What did everyone get for Christmas?

[pete9012S]

Sounds like Farwa purports to live in a cold climate...Fortunately I think Michael is cognizant of the value of both herbal and none herbal remedies....

Also,now no cold things in Winter,that includes ice in your coke or whiskey and chilled yoghurts and cold milkshakes.
Wait till the weather is warmer to eat or drink cold foods please.

[Farwa]

Oh - thanks for clearing the confusion, Domino -it's OK if Michael lives in Australia, of course.

Sounds like Farwa purports to live in a cold climate.

Oh, not at all Pete, it's cold enough where I am! By the way, was that warning genuine, or just to mimic me?

[MJE]

     I find this a bit amusing.
     It wouldn't matter if I were in England or somewhere where it's winter: I would still eat ice-cream and like it. I don't drink hot drinks, for example, and my favourite drink, which I have most days at least once, is iced coffee or iced mocha - and I drink it through the year, no matter what the weather is like.
     What country are you in, Farwa?

Regards, MIchael.

[MJE]

Sounds like Farwa purports to live in a cold climate...Fortunately I think Michael is cognizant of the value of both herbal and none herbal remedies....

     Actually I'm not sure that I am cognizant of that. And I don't quite see the connection with herbal remedies here. (Could be a joke I'm not "getting" - very common with me.)

Also,now no cold things in Winter,that includes ice in your coke or whiskey and chilled yoghurts and cold milkshakes.
Wait till the weather is warmer to eat or drink cold foods please.

     Pete, I must plead guilty to not always "getting" your jokes.
     I had a devil of a time trying to find iced coffee in Britain, except for a few places along the south coast - although a couple of other places tried to make it for me when I told them how it is made - with mixed results. Even places that offered it usually didn't put ice-cream in, which is *essential*, not a mere garnish.
     The best iced coffee I got was in a coastal town some miles west of Brighton; but the man who made it for me did tell me he came from Wollongong, New South Wales!

Regards, Michael.

[pete9012S]

I find this a bit amusing.
It wouldn't matter if I were in England or somewhere where it's winter: I would still eat ice-cream and like it. I don't drink hot drinks, for example, and my favourite drink, which I have most days at least once, is iced coffee or iced mocha - and I drink it through the year, no matter what the weather is like.
What country are you in, Farwa?

Regards, MIchael.

I agree Michael.I bought 2ltrs of Cornish vanilla ice cream to go with the warm mince pies we're having after tea.

OK if Michael lives in Australia, of course.

But not if you live in the UK ?

[MJE]

I agree Michael.I bought 2ltrs of Cornish vanilla ice cream to go with the warm mince pies we're having after tea.

     It's very, very common here (at any time of the year) for ice-cream to be served with warm or hot desserts. Quite routine, in fact.
     You should try banana fritters or apple crumble (or pie) with chocolate or coffee ice-cream.

Regards, Michael.

[Daisy]

I often serve ice-cream with a hot pie or pudding - its quite a favourite in our house. Might have some tonight actually to match the snow falling outside!

[Courtenay]

Michael, I think the joke about herbal medicine is because we have a thread going on that subject as well.

As an Australian living in Britain, I do notice that hot custard is a lot more popular with desserts than it is where I come from. But we certainly have ice cream here too - at any time of year!

[Rebeccadanielle]

I ate so many berries and ice cream on Christmas and Boxing Day. Yesterday I was sitting out in the sun next to the strawberries and just pulling them off the plant to eat.

I got a lot of books for Christmas so I am very happy. I gave my family my book wishlist and let them pick. We all tell each other things we would like so we can receive things we want/need. Although, I do give my sister funny joke gifts as well as a proper one.

[Poppy]

I often serve ice-cream with a hot pie or pudding - its quite a favourite in our house. Might have some tonight actually to match the snow falling outside!

Have you had any snow, yet, Daisy? We (well me and my sister!) are hoping for some but it just looks like bit is going to be very cold and icy for us, tonight.

[Daisy]

Yes, it started a few hours ago but is very light and there is only about 2cms on the ground where some has melted and about 4cms elsewhere.

[Courtenay]

I ate so many berries and ice cream on Christmas and Boxing Day. Yesterday I was sitting out in the sun next to the strawberries and just pulling them off the plant to eat.

Yum

My best Christmas gift was being able to move into my newly renovated room (I live and work at a care home in western Kent), just two days before Christmas. My room has been beautifully done up with all new furniture and my own en suite shower room! It's just lovely, and feels a lot more like a real home for me now. Living where I work is convenient, but I do miss having a proper home of my own. I'm sure that, too, will come some day, but for now this is good enough!

Since I live overseas from my family, they just put money in my bank account rather than buying me gifts. I haven't yet bought anything specifically for Christmas for myself so far, other than a small piece of jewellery, but there are several books I'm thinking of getting. Mostly I'm just thankful to have all I need - I don't need lots of extra "stuff" to make me happy.

[Deej]

     Nothing! I now neither give nor receive presents for Christmas or birthdays, and everyone is clear on that, so no offence is given or taken.
     I cannot say how much of a relief it is to do things this way, and I highly recommend it to those who want to enjoy the other parts of Christmas (gathering with friends and family, good food, religious observance for those so inclined, etc.). I wish I'd had the courage to do it 20 or more years ago, and I will never go back to the old way again.
     I find it wasteful that, for example, it was estimated that Australians spent $45 billion ("billion" with a "b", not "million" with an "m") on Christmas, and I wonder how much of this goes to waste on gifts that the recipient really doesn't want, but has to pretend to love in order not to appear rude or ungrateful. I figured out that, for the price of a couple of Christmases, Australia could pay off its national debt in a single hit - just to put the real cost of Christmas into some context.
     I'm not being puritan about material things in this stance, by the way: if I want something, I go and buy it without feeling guilty, and not just hope someone else will think to get it for me.
     Sorry, Deej - may not be the kind of answer you were seeking in this thread. I'm sure others here will rectify the balance, though.

Regards, Michael.

That's fair enough. We all like Christmas for different reasons. There are many amongst us who don't even celebrate it or who find it a sad time of year due to bereavement or illness.

[Courtenay]

I used to love giving cards and gifts to all my friends, but it ended up just being too much. In the last few years, I've pared back my card-and-gift-giving to only my immediate family (my mum, my dad, my sister and my grandma), which makes things much, much easier. This year, as they're in Australia and I wasn't there for Christmas but will be visiting next month, we've agreed that I'll bring their presents to them then. So I'm only just starting my Christmas shopping now - in time for the sales!

[Julie2owlsdene]

I understand Michael's view of not giving or receiving etc, but for me, Christmas is about giving, whether I receive doesn't bother me. But it's lovely to give and see the surprise on people's faces. The giving of presents represents Christmas for me, as the Three Kings bought gifts for the baby Jesus.

Anyway back on topic, I received lots of lovely gifts. A few Blyton's with dust jackets, and one of the with the jacket was a first edition of Rockingdown Mystery too.

I love old B&W films and received a few of those too. I especially love - Time Lock - made in 1957 and has a very young Sean Connery in the film.