Christmas in Films, Music, Stories, Poems and Traditions

I heard Sandy Toksvig discussing a 'traditional' Danish Christmas this morning (24 November) on Radio 4 which I found very interesting.

She also described how the (real) candles on the Christmas tree would be lit after Christmas Dinner by the men after the women had left the room, the women returning when the tree was in full glory fully lit (well the candles fully lit I would think!)

I remember in my childhood that there were advertisements on the television every year warning people not to light candles on Christmas trees, and a house round the corner from me caught fire from someone doing this.  I seem to remember some stately home (perhaps a National Trust property?) saying it was having real candles on a Christmas tree as part of its Christmas decorations. I am sure they would have took all necessary precautions to prevent a spread of fire though!

Thought I would put this picture here of an idea I had for a paganesque picture featuring the 'Holly King' and drawn by an artist friend from my idea.

The coat of holly always makes me itch looking at it, I suppose it would be a bit waterproof but still need a thick woolly vest underneath

In the 'traditions' category, I always look out for the first Christmas decorations and first Christmas tree of the season in a private house (not a shop or public building).

Today (21st November) I spotted the first fully decorated house of this Christmas, but without a tree.  A few days later than usual!

Christmas for me was always very prescribed - there were birthdays & anniversaries nailed onto it so when the people involved died, I was free to have the Christmas I wanted rather than have to take part in other people's craziness.

We do the tree together and wrap all the presents while enjoying a glass (or two) of wine.

We have toys from each other - I think it is very important that it should be fun - I don't want boring things as there's enough misery for the rest of the year.

We sometimes go out for Christmas dinner but this year we're doing it ourselves at home. We did the full Disney Florida Christmas a couple of years ago - which was odd - Christmas trees in 86 degrees.

On Christmas morning, I have a playlist on the computer with a bunch of classics playing while we open our presents.

My all time favourite song is Greg Lake's I believe in Father Christmas because I think the last two lines say it all (it always brings tears to my eyes).

Hallelujah, Noel be it heaven or hell
The Christmas we get we deserve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPm6CheT6rs

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pop along to Woolworths

Woolworths was a shop that didn't deserve it's fate. Butterscotch, discounted video games, and lots of things you only realise you need out of the blue, just like those decorations, Woolies had you covered.

Sweet picture! Almost too cute to look at! Lol, I'm getting all soft!

Yeah, I'd always feel better around my dog. Never judged me. Was used to my weird quirks. Didn't take offence to my sarcastic comments. I know that he didn't understand most of it all, but it was nice to have company where I didn't have to watch myself! I could sing, talk to myself, and stim like mad.

My dog was the same, he got old and frail, but the snow would put the devil in him. He'd get totally amped up. It was hard to calm him down, truth be told I didn't want to!

The other day my mom was watching Hatchiko when I went round, I had to leave before I started crying like a ***. Never watch that film if you miss your dog! I'm a pretty emotionless person on the surface, but that is something I can't watch. It is pure emotional Kryptonite to me!

Just made a depressing post about missing my dog, one thing that always pops up at Christmas.

Anyway a list of good things about Christmas, and some of my family celebrate Hannukah. Double whammy. A bit tiring but it's worth it.

Most Christmas music is ***, but Slade is great, and that Wings one with the synth too. It's a Wonderful Life, corny, schmaltzy, but the quintessential Christmas film. Watching the Darts championships with my dad. Watching some black and white stuff with my nan. Helping mom cook. Going over to my exes and getting drunk with her family. Anticipation of the weird, useless, present my cousin will buy, every year it gets stranger, and more funny. Mince Pies, Gelt Cake, Baked Camembert with home made giant croutons, and red onion marmalade, Brandy Snaps, Canolis with cherry jam, big bags of Pistachio nuts, brisket, smoked salmon, well yeah food in general. Seeing my friends and probably having a few drinks, games of Street Fighter. The whole gamate of awesome Christmas films that aren't supposed to be Christmas films but get shown every year, Goonies, Clash of the Titans, Krull, Lethal Weapon, Gremlins, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and you get it.

It's been a pretty rough time of it lately, but I'm determined to have a good Christmas. Going to try and have a mindless stereotypical Christmas as best I can. I'll probably run out of energy but I'm going to try.

Oh but one thing I really hate about Christmas is glitter, *** glitter, whoever invented it should be reviled in history as the absolute scum they are. 

Yes, we miss Duke every day. He was a larger Han life character, a huge personality in a little body. He was my friend and protector. When I was out with him I felt so much more confident. So sorry to hear about your dog. Your description is making me smile a lot! I know exactly what you mean about them plowing through the snow! Duke used to get snowballs and balls of ice on his undercarriage, but he didn't care! It snowed this last winter and although he was getting very tired because of his heart failure he still wanted to go out and play in it. 

I miss my dog most at Christmas. I got him at Christmas. It snowed that year and he loved snow. It snowed the second day I had him and he put his face in the snow and just plowed through it. Hardly came up for air, never seen anything like it! I had to be careful walking him in the snow, I thought he'd suffocate! He never got over it, snow was always something that made him go nuts! He knew it was Christmas too. Clever little *** knew everyone would get him a treat! I was lucky he lived until he was 19. That's one downer about Christmas, I miss my dog. Sorry to hear you'll probably be missing Duke.

There are workshops on four days, on how to cope with Christmas. 

At infant school we made bright red letter boxes out of fairy liquid bottles or toilet rolls, with cotton wool snow at the base mounted in card, I remember the vivid bright gloss red paint and the strong chemical smell which I liked, the red paint keeps flashing up in my memory all the time, I have no idea why,, maybe it was a happy day? Didn’t have many,,, Well can’t remember any actually, mostly only the bad things, ah well, I think maybe I actually got to help make one! 

Also fir cones in either gold or silver paint, berries collected from the local school holly trees, plus the holly,,, paper chain decorations, lick one end and loop through and stick together, at home we used ordinary coloured wrapping paper cut into strips and sellotape, oh and crepe paper was used to make crackers with toilet roll tubes, Christmas tree lights, fairy lights never worked straight away, pop along to Woolworths and try to find some that matched, one was always white tipped, it was a fuse bulb, no fancy flashing bulbs, the same glass baubles every year, if they broke all he’ll as they were evil and sharp,,, glass splinters every where, we had tinsel but it was very stiff wired and only green or red, 

a nice little trip down memory lane thank you.

 ( oh and as an adult I don’t enjoy Christmas, it goes on to long and being stuck indoors watching tv is and has never been my idea of fun,,, just lots of waiting around, the days and hours just blend together, sleep patterns go out the window, time drags, nothing is open, I do enjoy the quite days when no cars can be heard or the usual noises on an estate like this, just wish it would be thick thick fog more often, it keeps everyone indoors, no cars,, silence,,,,quite and peaceful.)

That Mind workshop sounds really interesting. A lot of people find Christmas a really difficult time, me included. I find work xmas meals really tricky and plan to send my apologies this year. 

Usually my dad and I would bring home a tree slightly too tall for the room then we would have to trim a bit off the base. I particularly liked the fine silver strands we decorated the tree with - I think they were called lametta or something similar. At school we would make paper chains to decorate the classroom. Glitter and cotton wool also featured when we were making Christmas decorations. I remember making peppermint creams at school one year, very sweet and sickly. The best Christmas Day ever was the one we spent delivering lunch to elderly people living on their own. The worst ones have been spending time with people, but not fitting in, and ending up feeling even more isolated and alone. 

Untangling the fairly lights and looking for the dud bulbs.  That brings back memories. 

In my childhood we always had a live tree, 7 or 8 feet tall.  Then all the needles falling off.

As a child a tradition was me going and buying a Christmas tree with my dad. We then spent ages untangling the fairy lights. Inevitably they would not work to begin with. Then came the fun of finding the dud bulb. I remember delicate glass baubles, birds with fibre glass tails, paper Chinese lanterns. The fairy on top of the tree was given to me by a little boy called Duncan when I was 4 years old. I can still remember him walking down the garden path with it. She had wire through the holes where her legs used to be, a white dress, moulded blonde hair and a silver tinsel crown and wings. 

These days we eat a special meal on Christmas Eve then take the leftovers out as a picnic lunch on Christmas Day. We go for a walk somewhere with our dog. I am wearing my Santa onesie and beard. We lost Duke in August to heart disease so this year will be the first Christmas with our new dog Izzy. It remains to be seen if she likes the festive season as much as Duke did. He absolutely loved coming up on to our bed on Christmas Day to unwrap his presents, there would be bits of wrapping paper flying everywhere and sellotape stuck to his beard. We still miss him. I am taking some roses to where we scattered his ashes tomorrow. 

  Christmas!! !!!!

I don't know what to say????

I'm sure other people's Christmases are better and more normal than mine.

Mostly I enjoy the TV at home.  At Christmas time there are the old favourites and a couple of new movies.

This year and for the past ten years or so I will be visiting my sister and her family.  I have been invited and I have accepted.  Unfortunately they regard me as a weird mental case.  I usually only visit them two or three times a year.

In my childhood I was always at home at Christmas. I was NEVER invited to anyone's home.  My mother had a lifelong cooking and food obsession.  She always cooked too much and insisted we eat it all up.  We always spent a lot time decorating the tree. I received very few cards.

On Christmas day itself,  my father went to church alone.  Then went out visiting family and friends.  I was never invited to go with him and nobody visited us.  It was just the three of us spending time at home.

This year, the local mind centre is running workshops, titled 'coping with Christmas ' I intend to sign up.

Meant a lot as a child. Means a lot now I have nephews and a niece. Also Christmas not Christmas without Arthur Christmas and A Muppets Christmas Carol

I love Christmas. I love the traditions. Big and small. I love Christmas music and films and adverts and I love buying and wrapping presents. I don't always deal that well with Christmas day though. It is rare there is a year that I don't get overwhelmed or upset by something. I'm also finding it harder as I get older as the routine of our Christmas day slowly changes. I like to do the same things every Christmas. I think I probably enjoy the build up more than the actual day.