The week before last in the local shops the had partial Christmas displays.
When I was a child I did wish it was Christmas every day but not now.
To start decors this early IMO makes the special day less meaningful.
As I get older, to much is focused on the one day and many, including my
the family have fallen out over Christmas. Thankfully it
was not hand to hand combat.
Yes, if you have children of a young age/babies/etc you may think differently.
My nephew who was ten this year, his eyes lit up when his parents bought him one
of those drone things and that made us all happy.
But I still think this festive period is too money orientated and less family-focused.
Digger said
Oct 24 5:52 PM, 2019
Shameless wrote:
The week before last in the local shops the had partial Christmas displays.
When I was a child I did wish it was Christmas every day but not now.
To start decors this early IMO makes the special day less meaningful.
As I get older, to much is focused on the one day and many, including my
the family have fallen out over Christmas. Thankfully it
was not hand to hand combat.
Yes, if you have children of a young age/babies/etc you may think differently.
My nephew who was ten this year, his eyes lit up when his parents bought him one
of those drone things and that made us all happy.
But I still think this festive period is too money orientated and less family-focused.
Couldn't agree more. By the time Christmas day comes around it's a huge anti climax and I'm sick to death of it. I think it should be a law that Christmas can't be mentioned in the media or shops until December.
Twizzler said
Oct 24 5:56 PM, 2019
I don’t even think about Christmas till 2 week before the event.
Stores should be fined for having Christmas stuff in October!
Syl said
Oct 24 5:57 PM, 2019
Christmas, unless you are religious, is mainly for kids imo, once the kids grow up it loses some of it's sparkle....till grandkids come along that is.
For adult's it is nice to remember family and friends, meet up, party, buy a gift, send a card, etc....but it just starts far too early because it's now mostly a money making game for suppliers of goods.
Having said that...I do enjoy it all, and the garden centres especially do look very pretty.
John Doe said
Oct 24 6:33 PM, 2019
smithy said
Oct 24 6:42 PM, 2019
Syl wrote:
Christmas, unless you are religious, is mainly for kids imo, once the kids grow up it loses some of it's sparkle....till grandkids come along that is.
For adult's it is nice to remember family and friends, meet up, party, buy a gift, send a card, etc....but it just starts far too early because it's now mostly a money making game for suppliers of goods.
Having said that...I do enjoy it all, and the garden centres especially do look very pretty.
There is a road near me that is just garden centres, one long road with garden centres on both sides. its amazing. Christmas treat for the kids and so many craft areas too.
I am not a fan of Christmas. I like the day but the build-up is stupid. Just like everything, its commercialised and just money-making.
We don't do big gifts. I give the girls an IOU for a day out and sleepover. we try to find each other unusual things from charity shops.
me and my eldest don't do gifts, but I send my middle child some money to buy something for the family rather than smaller money gifts to each of them.
We seem to be starting a tradition where I have my breakfast (Vegan :( boo ) at my daughter's with the kids before they head off to wherever they are going.. It's nice and I get to see them open their presents. get my fix of cuddles
I spend the day at the local church/community and prep meals and do games etc for those alone at Christmas. It did start out for homeless but grew to involve anyone who is alone. Its great and throughout the day people pop in for chats (and to bring gifts) with those on their own or on the street. that is Christmas day, boxing day and new years day.
smithy said
Oct 24 6:54 PM, 2019
This is the place where a whole road of garden centres are
Thirty minutes on the train from Kings Cross is Crews Hill in Enfield. For those without green fingers its claim to have one of the largest concentrations of garden centres, nurseries and aquatics centres in the UK might set you yawning, yet Crews Hill hides oddities, quirks and surprises that the adventurous Londoner should head north to witness.
Back in the 1900s, Enfield was full of market gardens with glass-houses covering several hundred acres* but as industry and housing sprawled north, Theobalds Park Farm at Crews Hill was left the sole large-scale producer, supplying vegetables, plants and flowers to the London markets. As demand for imported goods grew in the 60s, the entrepreneurs of Crews Hill switched their trade to garden centres and nurseries.
So, what's it like today? Turn left out of the train station and the immediate view is of a mile of garden-oriented businesses laid out on either side of the road. Mega garden centres are mixed with specialist retailers (e.g. fence panels, bonsai, mulch, fake grass) and plots where a whole range of small traders have flocked together (e.g. a pet grooming parlour, new age shop, recording studio and vintage emporium).
Some of the garden centres are still flourishing, like the massive Enfield Garden Centre with its proud fake windmill and Wolden's, which is celebrating 50 years. Phoenix Rose looks less glamorous sited in a plastic hangar of former greenhouses. It still offers traditional garden centre wares but has diversified haphazardly with clothing and shoe concessions, Anglian Home Improvements, oak furniture, new kitchens and chandeliers on sale.
Across the road, Springtime Nurseries has a massive end of season sale on to make way for its annual Christmas Wonderland — possibly the biggest Christmas shop and largest Santa's Grotto on the planet. Part of it is already in place. Come through the entrance and you're standing in a fake market town replete with stalls bearing the name of London's famous markets proffering Christmas ales, preserves and ye olde goods. It is still September, however, and if you make it over to the far side of the huge greenhouse structure past the napkins, silk flowers, giant glassware, faded stationery, huge One Direction poster and the Christmas decoration display you'll find their Halloween shop. If you're lucky you'll be in there alone and the shop assistant will shit you up with one of many terrifyingly unexpected gimmicks**.
The specialists are apparently thriving and proud to be part of "Britain's horticultural mile" — several proclaim they are 'of Crews Hill'. If it's fake grass you're after then the Fake Grass Company is at your disposal and prices on gravel and topsoil (which diggers were excavating from a soil mountain at the back of the lot) from Thompson's are definitely far better than you'd get in a general garden centre in town.
You can spend a whole day at Crews Hill exploring its quirky mix of genuine good value stuff for the garden side by side with some bizarre retail efforts in acres of greenhouses that hark back to another age. There are plenty of cafes and a decent family pub too. For those willing to explore Enfield a little further, Whitewebbs Transport Museum is close by and Forty Hall Estate with its grand house and gardens is about a 20 minute walk.
Anonymous said
Oct 24 9:01 PM, 2019
I prefer going to Midnght Mass and the service in the morning. I hate the vulgarity of Christmas.
John Doe said
Oct 24 10:13 PM, 2019
Syl said
Oct 24 10:55 PM, 2019
smithy wrote:
Syl wrote:
Christmas, unless you are religious, is mainly for kids imo, once the kids grow up it loses some of it's sparkle....till grandkids come along that is.
For adult's it is nice to remember family and friends, meet up, party, buy a gift, send a card, etc....but it just starts far too early because it's now mostly a money making game for suppliers of goods.
Having said that...I do enjoy it all, and the garden centres especially do look very pretty.
There is a road near me that is just garden centres, one long road with garden centres on both sides. its amazing. Christmas treat for the kids and so many craft areas too.
I am not a fan of Christmas. I like the day but the build-up is stupid. Just like everything, its commercialised and just money-making.
We don't do big gifts. I give the girls an IOU for a day out and sleepover. we try to find each other unusual things from charity shops.
me and my eldest don't do gifts, but I send my middle child some money to buy something for the family rather than smaller money gifts to each of them.
We seem to be starting a tradition where I have my breakfast (Vegan :( boo ) at my daughter's with the kids before they head off to wherever they are going.. It's nice and I get to see them open their presents. get my fix of cuddles
I spend the day at the local church/community and prep meals and do games etc for those alone at Christmas. It did start out for homeless but grew to involve anyone who is alone. Its great and throughout the day people pop in for chats (and to bring gifts) with those on their own or on the street. that is Christmas day, boxing day and new years day.
Sounds nice Smithy, if people are blessed Christmas should be about family.
Shameless said
Oct 24 11:01 PM, 2019
Binny NLI wrote:
I prefer going to Midnght Mass and the service in the morning. I hate the vulgarity of Christmas.
The word "vulgarity of Christmas" a tad strong IMO.
People at work get wound up when I talk about the 'commercialisation' of Xmas
and I dread to think what they would do to me if I used the word you used. I'm
referring to a small group of the born again mob at my place of work.
I am encouraged to see like-minded posts and when I posted this topic I was in fairness a bit
anxious about what posters may say.
Slight OT, Easter is the same overdone for money.
smithy said
Oct 25 5:37 AM, 2019
Shameless wrote:
Binny NLI wrote:
I prefer going to Midnght Mass and the service in the morning. I hate the vulgarity of Christmas.
The word "vulgarity of Christmas" a tad strong IMO.
People at work get wound up when I talk about the 'commercialisation' of Xmas
and I dread to think what they would do to me if I used the word you used. I'm
referring to a small group of the born again mob at my place of work.
I am encouraged to see like-minded posts and when I posted this topic I was in fairness a bit
anxious about what posters may say.
Slight OT, Easter is the same overdone for money.
I agree with Binny. It is vulgar, extremely vulgar and gets more so every year. shops close for one day and people acting like they are closed for 6 weeks. Huge overflowing trollies, sometimes even two trollies, people going into debt to buy things no one needs. domestic violence goes into overdrive as does depression as people try to find that perfect wonderful Christmas, Not realising to find that perfect wonderful Christmas is to not do any of those things they believe Christmas is about There isn't anything more vulgar that the commercialisation of Christmas that we have today.
Binny said
Oct 25 10:52 AM, 2019
smithy wrote:
Shameless wrote:
Binny NLI wrote:
I prefer going to Midnght Mass and the service in the morning. I hate the vulgarity of Christmas.
The word "vulgarity of Christmas" a tad strong IMO.
People at work get wound up when I talk about the 'commercialisation' of Xmas
and I dread to think what they would do to me if I used the word you used. I'm
referring to a small group of the born again mob at my place of work.
I am encouraged to see like-minded posts and when I posted this topic I was in fairness a bit
anxious about what posters may say.
Slight OT, Easter is the same overdone for money.
I agree with Binny. It is vulgar, extremely vulgar and gets more so every year. shops close for one day and people acting like they are closed for 6 weeks. Huge overflowing trollies, sometimes even two trollies, people going into debt to buy things no one needs. domestic violence goes into overdrive as does depression as people try to find that perfect wonderful Christmas, Not realising to find that perfect wonderful Christmas is to not do any of those things they believe Christmas is about There isn't anything more vulgar that the commercialisation of Christmas that we have today.
Yes Smithy, it's just weeks and weeks of it as well. All that panic buying for one day when the shops are shut, trolley rage, drunken office parties for weeks beforehand, people thinking it's ok to sexually assault each other in a drunken mess. The crap food you pay through the nose for and the crap cheapo wine, boring bloody crap music disco. Shite Christmas music blaring out in shopping malls. Arghhhhh
-- Edited by Binny on Friday 25th of October 2019 10:53:45 AM
Shameless said
Oct 25 11:15 AM, 2019
Fair enough Binny my mate. For the sake of clarity, I only questioned the use of the term 'vulgarity' as per my previous post. In the real world at work, there are people that may be a bit quiet but you mention Xmas is even a commercial exercise these days they get wound up.
If I was to be open and frank, Xmas, Easter, Halloween is mostly for the easily led that have little money to spare, and those that usually spend beyond their means are those that refuse to work as it's easier for them and a better lifestyle and on many occasions depending where your home is, these workshy lot are better off as those working hard, paying a mortgage, bills, travel fares, etc, etc have less disposable income than those that have their rents, other money paid. Those with mortgages, on the whole, know where their responsibilities lie.
To be very clear, please do not confuse the minority that are genuinely unemployed.
In education, rather than some BS lessons, IMHO children must be vigorously taught how to manage money, shopping, bills, bills, mortgages and how it pay dividends if you spend wisely and only really borrow money for a mortgage/home and/or businesses and never borrow money for cars/holidays/treats/presents/etc.
My brother has in the past worked for a private carrying out certain assessments and the stories he has told us, EG, generations of families where not a single person has worked in their lives and have a history of having children at the age of 16 and serval of these, different fathers and non of the fathers living there. This kind of behaviour is seen as the norm by the children so it's a vicious circle. With the recent advent of the government being harder on those out of work, sadly many plays the disability route and this, in turn, give the many genuinely disabled a bad press.
My parents are still reminding me and my siblings never to spend beyond your means, save for a rainy day, don't try to run before you can walk, an honest days works can do wonders and honesty, caring and health is wealth. Importantly, looking after your pennies initially does pay big dividends.
We wanted a BMW, but we have a Ford Fiesta bought from my parents they had it from new, its 9 years old hardly anything to insure and run but if we had bought a big BMW a few years ago, we'd have next to nothing in the bank and would not have been able to overpay the mortgage.
Yes, I want a bigger, nice house and a bigger, nicer car and a second car, we don't want to work and I don't want my husband leaving home at 6-30 and back 7, 7-30 5/6 days a week but we have been brought up to look after ourselves and contribute towards the country and always remember that even when times are hard money-wise never forget that decent health will always mean you can work. Yes work not in an ideal world but work and progress yourself and when your children grow up they will act as you did.
Back to Xmas, I stand by what I have said about on the whole those that spend beyond their means are usually on benefits, vey low incomes erratic work history.
We have a CC, never paid a penny interest on it we use it when we buy larger items so just in case shop goes broke, we get our money back.
Enjoy Xmas, but 3 months of it and spending money you don't have, I'd gladly call you a dysfunctional clown.
The above post was me being very open and honest and not aimed at anyone that is genuinely out of work or works hard but circumstances make it hard for them to pay their mortgage/private rent. By 'circumstances' I not referring to self-inflicted circumstances.
NB: Long post, baby is going to wake up, sorry if there are typos, grammar probs and not set out to offend the decent posters here.
Binny said
Oct 25 11:21 AM, 2019
I'm not confused about anything. Thanks for the Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the Conservative Party though.
Anonymous said
Oct 25 11:33 AM, 2019
Shameless wrote:
Fair enough Binny my mate. For the sake of clarity, I only questioned the use of the term 'vulgarity' as per my previous post. In the real world at work, there are people that may be a bit quiet but you mention Xmas is even a commercial exercise these days they get wound up.
If I was to be open and frank, Xmas, Easter, Halloween is mostly for the easily led that have little money to spare, and those that usually spend beyond their means are those that refuse to work as it's easier for them and a better lifestyle and on many occasions depending where your home is, these workshy lot are better off as those working hard, paying a mortgage, bills, travel fares, etc, etc have less disposable income than those that have their rents, other money paid. Those with mortgages, on the whole, know where their responsibilities lie.
To be very clear, please do not confuse the minority that are genuinely unemployed.
In education, rather than some BS lessons, IMHO children must be vigorously taught how to manage money, shopping, bills, bills, mortgages and how it pay dividends if you spend wisely and only really borrow money for a mortgage/home and/or businesses and never borrow money for cars/holidays/treats/presents/etc.
My brother has in the past worked for a private carrying out certain assessments and the stories he has told us, EG, generations of families where not a single person has worked in their lives and have a history of having children at the age of 16 and serval of these, different fathers and non of the fathers living there. This kind of behaviour is seen as the norm by the children so it's a vicious circle. With the recent advent of the government being harder on those out of work, sadly many plays the disability route and this, in turn, give the many genuinely disabled a bad press.
My parents are still reminding me and my siblings never to spend beyond your means, save for a rainy day, don't try to run before you can walk, an honest days works can do wonders and honesty, caring and health is wealth. Importantly, looking after your pennies initially does pay big dividends. We wanted a BMW, but we have a Ford Fiesta bought from my parents they had it from new, its 9 years old hardly anything to insure and run but if we had bought a big BMW a few years ago, we'd have next to nothing in the bank and would not have been able to overpay the mortgage.
Yes, I want a bigger, nice house and a bigger, nicer car and a second car, we don't want to work and I don't want my husband leaving home at 6-30 and back 7, 7-30 5/6 days a week but we have been brought up to look after ourselves and contribute towards the country and always remember that even when times are hard money-wise never forget that decent health will always mean you can work. Yes work not in an ideal world but work and progress yourself and when your children grow up they will act as you did.
Back to Xmas, I stand by what I have said about on the whole those that spend beyond their means are usually on benefits, vey low incomes erratic work history.
We have a CC, never paid a penny interest on it we use it when we buy larger items so just in case shop goes broke, we get our money back.
Enjoy Xmas, but 3 months of it and spending money you don't have, I'd gladly call you a dysfunctional clown.
The above post was me being very open and honest and not aimed at anyone that is genuinely out of work or works hard but circumstances make it hard for them to pay their mortgage/private rent. By 'circumstances' I not referring to self-inflicted circumstances.
NB: Long post, baby is going to wake up, sorry if there are typos, grammar probs and not set out to offend the decent posters here.
Fuck off Lucien, you weird little freak.
Shameless said
Oct 25 12:02 PM, 2019
Anonymous wrote:
Shameless wrote:
Fair enough Binny my mate. For the sake of clarity, I only questioned the use of the term 'vulgarity' as per my previous post. In the real world at work, there are people that may be a bit quiet but you mention Xmas is even a commercial exercise these days they get wound up.
If I was to be open and frank, Xmas, Easter, Halloween is mostly for the easily led that have little money to spare, and those that usually spend beyond their means are those that refuse to work as it's easier for them and a better lifestyle and on many occasions depending where your home is, these workshy lot are better off as those working hard, paying a mortgage, bills, travel fares, etc, etc have less disposable income than those that have their rents, other money paid. Those with mortgages, on the whole, know where their responsibilities lie.
To be very clear, please do not confuse the minority that are genuinely unemployed.
In education, rather than some BS lessons, IMHO children must be vigorously taught how to manage money, shopping, bills, bills, mortgages and how it pay dividends if you spend wisely and only really borrow money for a mortgage/home and/or businesses and never borrow money for cars/holidays/treats/presents/etc.
My brother has in the past worked for a private carrying out certain assessments and the stories he has told us, EG, generations of families where not a single person has worked in their lives and have a history of having children at the age of 16 and serval of these, different fathers and non of the fathers living there. This kind of behaviour is seen as the norm by the children so it's a vicious circle. With the recent advent of the government being harder on those out of work, sadly many plays the disability route and this, in turn, give the many genuinely disabled a bad press.
My parents are still reminding me and my siblings never to spend beyond your means, save for a rainy day, don't try to run before you can walk, an honest days works can do wonders and honesty, caring and health is wealth. Importantly, looking after your pennies initially does pay big dividends. We wanted a BMW, but we have a Ford Fiesta bought from my parents they had it from new, its 9 years old hardly anything to insure and run but if we had bought a big BMW a few years ago, we'd have next to nothing in the bank and would not have been able to overpay the mortgage.
Yes, I want a bigger, nice house and a bigger, nicer car and a second car, we don't want to work and I don't want my husband leaving home at 6-30 and back 7, 7-30 5/6 days a week but we have been brought up to look after ourselves and contribute towards the country and always remember that even when times are hard money-wise never forget that decent health will always mean you can work. Yes work not in an ideal world but work and progress yourself and when your children grow up they will act as you did.
Back to Xmas, I stand by what I have said about on the whole those that spend beyond their means are usually on benefits, vey low incomes erratic work history.
We have a CC, never paid a penny interest on it we use it when we buy larger items so just in case shop goes broke, we get our money back.
Enjoy Xmas, but 3 months of it and spending money you don't have, I'd gladly call you a dysfunctional clown.
The above post was me being very open and honest and not aimed at anyone that is genuinely out of work or works hard but circumstances make it hard for them to pay their mortgage/private rent. By 'circumstances' I not referring to self-inflicted circumstances.
NB: Long post, baby is going to wake up, sorry if there are typos, grammar probs and not set out to offend the decent posters here.
Fuck off Lucien, you weird little freak.
I'm not even going to try to explain to a gutless weirdo who I am other than state that I have certainly touched a very raw, a very workshy raw nerve. If the caps fits, WEAR IT weirdo and have the guts to sign in or you too fearful I'll call you out.
Shameless said
Oct 25 12:05 PM, 2019
Binny wrote:
I'm not confused about anything. Thanks for the Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the Conservative Party though.
No problem mate. FYI, I have no affiliation to any political party but please feel free to make your own mind up.
Anonymous said
Oct 25 12:08 PM, 2019
Shameless wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Shameless wrote:
Fair enough Binny my mate. For the sake of clarity, I only questioned the use of the term 'vulgarity' as per my previous post. In the real world at work, there are people that may be a bit quiet but you mention Xmas is even a commercial exercise these days they get wound up.
If I was to be open and frank, Xmas, Easter, Halloween is mostly for the easily led that have little money to spare, and those that usually spend beyond their means are those that refuse to work as it's easier for them and a better lifestyle and on many occasions depending where your home is, these workshy lot are better off as those working hard, paying a mortgage, bills, travel fares, etc, etc have less disposable income than those that have their rents, other money paid. Those with mortgages, on the whole, know where their responsibilities lie.
To be very clear, please do not confuse the minority that are genuinely unemployed.
In education, rather than some BS lessons, IMHO children must be vigorously taught how to manage money, shopping, bills, bills, mortgages and how it pay dividends if you spend wisely and only really borrow money for a mortgage/home and/or businesses and never borrow money for cars/holidays/treats/presents/etc.
My brother has in the past worked for a private carrying out certain assessments and the stories he has told us, EG, generations of families where not a single person has worked in their lives and have a history of having children at the age of 16 and serval of these, different fathers and non of the fathers living there. This kind of behaviour is seen as the norm by the children so it's a vicious circle. With the recent advent of the government being harder on those out of work, sadly many plays the disability route and this, in turn, give the many genuinely disabled a bad press.
My parents are still reminding me and my siblings never to spend beyond your means, save for a rainy day, don't try to run before you can walk, an honest days works can do wonders and honesty, caring and health is wealth. Importantly, looking after your pennies initially does pay big dividends. We wanted a BMW, but we have a Ford Fiesta bought from my parents they had it from new, its 9 years old hardly anything to insure and run but if we had bought a big BMW a few years ago, we'd have next to nothing in the bank and would not have been able to overpay the mortgage.
Yes, I want a bigger, nice house and a bigger, nicer car and a second car, we don't want to work and I don't want my husband leaving home at 6-30 and back 7, 7-30 5/6 days a week but we have been brought up to look after ourselves and contribute towards the country and always remember that even when times are hard money-wise never forget that decent health will always mean you can work. Yes work not in an ideal world but work and progress yourself and when your children grow up they will act as you did.
Back to Xmas, I stand by what I have said about on the whole those that spend beyond their means are usually on benefits, vey low incomes erratic work history.
We have a CC, never paid a penny interest on it we use it when we buy larger items so just in case shop goes broke, we get our money back.
Enjoy Xmas, but 3 months of it and spending money you don't have, I'd gladly call you a dysfunctional clown.
The above post was me being very open and honest and not aimed at anyone that is genuinely out of work or works hard but circumstances make it hard for them to pay their mortgage/private rent. By 'circumstances' I not referring to self-inflicted circumstances.
NB: Long post, baby is going to wake up, sorry if there are typos, grammar probs and not set out to offend the decent posters here.
Fuck off Lucien, you weird little freak.
I'm not even going to try to explain to a gutless weirdo who I am other than state that I have certainly touched a very raw, a very workshy raw nerve. If the caps fits, WEAR IT weirdo and have the guts to sign in or you too fearful I'll call you out.
We all know who you are, you're not fooling anyone here.
Once a freak, always a fucking freak.
Binny said
Oct 25 12:12 PM, 2019
Call them out anyway if you think you know who it is.
The week before last in the local shops the had partial Christmas displays.
When I was a child I did wish it was Christmas every day but not now.
To start decors this early IMO makes the special day less meaningful.
As I get older, to much is focused on the one day and many, including my
the family have fallen out over Christmas. Thankfully it
was not hand to hand combat.
Yes, if you have children of a young age/babies/etc you may think differently.
My nephew who was ten this year, his eyes lit up when his parents bought him one
of those drone things and that made us all happy.
But I still think this festive period is too money orientated and less family-focused.
Couldn't agree more. By the time Christmas day comes around it's a huge anti climax and I'm sick to death of it. I think it should be a law that Christmas can't be mentioned in the media or shops until December.
I don’t even think about Christmas till 2 week before the event.
Stores should be fined for having Christmas stuff in October!
Christmas, unless you are religious, is mainly for kids imo, once the kids grow up it loses some of it's sparkle....till grandkids come along that is.
For adult's it is nice to remember family and friends, meet up, party, buy a gift, send a card, etc....but it just starts far too early because it's now mostly a money making game for suppliers of goods.
Having said that...I do enjoy it all, and the garden centres especially do look very pretty.
There is a road near me that is just garden centres, one long road with garden centres on both sides. its amazing. Christmas treat for the kids and so many craft areas too.
I am not a fan of Christmas. I like the day but the build-up is stupid. Just like everything, its commercialised and just money-making.
We don't do big gifts. I give the girls an IOU for a day out and sleepover. we try to find each other unusual things from charity shops.
me and my eldest don't do gifts, but I send my middle child some money to buy something for the family rather than smaller money gifts to each of them.
We seem to be starting a tradition where I have my breakfast (Vegan :( boo ) at my daughter's with the kids before they head off to wherever they are going.. It's nice and I get to see them open their presents. get my fix of cuddles
I spend the day at the local church/community and prep meals and do games etc for those alone at Christmas. It did start out for homeless but grew to involve anyone who is alone. Its great and throughout the day people pop in for chats (and to bring gifts) with those on their own or on the street. that is Christmas day, boxing day and new years day.
Thirty minutes on the train from Kings Cross is Crews Hill in Enfield. For those without green fingers its claim to have one of the largest concentrations of garden centres, nurseries and aquatics centres in the UK might set you yawning, yet Crews Hill hides oddities, quirks and surprises that the adventurous Londoner should head north to witness.
Back in the 1900s, Enfield was full of market gardens with glass-houses covering several hundred acres* but as industry and housing sprawled north, Theobalds Park Farm at Crews Hill was left the sole large-scale producer, supplying vegetables, plants and flowers to the London markets. As demand for imported goods grew in the 60s, the entrepreneurs of Crews Hill switched their trade to garden centres and nurseries.
So, what's it like today? Turn left out of the train station and the immediate view is of a mile of garden-oriented businesses laid out on either side of the road. Mega garden centres are mixed with specialist retailers (e.g. fence panels, bonsai, mulch, fake grass) and plots where a whole range of small traders have flocked together (e.g. a pet grooming parlour, new age shop, recording studio and vintage emporium).
Some of the garden centres are still flourishing, like the massive Enfield Garden Centre with its proud fake windmill and Wolden's, which is celebrating 50 years. Phoenix Rose looks less glamorous sited in a plastic hangar of former greenhouses. It still offers traditional garden centre wares but has diversified haphazardly with clothing and shoe concessions, Anglian Home Improvements, oak furniture, new kitchens and chandeliers on sale.
Across the road, Springtime Nurseries has a massive end of season sale on to make way for its annual Christmas Wonderland — possibly the biggest Christmas shop and largest Santa's Grotto on the planet. Part of it is already in place. Come through the entrance and you're standing in a fake market town replete with stalls bearing the name of London's famous markets proffering Christmas ales, preserves and ye olde goods. It is still September, however, and if you make it over to the far side of the huge greenhouse structure past the napkins, silk flowers, giant glassware, faded stationery, huge One Direction poster and the Christmas decoration display you'll find their Halloween shop. If you're lucky you'll be in there alone and the shop assistant will shit you up with one of many terrifyingly unexpected gimmicks**.
The specialists are apparently thriving and proud to be part of "Britain's horticultural mile" — several proclaim they are 'of Crews Hill'. If it's fake grass you're after then the Fake Grass Company is at your disposal and prices on gravel and topsoil (which diggers were excavating from a soil mountain at the back of the lot) from Thompson's are definitely far better than you'd get in a general garden centre in town.
You can spend a whole day at Crews Hill exploring its quirky mix of genuine good value stuff for the garden side by side with some bizarre retail efforts in acres of greenhouses that hark back to another age. There are plenty of cafes and a decent family pub too. For those willing to explore Enfield a little further, Whitewebbs Transport Museum is close by and Forty Hall Estate with its grand house and gardens is about a 20 minute walk.
I prefer going to Midnght Mass and the service in the morning. I hate the vulgarity of Christmas.
Sounds nice Smithy, if people are blessed Christmas should be about family.
The word "vulgarity of Christmas" a tad strong IMO.
People at work get wound up when I talk about the 'commercialisation' of Xmas
and I dread to think what they would do to me if I used the word you used. I'm
referring to a small group of the born again mob at my place of work.
I am encouraged to see like-minded posts and when I posted this topic I was in fairness a bit
anxious about what posters may say.
Slight OT, Easter is the same overdone for money.
I agree with Binny. It is vulgar, extremely vulgar and gets more so every year. shops close for one day and people acting like they are closed for 6 weeks. Huge overflowing trollies, sometimes even two trollies, people going into debt to buy things no one needs. domestic violence goes into overdrive as does depression as people try to find that perfect wonderful Christmas, Not realising to find that perfect wonderful Christmas is to not do any of those things they believe Christmas is about There isn't anything more vulgar that the commercialisation of Christmas that we have today.
Yes Smithy, it's just weeks and weeks of it as well. All that panic buying for one day when the shops are shut, trolley rage, drunken office parties for weeks beforehand, people thinking it's ok to sexually assault each other in a drunken mess. The crap food you pay through the nose for and the crap cheapo wine, boring bloody crap music disco. Shite Christmas music blaring out in shopping malls. Arghhhhh
-- Edited by Binny on Friday 25th of October 2019 10:53:45 AM
If I was to be open and frank, Xmas, Easter, Halloween is mostly for the easily led that have little money to spare, and those that usually spend beyond their means are those that refuse to work as it's easier for them and a better lifestyle and on many occasions depending where your home is, these workshy lot are better off as those working hard, paying a mortgage, bills, travel fares, etc, etc have less disposable income than those that have their rents, other money paid. Those with mortgages, on the whole, know where their responsibilities lie.
To be very clear, please do not confuse the minority that are genuinely unemployed.
In education, rather than some BS lessons, IMHO children must be vigorously taught how to manage money, shopping, bills, bills, mortgages and how it pay dividends if you spend wisely and only really borrow money for a mortgage/home and/or businesses and never borrow money for cars/holidays/treats/presents/etc.
My brother has in the past worked for a private carrying out certain assessments and the stories he has told us, EG, generations of families where not a single person has worked in their lives and have a history of having children at the age of 16 and serval of these, different fathers and non of the fathers living there. This kind of behaviour is seen as the norm by the children so it's a vicious circle. With the recent advent of the government being harder on those out of work, sadly many plays the disability route and this, in turn, give the many genuinely disabled a bad press.
My parents are still reminding me and my siblings never to spend beyond your means, save for a rainy day, don't try to run before you can walk, an honest days works can do wonders and honesty, caring and health is wealth. Importantly, looking after your pennies initially does pay big dividends.
We wanted a BMW, but we have a Ford Fiesta bought from my parents they had it from new, its 9 years old hardly anything to insure and run but if we had bought a big BMW a few years ago, we'd have next to nothing in the bank and would not have been able to overpay the mortgage.
Yes, I want a bigger, nice house and a bigger, nicer car and a second car, we don't want to work and I don't want my husband leaving home at 6-30 and back 7, 7-30 5/6 days a week but we have been brought up to look after ourselves and contribute towards the country and always remember that even when times are hard money-wise never forget that decent health will always mean you can work. Yes work not in an ideal world but work and progress yourself and when your children grow up they will act as you did.
Back to Xmas, I stand by what I have said about on the whole those that spend beyond their means are usually on benefits, vey low incomes erratic work history.
We have a CC, never paid a penny interest on it we use it when we buy larger items so just in case shop goes broke, we get our money back.
Enjoy Xmas, but 3 months of it and spending money you don't have, I'd gladly call you a dysfunctional clown.
The above post was me being very open and honest and not aimed at anyone that is genuinely out of work or works hard but circumstances make it hard for them to pay their mortgage/private rent. By 'circumstances' I not referring to self-inflicted circumstances.
NB: Long post, baby is going to wake up, sorry if there are typos, grammar probs and not set out to offend the decent posters here.
I'm not confused about anything. Thanks for the Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the Conservative Party though.
Fuck off Lucien, you weird little freak.
I'm not even going to try to explain to a gutless weirdo who I am other than state that I have certainly touched a very raw, a very workshy raw nerve. If the caps fits, WEAR IT weirdo and have the guts to sign in or you too fearful I'll call you out.
No problem mate. FYI, I have no affiliation to any political party but please feel free to make your own mind up.
We all know who you are, you're not fooling anyone here.
Once a freak, always a fucking freak.
Call them out anyway if you think you know who it is.