OK, so this might not be the most eagerly read post (especially if you are a parent with easily excitable kids) but face the inevitable people, it is only 35 days til Christmas Day. Boy -- doesnt time simply fly by!!

So fresh off the heels of 'Which school did you attend?' and 'Which is the best pub to drink in?' threads..........the long awaited;

'WHAT WILL YOU BE GETTING UP TO DURING THE FESTIVE PERIOD?'

Will you be staying in Sheffield, going abroad on holiday, sitting around doing nowt and being mardy?

Are there any major events that occur in the vicinity of Sheffield during the Christmas/New Year period?

What are peoples' choices when it comes to the Christmas day dinner table? Turkey, Ham, Pork, Chicken, Beef, Pheasant???

How do you plan out the day? Do you open all presents in morning before lunch, after lunch, before and after. Do you invite over friends and family - or go to them?

I am going down south to marginally warmer climates where im gonna spend it with my family in Devon. Hope it snows here just before i go...wooooo!! My mum makes the BEST spread for the dinner table and i hope to be eating a little bit of all of the above.

I have tried to encompass as many options for the poll as possible - can't cover them all however (and yes i am aware of a spelling mistake in the poll 'too' but i can't change it.)

In advance, i wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2004.

Poll edited for you.:)

Quiet Christmas for us, just the 2 of us for the day, friends round on Boxing Day and then visit to family down south before New Year.

Christmas is a great time of the year, we wouldn't be celebrating if it wasn't :).

The best bit about the day itself is the meal. I'll be spending it at home with the family as usual...

I LOVE Christmas, and Yule and the Solstice.

It is always a busy time of year being that my wedding anniversary is at the solstice, then we have Yule and also Christmas for the kids. Also there is my birthday and the extra New Year celebrations!

I love the food, the looks on the kids faces as we put up the decorations and lights (I *try* not to go OTT with the deco). I love doing santa shopping (woolies have a 10% off thing today!). I love the preparation, the magik of santa and his sleigh and all the hype I can give the kids with it (the santa and elves bit not the commercial bit though I swear if my son *demands* another present he may find the tree bare!)

Sorry to our bah humbugs but I just love it

Moon

Americans don't have Boxing day as it's an English thing. So I only get one day off. Boooooooo
I want to come home <sigh>

Originally posted by Funke88
Americans don't have Boxing day as it's an English thing. So I only get one day off. Boooooooo
I want to come home <sigh> Nah you don't.
Christmas for me is an expensive do.
My Wedding annv is on the 15th, my wifes birthday on the 16th and my sons birthday on the solstice.
Then i have 5 kids to buy for and a grandchild,soon to be 3 grandkids.
Eek, then i am due to have my first Christmas off work for 12 years and i was going to go away to Benidorm and have Christmas lunch on the beach but the wife decides she wants a conservatory so i am no longer going away, my wife will cook for 10 of us and i will go to the pub if i have any money left.
Christmas, stick it.

Originally posted by Funke88
Americans don't have Boxing day as it's an English thing. So I only get one day off. Boooooooo
I want to come home <sigh>

Don't you get a better deal throughout the year though?

Originally posted by The Cycleracer
i will go to the pub if i have any money left.


LOL :D
You'll be sitting at home with a can of coke. But at least you'll be surrounded by family :)

Originally posted by Lickszz
Don't you get a better deal throughout the year though?
Nope not really. As a Hotel Sales Manager I only get the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day. My annual holiday is a mere 2 weeks. I work all other bank holidays. Europeans do get much better holidays and better pay. My brother in the UK gets 6 weeks a year and my friend gets 8. Why am I here :confused:

Originally posted by Funke88
Nope not really. As a Hotel Sales Manager I only get the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day. My annual holiday is a mere 2 weeks. I work all other bank holidays. Europeans do get much better holidays and better pay. My brother in the UK gets 6 weeks a year and my friend gets 8. Why am I here :confused:

But you work those bank holidays through choice?

You see, when I look in my diary there seems to be many more national holiday days in US & Canada than the UK. I think the Uk is one of the lowest if not the lowest. In England St Georges day isn't even a bank holiday.

Originally posted by Lickszz
But you work those bank holidays through choice?


Nope, no choice :(
As I said I work in a hotel which opens 365 days a year. We all have to work including all bank holidays and no extra pay either as it's part of our job to be open. I only get 4th July cos I'm a manager. Spring Bank and August bank holidays are just another working day. Boxing Day doesn't exist. National holidays don't necessarily mean a day off either as not all holidays are recognized as public holidays. Plus you can't group us in with Canada cos they have their own deal. Different country right?

2 weeks vacation a year is also standard in most companies. Some don't offer any at all. Vacation is a priviledge not a right.

Originally posted by Funke88

As I said I work in a hotel which opens 365 days a year. We all have to work including all bank holidays and no extra pay either as it's part of our job to be open. I only get 4th July cos I'm a manager. Spring Bank and August bank holidays are just another working day. Boxing Day doesn't exist. National holidays don't necessarily mean a day off either as not all holidays are recognized as public holidays. Plus you can't group us in with Canada cos they have their own deal. Different country right?



Unlucky about the holidays - all work and no play and all that jazz! :o

Not grouping you in with Canada but just my annual diary is very informative on national days etc. and I observed "holiday in usa & canada" on quite a few occasions.