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Just a reminder for all of you with rugrats & anklebiters :) soon be time for the Jolly Gent in red, to keep track of Santa & his little helpers.

NORAD Santa

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Just a bit of information about the red gent, he was coca cola invention, a sure sign that we are all guided by big business

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used to do this every year with my little girl till the ex wife did one, can't wait until the little man is old enough, a surefire way to get them to bed!

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Don't be such a Grinch :rolleyes: And if you're going to pick holes in the magic
(Thomas Nast 1862) Thomas Nast

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Oh No! It only seems two minutes since the last one.

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I'm skint so it must be close:D

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I hate christmas, all the extra traffic, the manic buying, the incesant "merry music" blasted from shops. The drunken "christmas parties" ,
I thought it was a religious festival not a self indulgent period.
Now I am not against other people have a festive christmas, but why do I have to cue for hours to get in and out of asda car park. The store is besieged with people stocking up for what is only one day of closure, and what do people do with all that bread.
there is also the christmas card game, the having to quickely send one back to someone you didnt sent one to in the first round but they sent you one, but telling them you have only just sent them all out.
If you have kids then it is a magical time, and I want you to enjoy the period, just keep me out of it. Most people come down to earth when they look at the credit card bill, or the bank balance (it is not so festive then)

Myself, I dont want my bells to be jingling, or my ding dong merily on high
I have to go for a lie down now, all the blood has rushed to my head, so i'm of to a darkened room.




by the way merry christmas

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Bah Humbug:D:hidewall:

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Ho goody goody gum drops, the Great Escape, is in the offing AGAIN:D

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Ooh ! I think I've found a nest of Grinches !!! :D

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a strange man visiting kids bedrooms, seems a bit worrying to me.:eek::D

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and parents take their kids to sit on his knee in grottos, oh yes!

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He's ben CRB'd, vetted & done the NSPCC Child protection training course, the Reindeer have all been house trained, chipped & are up to date on their rabies jabs so everything's fine. :)

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And you need to stop hanging round said grottoes ! :D

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Just a thought Dave, if you want an insight (sort of) into the true meaning of Christmas try these :D

A Christmas parable (Journey. I) - Accrington Web

A Christmas parable (Arrival. II) - Accrington Web

A Christmas parable (Strangers meet. III) - Accrington Web

Enjoy & a Merry Christmas to you too Ebeneezer Grinch. ;)

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I read them , it took a bit of time, but read them I did.
It still does not detract from my epistle.
I have no desire to stop people having as much yo ho ho as possible, but this starts in mid november, and try as I might I am unable to stop the force feeding of the festive season right up my nose.
I hope everyones wishes come true, and they get what they want, sometimes its what they deserve !

so I hope you jingle your bells, and deck the halls, and your ding dong is extremely merry on high.

ps. I like grottos as they remind me of my darkened room.

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Is there space in that darkened room for a little one........I promise to behave and be very very quiet.

I can't wait for it all to be over with.......the wrapping paper recycled, the baubles put away, the lights neatly boxed away and the pine needles swept up.........and normal service resumed in the shops.

Yes, Merry Christmas and a happy thingy.

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If that bearded man in the red suit, smelling of stale beer and fags is there...........I will go and look for my own darkened room....them elves are a right pain too.

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I also can't wait fer it to be oer, great fer kids, crap when they grown up, besides goin away jan 3rd, so sooner the better.

Well, if I was ever in a Police line-up, I wouldn't want you to be their star witness, you just gave my description to the world, except for one very important point, I do not, never have, nor will I ever own a red suit. (According to rindy, such an ensamble would clash with my bloodshot eyes).
As for Christmas starting in November, I'm almost certain in fact I'm absolutely bloody sure, it started in September.
Can't wait for January the second when the Easter eggs are back on the shelves.

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If you need it Less i still have a Santa suit from one of your better supported accyweb meets if you need it.:D

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Less in a Father Christmas outfit would make essential viewing:D

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Well you are Ok then...if you don't own the red suit trimmed with white fur, you are in the clear.
Yes, it did start in September, and this is one of the reasons why it is such a blooming pain.

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I thought I was on my own with my anti christmas stance, I dont trim up, send cards, or wrap presents(its hard wraping a pastie anyway). It would be an advantage if there was an international symbol that meant "keep away I hate christmas", well one that wouldnt get you punched in the face.

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The only person im my darkened room is my therapist.

He'll charge you extra for yet again missing an appointment.

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I can be a therapist :)

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Last year, I didn't trim up....the cards languished in a heap on the radiator shelf.....I do buy presents....and I do wrap presents.....this is because I am the woman in this partnership...himself likes to take all the kudos for writing the cards, buying the presents and wrapping them...but it is me really....but he glows with pride if someone says they like the gift we have bought for them.

If it was banned tomorrow....I wouldn't miss it.

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the trouble with taking this stance is you get called scrooge, grintch, and miserable.

I dont want to eat easter eggs (i'm diabetic) yet I dont get called a miserable chocolate hater.

I dont want to set off fireworks, and I am not called a miserable anti pyrotechnic.

In fact anything else I don't want to do does not get me stigmastised as scrooge or miserable.

Soon as you say you dont want to get involved in christmas you get all sorts of hissy fits.



The fact that I am to tight to buy presents is beside the point

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My parents have also lost all interest in Xmas -they prefer to either go on cruise or just stay at home and do nothing in particular.

Makes me very sad -the last really good Xmas i had was when they came over to us 5 years ago. Christmas to me is a real family time -many of the traditions I follow come through from my own childhood and are little traces of the family even further back...

I don't enjoy the mad spending rush and massive shopping trips to supermarkets that are typical of today.

I do enjoy thinking about and giving gifts, listening to traditional Xmas music and spending a few quite evenings hosting dinner parties for family and friends. (Italian and English cuisine) I buy Xmas crackers on the internet -they don't exist in Italy and are much appreciated here.
I love my 24 yr old fake green tree and it's odd assortment of decorations -each with it's own history - my simple white lights and setting to and making a home-made cake, my own mince-meat and ginger biscuits....as well as the Italian infiltration of home-made ravioli...
It really is the little things that make the magic.

This year i'm just not in the mood - for various reasons- will end up having a mad rush instead of being ahead of the game as i usually am no doubt.

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oh-oh....that's how it starts...can't find the mood, then it progresses sometimes slowly and insidiously to 'can't be bothered'....then headlong into a general dislike of the festivities....tolerating them for the sake of others.

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I do hope not -I'm quite a romantic at heart - it wouldn't take much to lift my mood...

Have received my first 2 Xmas cards today which is a start, from 2 Aunties -hope more are on their way. Hearing from the ones you love is important when you live abroad as I do...but mum's stopped sending cards and so has my sister (sigh)...will have to hope I hear from other family and my friends...

I really am in a pensive mood today...a cup of tea is the remedy -best drink of the day:D

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Funny that, I'm normally a tea drinker as coffee sends me haywire. The only place I can drink it is in Italy, in those tiny cups that are so small you can hardly get the spoon in.

Shame about the cards, I don't do much for Christmas but I do like to send and receive cards. I decorate with lots of greenery (ivy mainly) and Richard and I always have a proper Christmas dinner, sometimes with an aged relative, but not this year, so we don't have to have turkey (she would turn her nose up at anything else) and can treat ourselves to duck instead. Hooray!

You're right, I keep up some traditions from way back, just for the two of us...

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I am THE tea drinker "Par excellence" and get the shakes if i don't have it at regular intervals during the day.:rolleyes:

Had to give up the "Espresso" as it was making me a nervous wreck (together with the tea) and could be found wide awake at 2 and 3 in the morning with eyes as big as a Bush-babies!!:D

I also like to bring in fresh greenery at Xmas, it's a throw-back to the middle ages when it signified the hope that Spring would prevail over Winter....

I never do a "full" Turkey -my "Italian" family don't appreciate it - usually get a Capon given (hand-reared by a local farmer) and we do home-made ravioli stuffed with braised beef, cooked in beef stock for Xmas day -this is typical in N-Italy.

Xmas Eve is always a fish based meal, as is New Year's Eve -I have celebrated the last "umpteen" NY Eve's alone at mid-night, on the phone to family and friends, as my husband always works on these holidays, Xmas and NY, -in order to let the other men on the farm have a day off.

I do still love the traditions that my family had when I was young -like stockings on the bed for the boys first thing and then all opening the main presents together later -and I do take the stockings in when they are in bed even though they are now 24 and 19! (SAD)

Guinea Fowl is a nice aternative to Turkey , quite like duck and recently had Goose for the first time which was really good...

Love Devil's on Horseback too -but that's because I'm evil at heart. Lol!!!

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Cracked open the dates today and tangerines -that's a sure sign that Xmas is around the corner. Have been innundated with guests -a couple and their 3 little girls -they've just decided to stay for dinner too plus I have my 2 boys coming one with veggie girlfriend ----aaarrrgh!

Thank god for pasta.....! No peace for the wicked -i really am paying for my sins....

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Years ago we had a goose and were horrified when it was cooked to find how little meat there was on it. Good job we had some beef as well as there were quite a few of us. Still like it though. Anything but turkey...

Two possibilitys there, was it a small goose? (unlikely).
Or
Was it cooked wrong? The meat on a goose seems to shrink away to nothing if cooked at too high a temperature.

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Don't know Less but will bear your points in mind if we ever have another.
Meanwhile better luck with this year's duck, I can usually manage those.:)

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The goose I had recently was excellent but it doesn't seem to have as much meat for the size of the frame of the bird as other poultry....

We generally get a Capon at Xmas -reasonable size and everyone seems to like it -no turkey here either Sue!

Our Robin has just returned -saw him for the first time today - that's a sure sign of winter and Xmas coming.:)

Will be late putting the tree up late this year (Sunday probably) -still not feeling festive though...

One thing the above two posters should remember is, cook your goose on a rack above a tray capable of collecting all the fat.
Not because that makes the goose less greasy,
But the next time you get a chest cold you have an excuse for your loved one to rub something into your skin.
(Doubtful that it is a cure, but what the hey, it will take your minds off the flem filled handkerchiefs!).

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And it will stop people sitting next to you on the bus.

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Goose fat is sold in Asda
Compare supermarket prices | Online supermarket shopping | Save and compare on Health and Beauty products
It makes roast potatoes crisp and tasty

Is that before or after you have rubbed it on you chest?

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you shouldnt rub roast pototoes on your chest, it makes a mess of a string vest !:silly:

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Dead right Less, temperature is very important ... too low doesn't do it, and you're right about having the temp too high. I'm having goose for Christmas this year ... gotta eat it 'cause I shot it;) But I'm going to ask for help from a friend who knows exactly how to do it ... he got the knowlege from his Mohawk grandma. Anyone can cook a turkey; it takes an artist to cook goose.

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Not keen on cooked birds of any description....and it isn't because I can't cook them.
Just don't like the taste. We will be having a tender bit of Roast beef...with my light as a feather Yorkshire puds.......might do some sprouts, buttered carrots, roast potatoes done on goose fat........mmmm, it is making me slaver just thinking about it.

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There is only two of us on Christmas day and we normally have chicken
but getting fed up with it so decided to have something totally different we or should i say i will be having Lobster home cooked with sauteed potatoes and asparagus
sweet we will be having home made by me a Chocolate ganache and orange gateau
with cream.
And yes Margaret i always do the cooking and washing up:D

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Yes Mick, I know you are great one in the kitchen....and in days gone by I would have been outside your door for a slice of that chocolate/orange gateau....but these days I have quite gone off chocolate....I'm sure it will be lovely...and the be plates licked clean.......:) no need to wash up then is there:D:D:D

Yes he is good, I bet your a little suprised that I knew what was wrong with the cooking.
In actual fact when the family was around me I used to do the Christmas roast, even to this day my ex wife can be heard to say,
"Les' always gave me a really good goose every Christmas!".

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No Less, not surprised at all. I have been told that you are a man of many talents.

Most people can learn anything if they need to, and put their mind to it.

I am purposely not mentioning the goose...damn...see what you made me do:D

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Just been looking through some photos I took last year and thought you'd like to know that Santa's reindeer are very laid back... three of them went camping in a rather nice bell tent and another opted for a seaside holiday away from it all. :cool:

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Sweet creatures reindeer - it looks quite bleak where they live though...

I know that they eat them too, did you try any reindeer meat Sue -don't think i'd have the courage...

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Venison is delicious.
At one time I used to get a whole carcass delivered, butcher it myself and freeze it.

I had a seperate 10ft freezer just to store wild meat because that exhusband I had would only eat wild meat, and wildfowl have 'seasons' so stocking up for 'out of season' was essential.

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I have tried it once but find it too rich...

I don't like anything gamey really - I can be quite faddy.

The one time I had a Griffin society dinner at The House of Lords they served Quail as the main course - didn't even try to eat it...poor little birdies:D

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Quail is 'farmed' and doesn't have a 'season'

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Here they serve them roasted with a saffron risotto - i just have the risotto!

Have tried wild boar - a guy on the farm hunts it in the hills near Piacenza -too strong flavoured for me. Same thing with hare and pheasant, just as well i wasn't born into the Landed gentry or the huntin' fishin' set!:eek::D

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Looks better when it's covered in snow! The lone reindeer pic was taken on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen only 600 miles from the north pole.The others were at the North Cape of Norway. We visited a Sami (Lapp) camp and saw a tame-ish onewith its minder also a fine collection of discarded antlers, pics attached.

Don't think I've ever eaten reindeer but wouldn't refuse it if it was offered. Have had reindeer salami which was very rich and gamy. When we lived in the country we occasionally got deer that had been killed by cars. My Richard used to butcher them himself and we bought an extra freezer. We had hare too sometimes, also pheasant, all roadkill.

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Norway is on my list of places to see - did you see the Northern lights and the midnight sun? Would love to see the fjords too....

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I have tried Kangaroo, and crocodile....didn't like the Kangaroo......it was so rare that when I tried to cut it, it said 'ow'....a good vet with an electric probe could have got it going again. Didn't like it but my husband cajoled me into trying it.
The crocodile was farmed, and tasted like chicken(which is what it had been fed on)...but it was chewier....wouldn't choose to eat it again.

I am very reticent to try new things. I would rather be shot than poisoned.

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I am also unwilling to try certain things - my husband loves Ostrich meat but I won't touch it with a barge pole.

I won't eat rabbit as i had one as a child. Horse meat is like cannibalism. Have tried frog's legs and snails but wouldn't pay to eat them. The taste of goat -either meat or the cheese makes me throw up (literally in an embarassing way!)

You were brave having kangaroo and croc -i wouldn't have eaten them...

Less strokes his mustache, gives his cape a quivering flick, and say's,
Are you sure, what? Oh ratherrrrr!

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In my view if you eat one sort of meat you should be prepared to try any other. Fine if you then say you don't like it, so long as that's genuine.

When our two goats died we couldn't eat them because they had been euthanatised and were full of chemicals. They had to be incinerated. Shame because we were hard up and could have done with some free meat.

By the way Di do you have equine ancestors? If not why is eating horse cannibalism :confused:

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I had kangaroo meat at York Food Fest - thought it was delicious. Can't get it in Accy though!

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We were in the Red Centre in Oz when we tried Kangaroo........it was a sort of all you can eat buffet, and himself said I would be daft not to try it....because if I didn't like it I didn't have to eat it....I could go back and choose something else.
I did go back and choose something else.......as I said the damn thing had only been shown a hot pan. No not for me thank you very much.

We were up in Cairns at a Crocodile farm when we had the crocodile meat...it was in a pie.......and again it was an organised trip where they put on food for you to try....there was roast croc...or it may have been bar-b-Q'd....but that had hickory style sauce on it.....didn't like it. The pie was edible, but I would never choose to eat it again.

I think there was Emu at a barbie we went to...but I didn't even think about eating it.

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Did not see the northern lights because they are a winter phenomenon but have tons of photos of the midnight sun. At the risk of boring you rigid I have attached some below. They were all taken after 10.30pm and some after midnight on 8 July so only 2 weeks or so after the solstice.

Picture 1 We went on a coach trip to the north cape and it was so misty when we got there we couldn't see a thing.

2 It soon cleared up to show us this

3 The monument at the north cape

4 Another spectacular sky

5 We hadn't seen these motorhomes in the mist! Apparently a very popular spot for them. We hope to do the trip one day in our van

6 Those reindeer again!

7 Our cruise ship waiting for us to come back

8 Pilot boat at midnight

9 Cloudscape

10 About as low as the sun gets

As for the fjords - spectacular but boring. Seen one, seen em all - my opinion only.

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Lovely pics Sue.

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Thanks Margaret - difficult to go wrong with such a subject - found it difficult to choose which to post.

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They are all lovely....I'm just a bit envious. I can understand why choosing was a bit difficult.

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Yes, thanks for posting them Sue - looks like a great place to get away from the pressures of modern life.

Still haven't started the countdown to Xmas yet though -even having seen the reindeer.

Have received 6 Xmas cards -the only tangible sign of the festive season in my house so far...