Alone at Christmas.

[Blue Hills]

Thats fine but when they all know I dont want anything, yet still buy me something so they can feel good about themselves, then No...they can literally feck off...

I fear for you to be honest, Unless you know some seriously warped people I think you are being way too cynical. And I say this as someone who is all to aware of some folk's actions not being all they seem/driven by dark undercurrents.

Have a drink of this maybe:

https://goo.gl/images/hqSFRT

I thought it was Christmas Ale, that's what it said on the pump last time I drank it.

Searched for an image and found that in some quarters at least it's become "Holiday Ale".

So who's the guy in the hat?

 

[Fab Foodie]

It's going to be my first Christmas ever this year being on my own after the wife buggered off earlier this year. I'm not bothering with a Christmas tree or decorations because I think it will just stir up negative feelings. I have though been invited for Christmas dinner by my ex wife's family ( they have disowned her ) So overall I'm going to enjoy this Christmas for what it's really about and share some quality time with my now ex family , but in my eyes and there's we are still a family. It's funny how things turn out in life but hay ho. Maybe all us lone cyclists should arrange to meet up for a Christmas ride out somewhere :-)

Name a time and place and make it happen.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I've never been a big Christmas fan. It was OK when very small but I grew out of it. It was a time of tension, of excess of lots of work, of effort to have fun.

Then I had my own family and to be fair, much of it was the same, lots to do rather than enjoy the moments properly. Loads of people crammed into a room for dinner, too much crap on the tables, lots of stuff to do.... too much expectation - stress for me at least - I was always knackered as I abruptly stopped my travelling/working life.

Now sadly, me and Mrs FF are parting ways and I shall not be with her rather lovely and large family for another Christmas. I have spent it with Mrs FF and them since about 1983, from Students to parents of 20 somethings, loads of lovely cousins, nephews and in-laws.
When discussing arrangements recently I was reminded of moments when I had spoiled Christmas for everybody, or embarrassed them by falling asleep lying prone in front of the fire, or not participating one year in the obligatory board games.
So this year I will not be there. Yes, I am tinged with sadness that I will not be with my children on a day that clearly excites them, but I will not be there to spoil anybodies joy either.
This year, by very good fortune/happenstance and pretty much out-of-the-blue, I will be spending a simple warm and loving Christmas with 3 lone CC socks.
The food will be simple to prepare but beautiful to eat.
Calm, restful, spiritual, good will to all men. There will be walks, warm beer, good wine and bonhomie.
Peace on one corner of the earth.
Amen to that.

 

[Reynard]

I like Christmas within reason. What gets my goat is the fact that you start seeing cards and other stuff in the shops before the kids go back to school after the summer hols. That's just plain wrong. So by the time Christmas comes round, you've already overdosed on it...

And then I've seen Easter eggs being put on the shelves on Christmas Eve...

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The tension in our family was horrendous, generally Nan and Grandad would be over for lunch and my Mother got more and more stressed as the morning went on.By about 1pm I wanted to just hide under the bed. They would both drink too much and then would lash out at us. I say us, generally me as my sister is their actual daughter and I was 'the spare'. I spent 13 Boxing Days in A&E with broken ribs/arms/ankles/jaw etc. They wouldn't take me on Christmas day as it would 'ruin' christmas. I ran away 4 or 5 times on Christmas morning. I don't suppose that helped at all, I was going to get battered anyway, it just put off the inevitable for a wee while.
We don't really have Christmas here. This year we are getting each other small gifts as I haven't had a gift since 2008. Hubster gets gifts from his family though. We tend to go for a ride, a long walk. I try and ignore it as much as possible really. To the point of muting the adverts and ignoring everything to do with spendmas and greedmas as much as I can.

I've never been alone at xmas but this time of year since I was a young kid is the saddest time for me, me auld ma told me that even as a 8-9 year old I would never ask for anything, she said it was because I was aware of how little money we had but they always got me new football boots as they knew I would appreciate them but I would never show real excitement, this lack of excitement or enthusiasm for gifts has never left me...christmas for me was just the continuation of debt from year to year, they would borrow from money lenders take all year to pay it off and then start again....
my partner she loves christmas and as much as I try for her and the kids, I just can never shake off the melancholy I feel at this time of year, no matter how happy I am in general.

Two rather sad stories there.

Irish, I have a brother like you, never wants anything, so I just give him money so he can get what he wants/needs. I bet you wouldn't turn THAT down!

Have not had anything to do with Christmas for nearly 30 years because of a few reasons. Last year I did parkrun on the 25th December, one time I went up the hills in the snow

A present or some act of kindness at some point where its not expected is much better than doing it because you're supposed to.

I am the type who accumulates things throughout the year (I am a great one for charity shops), so I will occasionally give someone a present on the spur of the moment, or, I can sell something on to someone else who doesn't have a present for someone.

As for going up hills, apparently Christmas day is surprisingly busy for search and rescue teams as a lot of people just go out for a hike to escape it all.... And then come a cropper.

Other than that, I love putting a smile on people's faces - worth far more than receiving any fancy present to me. A large proportion of the gifts I give are home made - things like cakes, biscuits, jams, chutneys, that sort of thing. I think it means far more when you do that. And I don't forget the postie, the guys on the bin and recycling lorries, the chaps at the tip or the lovely checkout lady in my local Tesco either.

I am a giver, but what irks me is when others don't make the effort back to me. My Sister for example, you have no idea how many totally naff presents I have got off of her.

I hated Xmas as a kid and still do so, however I try to put on a smile and not moan too much when the wife buys presents for almost everyone in the UK, or so it seems when I see my bank statements.

I never got one, have a word with her!

I still think of Sheila the 80 year old woman who we invited for Christmas Day 3 years ago. She was the lady who we got our dog off. I used to take him round to see her after she had to let him go as she couldn't look after him due to her disability. She talked of her family disowning her after her and her husband divorced, saying she had been on her own for Christmas for years.
She was supposed to come round to ours at 11am. By late afternoon and many unanswered phone calls i feared something was wrong. I couldn't go round to her's as she lived 5 miles away and to be honest i thought she might've taken up someone else'd offer and gone there. I phoned and phoned for the next 2 days then decided to go to her house. I knocked on the door, there was no answer. Her neighbour came out and said she thought she was at ours as she hadn't seen her since Christmas Eve. I decided to phone the police. They came, then broke the door down to find her dead in bed. So sad.

The things people will do to get out of eating some sprouts!

Seriously though, that is so sad

 

[Accy cyclist]

The things people will do to get out of eating some sprouts!

Seriously though, that is so sad

I still have her message on the answerphone, saying how she was looking forward to coming to ours for the day.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I still have her message on the answerphone, saying how she was looking forward to coming to ours for the day.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

No, money is included in the Do not want...

My goodness, you'd be my favourite relative if you were in my family!

 

[Reynard]

I am a giver, but what irks me is when others don't make the effort back to me. My Sister for example, you have no idea how many totally naff presents I have got off of her.

I have a friend who *always* gives me socks... But then again, socks is socks

Have to confess, I'm another one for trawling through charity shops. I managed to find a lovely limited edition Mick Cawston print of barn owls for a friend who's a keen bird watcher. He's just re-decorated his living room and I think it'll do him nicely.

 

[Reynard]

I still have her message on the answerphone, saying how she was looking forward to coming to ours for the day.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I suppose if people start a thread that might lead onto "personal matters" they should think that the sub forum entitled "personal matters" might be better than cafe.

Etc etc etc

If it's posted here then I shall take a "light" approach whatever the subject.

 

[r04DiE]

He told me,that meeting me four years ago while out cycling had in his words saved him.I don't want likes for this.But let us remember for some people this is a horrible time of the year.

And let's all remember that having people with your empathy amongst us is an enrichment to everybody.

 

[Glenn]

Another place helping the homeless http://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/...-opening-for-the-homeless-this-christmas.aspx

 

[ufkacbln]

@User @Mad Doug Biker

My brother and I have a similar frame of mind, so for Birthdays and Christmas we buy each other "weird" stuff - not expensive, but over many years it has become a fun and "competitive" thing

I am the proud owner of (amongst others):

Hamlet - in Klingon
Greek dancing for beginners

He is the proud owner of a parking meter installed in his drive (£5 for a redundant meter and a couple of pints for the installation), a compilation of Williams Shatner's greatest hits, and a series of travel posters for Vulcan, and Federation recruiting posters

It is in some ways more enjoyable and thoughtful than commercial presents, and all the family enjoy waiting to see just what we have managed to obtain this year

 

[Smokin Joe]

We buy each other one cheap and useless present as a joke. This your I've bought Mrs SJ an Origami kit.