F*** off with Christmas already!

[Benjm]

It's the industrial catering equivalent of Perry Como melting into his festive jumper and overcoat while the polystyrene snow settles around him.

[MsD]

I didn't know about that.

I only knew I was talking to a man who'd seen and tasted things we can't imagine.

[Benjm]

"I've tasted things you people wouldn't believe. Potato chips on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched custard creams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like pigs in blankets. Time to diet."

I know someone whose partner is a professional ice cream taster. That's just taking the piss, really.

[Guy Profumo]

My mum cooked mince pies all year round when I was a kid.

[Jah Womble]

I wish mince pies were available all year round.

They aren't?

[MsD]

"I've tasted things you people wouldn't believe. Potato chips on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched custard creams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like pigs in blankets. Time to diet."

That's very good.

[slackster]

Yesterday we went to the Xmas tree plantation and choose our 8-footer for this year. Have to go early to nab a better shaped one, but it wont be cut & delivered ‘til mid-December.

You have to attach a tag tied with a yellow ribbon to your chosen specimen, which gave me an earworm. Though I admit “tie a yellow ribbon round the ol’ Nordman Fir tree” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. Warmed mince pies and mulled wine were on offer once you’d paid. Which I had as it was a miserable, damp day.

[Eggchaser]

I'd eat pigs in blankets all year round.

[Patrick Thistle]

We posted our Christmas cards today and got the decorations down from the loft.

[Eggchaser]

Tree up.

[Gerontophile]

[elguapo4]

I love my friends and family but bloody hate writing Christmas cards, I'll get it over with next week

[San Bernardhinault]

Cards went in the post 2 days ago (thanks to the missus, not me). Most of the decorations are up - but we're sticking mostly to keeping them outside because of cat-danger inside the house. Outdoor christmas decorations actually somehow look good here, rather than simply tacky. Well, most of them. Some people go too far, and make them straight up ugly and trashy.

[G-Man]

People still do Christmas cards?

[San Bernardhinault]

We send a load each year - 70 or 80 probably. And receive maybe 5. But it's another way of just saying to people in other countries "Hey, we remember you," rather than just relying on Facebook. And it's good for the missus's business again to remind people that she exists now that she's independent and not working for a big company.

Also, tons of people tell us how much they like getting cards. So, why not?

[SouthdownRebel]

This weekend my son, 12, declared he is “sick of all this Christmas music”. A proud moment.

My office, which is all about quirky Fun, is already in full flow. That time of year when sending clients their seasonal greeting card becomes more important than actually doing what they pay us to do.

[Satchmo Distel]

I think the pressure to send cards depends on your generation. Can't imagine too many young couples doing it, except maybe to elderly relatives who would expect to receive them.

Meanwhile streaming of Xmas songs will make the charts look even more fucked than usual.

[DCI Harry Batt]

I can't remember, as always, whether I have to send some krismas cards at work or not. Personally, no I don't.

[elguapo4]

From next week the Christmas pressure will really start in my job, three weeks of hard work and half hour lunches, I'm expecting it and don't really mind it except when you get out to grab a sandwich and see all the suits from the solicitors and accountancy firms having boozy lunches in the pubs, bastards!

[Bored Of Education]

Properly, I have just eaten my first mince pie of the season. However, we have - improperly - had the Christmas tree up since Wednesday as we had "friends coming for the weekend". In some ways, it doesn't matter as the Christmas sheds have been open in Bath since the 23rd November so it always gets too festive too soon here.

Am I the only one that prefers puff to shortcrust pastry mince pies?

Haven't sent Christmas cards for years and we seem to have an inverse ratio to San Bernardhinault.

Being a teacher, my main issue of course is nativity play rehearsals. At the school I was at last week, they were panically doing their final rehearsal as they had their performance this Tuesday which must be some sort of record. As a supply teacher, I can sometimes hit a bad wave where every school in visit has a nativity play rehearsal on. One year, I had two whole weeks with one a day. That was the year when that fucking "Let It Go" song was ubiquitous. At least I never have to hear the final performances as well, I suppose. The teacher in charge did a great rant - Angels! Sit still and quiet on the benches. It is a privilege which you have to deserve otherwise I am giving it to the shepherds!"

[Snake Plissken]

Well, Mrs P is very happy it is Christmas, because we did two shows over the weekend and more than doubled our expectations. Late this afternoon in Manchester, we were X short of a milestone and traffic had dropped off a cliff around 4pm with the football on, so we didn't think we could make it. Then this guy saw one of her prints (at X + a little) and despite only being in town for a drink with his mates, said the immortal words "Do you take a credit card?".

Why yes. Yes we do.

Only five more before Christmas.

[Patrick Thistle]

Christmas tree is up and looks all Christmassy and shiny. Had a mince pie when Mrs Thistle and I had a couple of hours away from the decorating. It's my second mince pie in a couple of weeks. Bored, I'm keeping score.

[Lang Spoon]

Dirty pie bastards.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Am I the only one that prefers puff to shortcrust pastry mince pies?

Another piece of "or" nonsense. What's wrong with both?

[hobbes]

If it's any consolation TonTon, I dislike both equally.
Mince pies are rubbish.