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Post by racingteatray on Dec 18, 2020 11:59:22 GMT
Thinking about it, I've never had a meal on Christmas Day anywhere other than a private home. Never occurred to me to do otherwise. We all have our traditions, but I'm not sure I'd want to eat out on Christmas Day, even if it was just my wife and me.
It's a bit like when my wife suggested that we escape to say the Turks & Caicos or St Lucia for Christmas this year. I objected on the basis that I like my Christmas to feel, well, Christmassy. And, however nice a week in a fancy beach hotel in the Caribbean might be, it's just not my idea of Christmas. I too can be quite traditional when I want to be!!
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Post by PetrolEd on Dec 18, 2020 12:26:19 GMT
Thinking about it, I've never had a meal on Christmas Day anywhere other than a private home. Never occurred to me to do otherwise. We all have our traditions, but I'm not sure I'd want to eat out on Christmas Day, even if it was just my wife and me. It's a bit like when my wife suggested that we escape to say the Turks & Caicos or St Lucia for Christmas this year. I objected on the basis that I like my Christmas to feel, well, Christmassy. And, however nice a week in a fancy beach hotel in the Caribbean might be, it's just not my idea of Christmas. I too can be quite traditional when I want to be!! Seeing as this year just doesn't feel very much like Christmas I'd have escaped in a heartbeat. The idea of sitting on a beach in glorious sunshine seems ideal to me. |
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Post by chipbutty on Dec 18, 2020 12:31:12 GMT
It gets worse
Apparently every single child returning to school is going to be tested for Covid (irrespective of symptoms).
No idea who is going to administer the tests, but I guess it will be teachers after reading a phamplet.
Hmm - that's going to be a spectacular success and will no doubt be the driver behind " Lockdown 3 - Hancock's Revenge ".
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Post by Roadrunner on Dec 18, 2020 12:46:38 GMT
Thinking about it, I've never had a meal on Christmas Day anywhere other than a private home. Never occurred to me to do otherwise. We all have our traditions, but I'm not sure I'd want to eat out on Christmas Day, even if it was just my wife and me. It's a bit like when my wife suggested that we escape to say the Turks & Caicos or St Lucia for Christmas this year. I objected on the basis that I like my Christmas to feel, well, Christmassy. And, however nice a week in a fancy beach hotel in the Caribbean might be, it's just not my idea of Christmas. I too can be quite traditional when I want to be!! This is exactly my position as well. Christmas just seems wrong if it does not involve heavy doses of Cotswold or Worcestershire village life and log fires. The sunny beach resort would be close to the very bottom of my list, somewhere close to 'Caribbean cruise' and 'lengthy prison sentence'. |
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Post by Martin on Dec 18, 2020 12:48:56 GMT
As a teenager we went somewhere warm for 2 weeks every Christmas / NY and it was great, you really don’t need to be cold to feel festive!
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Post by Roadrunner on Dec 18, 2020 12:53:17 GMT
As a teenager we went somewhere warm for 2 weeks every Christmas / NY and it was great, you really don’t need to be cold to feel festive! I suppose it is all about what you have grown up with. For me, Christmas Eve in the village pub, with friends I have known since primary school is solid gold and I wouldn't miss that for the world. Not going to happen this year, but I shall still get to chat to some, since my mother's house / front garden is the social hub of the village. |
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Post by racingteatray on Dec 18, 2020 13:18:27 GMT
Thanks to divorced parents, scattered family and a foreign wife, over the years, I've spent Christmas in many different places - England, Scotland (Islay), Italy, Switzerland, France and Germany, but they were always very traditional family affairs in someone's home with all the trimmings.
But even in Italy or the south of France, where in some years the weather was pretty mild and lovely, you're still not talking 30 degrees and beachwear.
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Post by LandieMark on Dec 18, 2020 14:39:05 GMT
I dislike being away at Christmas - the only exception was when we went to Vail for the Milennium - that was fabulous and very festive.
We are dining with friends - the landlady of the pub and her partner. We would normally dine at the pub in the afternoon after going to the hostel bar for a few drinks prior. I will miss it this year. Christmas Dinner for two is a lot of effort so I would rather eat out.
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Post by michael on Dec 18, 2020 14:49:40 GMT
I've spent Christmas in Australia a few times and they pretty much ruin everything. The buffet lunch, the gathering in the garden in summer-wear it simply doesn't work.
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Post by Big Blue on Dec 18, 2020 16:24:05 GMT
We’ve just bought a decent sized business (£400m revenue), which has quite a large drinks division that services pubs/clubs/restaurants, it’s a concern. But is it a going concern? I'll get me coat....... |
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Post by Big Blue on Dec 18, 2020 16:29:55 GMT
Had Christmas and New Year in Kenya once. Weird affair as we went to a colonial club for Christmas such and it was a nice meal with the most dire atmosphere I could imagine. Then we arrived back in Dusseldorf and I was wearing clothes suitable for Kenya. It was about -5C with wind howling down the platform as we waited for the S-Bahn.
Now I eat carp and wafers with raw garlic and honey at Christmas so perhaps Kenya wasn't so weird after all.
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Post by Martin on Dec 18, 2020 16:40:50 GMT
Now I eat carp and wafers with raw garlic and honey at Christmas so perhaps Kenya wasn't so weird after all. Nobody can top that as a reason for spending Christmas at home!!  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2020 16:54:11 GMT
Definitely stepping away from the Norm and all the better for it. I think Duck this year so not as adventurous.
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Post by michael on Dec 18, 2020 17:30:58 GMT
My sister in law has now bailed out of Christmas. They'd be coming up from Kent and she didn't want to be responsible for the death of her parents which is fair enough. Hopefully we can all make something of Easter when the vaccine should have sorted out the most at-risk groups.
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Post by PG on Dec 18, 2020 17:39:36 GMT
My SIL is supposed to be coming to stay for a couple of days at Christmas. She was hoping to spend christmas at home and her daughter was coming over to stay, but that looks like it is off as my niece is a chef and can't pre-isolate etc and my SIL is a real worrier about Covid. I say "supposed" as she cancelled last week and then changed her mind back to coming again. I think she reads the Guardian and listens to radio 4 each morning and panics.
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 18, 2020 18:44:03 GMT
The sunny beach resort would be close to the very bottom of my list, somewhere close to 'Caribbean cruise' and 'lengthy prison sentence'. Same here; for me Christmas is about being with the family, at one of the family's homes. Definitely not in a hotel or restaurant |
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Post by humphreythepug on Dec 19, 2020 8:48:28 GMT
Just the three of us for dinner; me, the wife and youngest, then off to my eldest's for the evening (we are her "support bubble"). Very different to normal years of a fairly busy Christmas at home, TBH I'm quite looking forward to a quieter one.
Then lockdown 3!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2020 10:15:01 GMT
Are Bruce Willis or Arnie in it?
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Dec 19, 2020 10:42:39 GMT
Thinking about it, I've never had a meal on Christmas Day anywhere other than a private home. Never occurred to me to do otherwise. We all have our traditions, but I'm not sure I'd want to eat out on Christmas Day, even if it was just my wife and me. It's a bit like when my wife suggested that we escape to say the Turks & Caicos or St Lucia for Christmas this year. I objected on the basis that I like my Christmas to feel, well, Christmassy. And, however nice a week in a fancy beach hotel in the Caribbean might be, it's just not my idea of Christmas. I too can be quite traditional when I want to be!! Same here. I have a friend who always walks along to the local pub and has a great Christmas dinner there and it does sound good when he talks about it but I like the whole day, the cooking, the drinking, present opening. I also love all the leftovers so you can make yourself a big turkey sandwich with all the trimmings later in the evening, and use up the rest over the next few days. |
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Post by humphreythepug on Dec 19, 2020 11:04:35 GMT
Christmas Dinner at the local does appeal to us and we almost booked it this year but circa £350 (once a decent tip and a few drinks are added to the bill) for 3, is a load of dosh.
We just like the idea of lazy morning with no food prep, maybe a dog walk and then wander up to the pub, have a lovely meal in probably a great atmosphere and stagger home afterwards to a kitchen that needs no tidying.
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Post by LandieMark on Dec 19, 2020 12:16:10 GMT
Christmas Dinner at the local does appeal to us and we almost booked it this year but circa £350 (once a decent tip and a few drinks are added to the bill) for 3, is a load of dosh. We just like the idea of lazy morning with no food prep, maybe a dog walk and then wander up to the pub, have a lovely meal in probably a great atmosphere and stagger home afterwards to a kitchen that needs no tidying. That's one of the main reasons we do usually go out. We also have the horses to muck out and feed, so keeping it somewhere local is useful. We tend to have a big Christmas ham and party food on Boxing day at home. |
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Post by Martin on Dec 19, 2020 12:25:19 GMT
We’ve talked about eating out, but I do like having Christmas Lunch at home. Having a nice breakfast, then lunch a bit later (3ish) means the morning isn’t so rushed. It’s quite relaxed for me anyway, as I’m in charge of drinks not food! Another factor is I’ve not found anywhere that does roast potatoes as well as Lindsay plus like Bob, I absolutely love a Turkey and all the trimmings sandwich.
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 19, 2020 15:24:09 GMT
Christmas Dinner at the local does appeal to us and we almost booked it this year but circa £350 (once a decent tip and a few drinks are added to the bill) for 3, is a load of dosh. We just like the idea of lazy morning with no food prep, maybe a dog walk and then wander up to the pub, have a lovely meal in probably a great atmosphere and stagger home afterwards to a kitchen that needs no tidying. ... and then Boris put Surrey into Tier 3 and all the restaurants have had to close. I understand that there are no exceptions for the Christmas period, in fact there are currently rumours that The Dictator is going to make another announcement in about half an hour and make our lives even more miserable and lonely. |
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Post by LandieMark on Dec 19, 2020 16:09:36 GMT
He's hardly a dictator and Boris has actually been against locking people down in general. You need to direct your anger to the opposition and the advisors.
Doesn't sound good though.
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Post by michael on Dec 19, 2020 16:25:01 GMT
The pandemic has changed so have the rules. If you think Boris Johnson wanted to do this you're out of your mind.
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Post by Martin on Dec 19, 2020 16:36:29 GMT
So....only Christmas Day and London / South East into Tier 4 which sounds like it was back in March.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Dec 19, 2020 16:39:48 GMT
Tier 2 to Tier 4 in four days. Have you all been walking around licking each other in the South?
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 19, 2020 17:00:54 GMT
Tier 2 to Tier 4 in four days. Have you all been walking around licking each other in the South? All I can say is "Boris, you bastard". None of us in our family has had the virus, and I am sure I am not alone in not even knowing anyone who has had the virus. All plans for the festive season now destroyed, the only thing that has given me any hope for the past few weeks was going to be able to see daughters and grand-daughters for a few days and now that has been cruelly snatched away by someone who said only a few days ago it would be alright (or words to that effect). What do I do with the food I have bought ready, ditto for restaurants who had bought food on the basis they were told they would be able to re-open. All efforts to follow the rules wasted. As you say, now can we go from tier 2 to a new tier 4 in 4 days? The government really is out to destroy the voters. How can Boris bring almost the entire country to a halt again, just because there is a a virus about? This will set my mental health back significantly, Boris you bastard |
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Post by johnc on Dec 19, 2020 17:06:17 GMT
Tier 2 to Tier 4 in four days. Have you all been walking around licking each other in the South? All I can say is "Boris, you bastard". None of us in our family has had the virus, and I am sure I am not alone in not even knowing anyone who has had the virus. All plans for the festive season now destroyed, the only thing that has given me any hope for the past few weeks was going to be able to see daughters and grand-daughters for a few days and now that has been cruelly snatched away by someone who said only a few days ago it would be alright (or words to that effect). What do I do with the food I have bought ready, ditto for restaurants who had bought food on the basis they were told they would be able to re-open. All efforts to follow the rules wasted. As you say, now can we go from tier 2 to a new tier 4 in 4 days? The government really is out to destroy the voters. How can Boris bring almost the entire country to a halt again, just because there is a a virus about? This will set my mental health back significantly, Boris you bastard Can you not still form a bubble? |
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Post by Martin on Dec 19, 2020 17:10:22 GMT
Support and childcare bubbles are still allowed in Tier 4
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