It's all work and money.  Don't care what we have as long as we can be together.  That's what it's all about.

Oh god Crispy...

right here goes...


I have to go and see 2 patients first thing
I will be back by 0900 then I will have a lovely coffee and put the turkey in the oven
Then I will wake my OH up.
We will have dinner at about 2pm and probably watch films that he has downloaded all afternoon.

I have yet to buy the food - will be doing so wednesday

I'm at my daughter's this year. (Try again after last year not being able to get to her due to ice and snow). Mind you, it looks like I ought to go fairly soon when we have a break in the weather, but I have a kitten, so I might end up on my own with her on Christmas Day.

Hungover from the birthday.

Up a twelvish 

Maintain alchohol levels whilst prep the dinner which is @ 6. Listen to radio.

After dinner cherry pick the telly whilst drinking through a straw.

Collapse.

And then thank f*ck it's all over 

Dinner's at mine this year so it will be bacon sarnies for brekkie, pressie openings, radio on, mum turning up, me hobbling about being a nuisance while my mum whizzes about like Road Runner sorting the grub out. Christmas Day TOTP, Eat, see what the Queen's gonna bang on about, more food, TV, music, food and food. No alcohol.

Posh turkey though karma..

Velvet, don't you have any family?

Oh aye, turkey's been ordered It's cost a few quid so I'm gonna give it it's own homecoming service and red carpet (ok, red paper towels but it's the same thing).

And my mum's doing her nut about the turkey. She blames the influence of Heston Blumenthal and calls him a wee shit every time the Waitrose advert comes on.

Is anyone going to (or does anyone go to) midnight Mass?

My mum always goes and I'd like to go with her this year (haven't been for yonks)

  Sure do  

Prep/peel most things the night before.

Get up around 8ish.  Have a cuppa. Put ovens on. Turn on the i-pod.
Hoik bodies out of bed by shouting "He's been" and make bacon sarnies.

Open bottles of fizz.  Open prezzies with various zombies.
Scuttle off to shower.

Return to kitchen looking drop dead gorgeous.
Check supplies and glass are in usual place by ovens and proceed to cook up a banquet of crimbo delights.

Others arrive around midday.  This year there will be 22 of us.

Aim to serve lunch at 1.30pm.  Fail.  Usually sit down at 2pm feeling no pain.
The rest of the days pans out as the mood takes me.

I don't know what mine's gonna be like. I've been invited to my brother and sis in laws, so will have to go with the flow I guess.

Phwee velvet. I'd hate to think of you on your own, thinking of burlesque rather than having a nice time for Christmas.

22 people??!

But the beauty is you can leave at your leisure. Migraines come in handy on Christmas Day

Always listen to but never go. Maybe someday in the future i will.  Need my sleep now now so hope you will all forgive me bowing out. Keep up the good work. Ta Ra...

Bloody hell Cosi - 22   

Don't think I could cope with that  

Later Crispy  

Yep, 22.   Usually it averages between 24 to 28 but we're down a few this year.
It's not so difficult when you've been doing it for eons   and it's pretty much like a glorified Sunday lunch.  First Crimbo I ever did was for 10 and it's snowballed from thereon in.

I don't mind (I know where the booze is).

Karma, I see what you're saying, but sometimes it just seems like they feel sorry for me because my parents aren't around and then it feels as though I'm compelled to say yes. Not claiming hard done by though, I guess there's plenty of peeps in my situation   

Get up around 2-3pm. Have breakfast. Open presents.

Laze around reading / playing Fallout New Vegas (if I haven't finished it by then).

Lunch around 6pm. Watch Doctor Who & soaps.

Put beef on around 8pm. Dinner around 10pm.

Lie around groaning from eating too much.

No alcohol.

Or it could be because they like your company, like we do on here.

That's what I'm playing at the moment . Good innit 

Sprouty, I'm sure there are lots of people in the same boat. But some people don't like all the fuss that goes with Christmas. My brother has always worked on any Xmas holidays cos it's triple pay It's personal choice and preference and I would hate to be sitting with people on Christmas Day who I didn't get on with or found a complete pain in the arse. (Been there, done that!)

For me personally, it's just such a major contrast to last year when I wasn't in a Christmassy mood at all, and for a few reasons I'm savouring every moment of this year and enjoying the whole build up and hope to enjoy the day itself and the days leading up to New Year. I've spent enough years in the past either waking up with a hangover or wandering in at noon still pissed on Christmas day so this year will try and do my bit!

Cosi, you is one braaaaaave woman

Up and about by 6.30 at the latest.... Christmas songs on.... get all excited with the kids....shake the hungover ones who we still think are babies but aren't....remind them that this is about the little ones...bacon and sausage muffin sarnies and bucks fizz... marathon pressie opening session, one at a time so everyone can see and always a few tears when people open the really 'thoughtful' ones....play with the kids....Baileys and finish off the food preps...trip to the cemetery, (more tears,)....cook dinner and get a bit tarted up.... eat dinner and have a laugh....do the silly p take after dinner gifts and ROFL.... then games and much fun and frivolity by all.....I have NEVER seen the Queen's speech or any TV on Christmas day EVER!......Crash out and start all over again

Prom and Peter, do you play online?

That's how it used to be for me Cosi, but too many dead 'uns and ones who live abroad now, so down to about 10- 15ish depending on how many others join us who are not family but would have been otherwise on their own.....all are welcome :-) .....We're at one with this, it's just 'Sunday lunch' one of the easiest meals to cook imo

I'd say yes

You can't play it multiplayer. Brilliant game though.

I know with FONV you can't (have been through all this with the boy - he's completed it twice already ) but what about other PS3 games?

I only play games on PC. I are an intellekshual.

The only trouble is that I keep burning my dinner because I get so absorbed in the sodding game

You have to be connected to the net to play it, but you're not playing against other people directly.

It's fantastic. I'm  ignoring the main storyline to explore and see as much of it as I can. Proper saddo is what I am. There is no hope for us mate 

Just me and the kids this year (bliss!!!) and no Christmas dinner to prep - their request and my agreement.

So will wake when they do (but by 9am latest as their dad picks them up by about 10am).  Open their stuff (and my odds and ends). They leave, I get myself sorted and pop round the corner to my mates for some bubbly and some chat. They get home about 1pm. No dinner to prep this year but a good brunch is planned then an afternoon with M&S party nibbles/wine. Son will be on his Kinect, Daughter on new lappy and I will treat myself to a good book. 

Did you ever play Morrowind? That was the first game to get me stuck in to all this.

I did. All-time classic. Beats the hell out of Oblivion (Morrowind For Kids)