UNJUST and EVIL.

No, "need" is not a claim that entitles an individual to the wealth of other individuals.

If an individual is in "need", then they can ASK people on the streets for help, they can ASK friends or family for help, they can ASK private charity for help, or they can solve their problem(s) on their own.

What they CANNOT do is pick their neighbour's pocket and/or expect government to do their dirty work for them. To do either is to commit an act of pure evil (ie. theft).

If anyone seizes my wealth, just be they "need" it, then they will face retaliatory force, just as I would use against any common thief!

All redistribution of wealth is THEFT.
All redistribution of wealth is EVIL.

End of discussion.

I don't celebrate Christmas. I, however, enjoy the time off during the holiday.

DID YOU READ THE DAILY MAIL YESTERDAY ??.......geeez, I couldn't belief my eyes...there were pictures of ADOLF HITLER and his NAZI officers celebrating CHRISTMAS in 1941 with lavish dinner and trimmings apparently. Just imagine the irony of it, JEWS, CHRISTIANS etc, and there they were while observing religion also at the same time think nothing about death camps they had set up. I had thought the Fuhrer was a non-believer. That scene brings me to another intrigue:... it would have been an ideal moment for the Almighty to wipe those evil so and so off the face of the Earth,...so, why didn't He??

Its my first ever white christmas and my first christmas alone.
I'm just happy may family are all warm and safe.
My heart really is with the Yates family!

I'm not. Since I has my home taken by the Family Court Service and I was subjected to the full force of the CSA and left homeless, I have lost contact with my children. I have no other living family.

85. At 4:00pm on 25 Dec 2010, Whitefall wrote:
27. At 10:53am on 25 Dec 2010, chrislabiff wrote:

"IT IS TIME FOR A SERIOUS REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH FROM RICH TO POOR."

---------------------------------------

Translation: It is time to STEAL wealth from those who have earned it, or inherited it, and then give that stolen wealth to people who have not earned it and who do not deserve it. It is time to be UNJUST and EVIL.

No, "need" is not a claim that entitles an individual to the wealth of other individuals.

If an individual is in "need", then they can ASK people on the streets for help, they can ASK friends or family for help, they can ASK private charity for help, or they can solve their problem(s) on their own.

What they CANNOT do is pick their neighbour's pocket and/or expect government to do their dirty work for them. To do either is to commit an act of pure evil (ie. theft).

If anyone seizes my wealth, just be they "need" it, then they will face retaliatory force, just as I would use against any common thief!

All redistribution of wealth is THEFT.
All redistribution of wealth is EVIL.

End of discussion.

------------

Surely the best contender so far for the 2010 'Scrooge' award?

I hope this horrible, selfish, and mean minded post is intended as some sort of provocative joke, but I have a sneaking feeling it isn't.

The 'No such thing as society' message certainly got through to some of us - and stuck.

Christmas is another reminder of sharing joy and happiness, whether you are the giver or reciever, the feeling of joy and happiness are the same, when this feeling is created and shared among us.

Christmas is not for Christian only, and is for all, even the Christian celebrated the muslim Ramadan, and respected and enjoyed the same feeling of joy and happiness.

Spending the precious time with family, also remind us of the unity and the strength and bond within us as whole.

87. At 4:05pm on 25 Dec 2010, matt-stone wrote:
DID YOU READ THE DAILY MAIL YESTERDAY ??.......geeez, I couldn't belief my eyes...there were pictures of ADOLF HITLER and his NAZI officers celebrating CHRISTMAS in 1941 with lavish dinner and trimmings apparently. Just imagine the irony of it, JEWS, CHRISTIANS etc, and there they were while observing religion also at the same time think nothing about death camps they had set up. I had thought the Fuhrer was a non-believer. That scene brings me to another intrigue:... it would have been an ideal moment for the Almighty to wipe those evil so and so off the face of the Earth,...so, why didn't He??

-------------

Hitler was a catholic.

Christmas does not mean a thing to me, as this is a pagan festival which was adopted by the early christians in order to accommodate pagans and encourage them to follow/convert to christianity. Of courseif I was part of the royal family I would be celebrating christmas, because I would be sat on my fat backside and have the servants do all the preparations etc. Also it would give me the opportunity to observe the serfs standing out in the cold watching the royals stuff their faces, whilst the rest of the country have to endure hardships.

93. At 4:26pm on 25 Dec 2010, U3708291 wrote:
Christmas does not mean a thing to me, as this is a pagan festival which was adopted by the early christians in order to accommodate pagans and encourage them to follow/convert to christianity. Of courseif I was part of the royal family I would be celebrating christmas, because I would be sat on my fat backside and have the servants do all the preparations etc. Also it would give me the opportunity to observe the serfs standing out in the cold watching the royals stuff their faces, whilst the rest of the country have to endure hardships.

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Quite so. You might have added that the rest of us pay for these parasites too.

What's weird is how nothing changes. Perhaps a bit of the content, but not the form. The 'family'. The Queen's deeply significant broadcast. Stories to 'gladden the heart' and make everyone go "ahhhh…". Others to make us sad and not forget 'the true spirit of Christmas', except we confuse a momentary tear with caring and action. The real (commercial, of course) nature of Christmas shrieking in through the adverts. The tawdry, false, pseudo-emotional claptrap; the oh-so-benign 'blessings' of those heads of church and state who pretend to stop their gouging, opportunistic, nasty habits for a few minutes. The breathlessly excited people offering flowers to the royal family, yes ma'am, no ma'am, we're all subjected to you ma'am… and to your children, and your children's children…
Utter, vapid stupidity on the TV, as the channels decide to please the lowest common denominator of viewers, as if they didn't aim for that all the time anyway. Nothing edgy, nothing real, it's Christmas after all.
We look back on the 1950s and laugh at the images of dad in his slippers, mum in the kitchen, the old-fashioned attitudes.
But we are just the same.
The only difference - and I'm sure that future generations will, rightly, never excuse us for it - is that we KNOW that all this stuff is false and fake and patronising - yet we STILL indulge in it, at the one time when people could get together and say YES, PEACE ON EARTH, that's right - now STOP IT. Stop the violence, stop the starving children, stop the terror, stop the pain.
But instead we choose, mostly, to shrug, and watch evil crap, and hark back to being feudal, and buy more stuff we don't need.
God bless us every one. Or rather, god help us.
And I'm as bad; but I couldn't write these words without doing something, so I just sent a few quid, on-line, to a charity I think needs it. Please, if anything I've said strikes a chord at all, or just to spite my sentiments, do the same. Happy bl**dy Christmas.

There's four of us here at home - each plugged into the internet - sad really. Still Xmas meal is imminent.

Flett - Buxton

Christmas should mean a season of goodwill and a time to mend fences with those we have either offended or by whom we have been offended. It is also the time when children are the ones who should be nurtured but not spoilt and encouraged to give as well as to receive. It is time to reflect on our real values and what is simply transient and worthless like the tinsel on the Christmas tree - pretty but soon forgotten. Time to care about the elderly and infirm and remember absent friends.

Hugs for everyone on here who is miserable. Christmas can be a really sad time for many people especially if you're alone or you've lost someone you love the past year. Or if you're not religious. I felt like this last year after my sister died. But today I just feel thankful and grateful I feel healthy and can actually enjoy the day. Plus I'm not cooking for once so I have time to just relax (and read the internet). Always a bonus. I made a Yule log and it was disastrous actually bringing me to tears (Delia would have been heartbroken) but we ate it on Christmas Eve after dinner and it tasted good so that makes me really happy. Small things...

I feel for everyone who's having a bad day today. I agree re: the commercialism and marketing behind this holiday, it really annoys me too. In Canada - where I live - the Christmas marketing starts in September and really gets into high gear after Halloween. It's shocking. I can't bear it.

But for those who are celebrating Christmas HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!!

Exchanged Xmas txts with friends and family, and have spent the day in my PJs, watching TV, eating and drinking tea. Bliss!

Not too different from any holiday weekend. Enjoying the company of my wife and sons, eating a good meal, browsing the internet, talking to the cat and having several glasses of excellent Merlot. I'm also planning to spend all the money I've earned & saved over the past 40 years before the government of whatever persuasion decides to tax my assets away and give everything to a bunch of idle, useless and generally wholly irresponsible people. Yes, even at Christmas I'm angry that those who have worked hard, generated wealth, put money aside for their retirement & not lived off the state are generally the least appreciated and valued in our society except for their tax raising potential.