tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post8016882737848011848..comments2024-03-10T10:36:09.923+00:00Comments on Gem of The Ocean: Christmas Memegemoftheoceanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-86318364351529435932007-12-15T17:16:00.000+00:002007-12-15T17:16:00.000+00:00Those socks were my absolute Christmas present nad...Those socks were my absolute Christmas present nadir. Such a charming message - "Happy Christmas, your feet stink." In my Grandmother's defence, I think all of the multipacks of socks in Marks and Spencers now carry that label (I just bought some myself the other day).<BR/><BR/>You didn't have a worst Christmas food category, IIRC, so I couldn't get into my absolute loathing of Christmas Pudding, a vile substance which is probably best used as ballast. And it's sort of un-Christian, but I have to say that one of the worst things about this time of year is having to see and be nice to some of my more radioactive relatives...Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08955770520790267352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-26472503050791896212007-12-14T06:42:00.000+00:002007-12-14T06:42:00.000+00:00Stephen, I love it! This kills me:"A package of s...Stephen, I love it! This kills me:<BR/>"A package of socks bearing the legend 'With Anti-Bacterial Coating For Fresher Feet' (on the package, not on the socks). "<BR/><BR/>That's sounds like the Adrian Mole Diaries! I think the barmy aunt and uncle visited the Moles one year and gave him a pair of socks if I'm not mistaken.gemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-10103395063397835182007-12-11T14:24:00.000+00:002007-12-11T14:24:00.000+00:00Part deux:14. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?...Part deux:<BR/><BR/>14. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?<BR/><BR/>These frangipan tarts my late grandmother used to make. We still have them at Christmas; my mother or my aunt or I make them, the last ones my grandmother made having been consumed seven years ago at her funeral, which she catered herself. They're not a traditional Christmas food, apart from in our family.<BR/><BR/>Also, Toblerone. We always seem to get a Toblerone at Christmas. I like it - *once* a year.<BR/><BR/>15. Clear lights or coloured on the tree?<BR/><BR/>Coloured, the better to set off my Dad's collection of slightly off-colour Christmas tree ornaments (like the one known throughout the family as the Crapping Dog).<BR/><BR/>16. Favourite Christmas song?<BR/><BR/>Traditional Christmas carols. I tend to loathe Christmassy pop songs. I could cheerfully set fire to every last copy of "All I Want for Christmas Is You", and that's hardly the worst of the bunch. The worst things about Christmas in the UK are Slade and Roy Wood.<BR/><BR/>17. Travel at Christmas or stay home?<BR/><BR/>Travel - often from Canada to the UK, and more or less always from wherever I'm living to my aunt's. In 35 years I've only spent three Christmases at my mother's house, and I think there have only been three Christmases when I didn't go home at all.<BR/><BR/>18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?<BR/><BR/>No.<BR/><BR/>19. Angel on the tree or a star?<BR/><BR/>Angel. Usually with a red light strategically positioned up her skirt (see the bit about off-colour Christmas tree ornaments).<BR/><BR/>20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?<BR/><BR/>Christmas Day, certainly. Precisely when depends on who's showing up, and at what time. It's not unknown for us to wait until early evening to let the whole family assemble from various in-laws before we open presents. And they have to be proper presents. Gift certificates are verboten in our house.<BR/><BR/>21. Most annoying thing about this time of year?<BR/><BR/>Crowds in the shops, cheesy Christmas singles blaring from every radio.<BR/><BR/>22. Best thing about this time of year?<BR/><BR/>Other than the obvious... Christmas sandwiches at Pret-a-Manger. Don't knock it until you've tried one.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08955770520790267352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-48757479993837322542007-12-11T14:13:00.000+00:002007-12-11T14:13:00.000+00:00OK, here goes.1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?Wrapp...OK, here goes.<BR/><BR/>1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?<BR/><BR/>Wrapping paper. Always. Apart from for bottles.<BR/><BR/>2. Real tree or artificial?<BR/><BR/>Real. If I dared buy a fake tree I'd probably be struck down by a thunderbolt sent by my Dad from beyond the grave.<BR/><BR/>3. When do you put up the tree?<BR/><BR/>Historically, in our family it went up in the evening on December 10th, because the 11th is my brother's birthday. If I'm travelling back to the UK for Christmas I tend not to bother with a tree myself; this year I'm over here anyway, but I haven't got round to it yet. Friday, maybe.<BR/><BR/>4. When do you take the tree down?<BR/><BR/>Twelfth Night<BR/><BR/>5. Do you like eggnog.<BR/><BR/>God, no. It's ghastly.<BR/><BR/>6. Favourite gift received as a child?<BR/><BR/>A record player, when I was 11.<BR/><BR/>7. Do you have a Nativity scene?<BR/><BR/>No. <BR/><BR/>8. Hardest person to buy for?<BR/><BR/>This year, my grandmother (she's in a home and doesn't have much space to put things, and she's had some digestive problems recently which means that I can't use any of my old fallbacks this year, because they mostly involve chocolate, which she can't have right now).<BR/><BR/>Historically, my Dad was an absolute pain in the bum to buy Christmas presents for, because when he wanted anything he went out and bought it himself.<BR/><BR/>9. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?<BR/><BR/>A package of socks bearing the legend 'With Anti-Bacterial Coating For Fresher Feet' (on the package, not on the socks). And I've received some fairly horrible sweaters from my grandmother in my time - you know, the sort of thing you wear *once*, when visiting her, then cut up for dusters.<BR/><BR/>10. Mail or email Christmas cards?<BR/><BR/>Mail if I can get my arse in gear, email if I can't. I'm not good at Christmas cards.<BR/><BR/>11. Favourite Christmas movie?<BR/><BR/>"It's a Wonderful Life"<BR/><BR/>12. When do you start shopping for Christmas?<BR/><BR/>If I'm in Canada and not coming home, then late October, because it all has to go in the mail to the UK by early November. If I'm coming home from Canada, usually sometime in the week before I fly back. If I'm in the UK, about the second week in December (I just started this past weekend).<BR/><BR/>13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?<BR/><BR/>No. I have, however, recycled gifts my mother has bought for other people and then forgotten about (she buys stuff throughout the year to give people for Christmas, then puts it away and forgets about it. It is not unknown for me to buy some of those things off her to give people myself).Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08955770520790267352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-73343860278665400262007-12-10T04:13:00.000+00:002007-12-10T04:13:00.000+00:00#11 -- If it stars Jimmy Brennan and Lisa Gunn you...#11 -- If it stars Jimmy Brennan and Lisa Gunn you bet your bippy!!gemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-66104095088142180952007-12-10T00:21:00.000+00:002007-12-10T00:21:00.000+00:0011. JINGLE HELL, anyone?!?11. JINGLE HELL, anyone?!?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-15249206253136758402007-12-09T20:51:00.000+00:002007-12-09T20:51:00.000+00:00Yeah, the fire engine was quite cool...I loved the...Yeah, the fire engine was quite cool...I loved the bell on the thing. All metal, of course, as such things were.gemoftheoceanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05521207668262592414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-15669546435543934252007-12-09T20:35:00.000+00:002007-12-09T20:35:00.000+00:00My brother had a red mustang peddle car (which wou...My brother had a red mustang peddle car (which would be worth some money today), but I didn't get one. Your fire engine looked cool.<BR/><BR/>I used to love mushrooms. As a child, my mom would give me mushrooms as a treat (instead of chocolate since I LOVED mushrooms). Now I can't stand the taste at all. Must've overdosed on them years ago or something.swissmisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11091563100968996825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-17428341025731919432007-12-09T18:45:00.000+00:002007-12-09T18:45:00.000+00:00Okey-doke, Karen, you can read my answers over at ...Okey-doke, Karen, you can read my answers over at my blog. <BR/><BR/>I gotta go now and get ready for my weekend "date" with that lover boy, Dante the Time-Share Schnauzer.The Digital Hairshirthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15585915716220088744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-89629266026884644972007-12-09T16:00:00.000+00:002007-12-09T16:00:00.000+00:00I've already done this one but.............just be...I've already done this one but.............just because I love you I'm going to do it again and this time on my blog.<BR/><BR/>But first, I need to go to church and try and teach the kids about truth. The old "what's true for you is not true for me nonsense." This year the group is pretty smart so it shouldn't be too huge a battle. <BR/><BR/>What is true is - if they get their doughnuts they are much more receptive. So grocery store first:)Adriennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01562944653624224107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-5994828896515435752007-12-09T15:54:00.000+00:002007-12-09T15:54:00.000+00:00What a cutie! Yum! Homemade mushroom soup!What a cutie! Yum! Homemade mushroom soup!EC Gefrohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06821950576683551325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3499957141699011933.post-2272568951966874252007-12-09T13:55:00.000+00:002007-12-09T13:55:00.000+00:00Wow, Karen... when you decide to do a meme, you re...Wow, Karen... when you decide to do a meme, you really mean business! Ok, I'm <A HREF="http://mulier-fortis.blogspot.com/2007/12/ooooh-ive-been-tagged.html" REL="nofollow">done here</A>!Mulier Fortishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01186202810919174492noreply@blogger.com