It actually starts getting lighter in the evenings around December 13th. Carries on getting darker in the mornings until the end of the month.
i am rather surprised by the number of people who do not ostentatiously celebrate Christmas. I love the decorations (got to be white or silver though) and enjoy receiving and sending cards. However I do get slightly miffed when, having sent thoughtfully chosen ‘arty’ cards, we get back something from the Lidl bargain box sent by people who have money to spare. Like an earlier poster, I am not a fan of emailed greetings. Who wants to prop up their iPad on the mantelpiece over Christmas?
I agree with that last Del but it is interesting to guage how "dear" you are to someone by the card they send. Ours are always RHS cards as it's a good cause and I can't easily get other charity cards here.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
There wasn't a mid December box in the Poll for putting up the tree. We always used to do it on the 13th which was my late OH's birthday. Nowadays we do it around the middle of December but no set day. When the family come it is a big tree and I string up decorations as well. I have the family every other Christmas, 4 children & spouses and 11 grandchildren at the latest count. 2 more on the way. The family who live nearest go home for the night. The others stay 3 - 4 days. So it is a big feast.
I send about 70 Christmas cards. As I live mostly in France it is good for keeping in touch with friends and family in the UK who I don't see very often.
Also I am a churchgoer, so I go to 2 Carol Services, help decorate the church and make mulled wine and mince pies for the after service refreshments. I don't go on Christmas Day because most of the family aren't religious and we are opening stockings and preparing lunch. There often isn't an Anglican service on Christmas Day anyway, here in France. When the families go to their in-laws we usually have friends round for lunch.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
I don't put decorations up in my own home, as I said. But I have just got back from setting up and decorating the community tree. There were four of us there and it reminded me how nice it is to do it with other people.
I wish I was a glow worm A glow worm's never glum Cos how can you be grumpy When the sun shines out your bum!
I'm not religious. Many Christmas days as well as other Bank holidays, I had to do Rota, for the ones that forgot to get baby milk while they were stuffing the turkey. I do like it as a festival of light and family gatherings and parties in the middle of cold horrible winter. I only buy Birthday and Xmas presents for the children in the family these days. If they are 18 and working, they can buy their own.
When I can be bothered to. Usually a couple of weeks before the 25th, after much nagging from my daughters. I'm so glad that "Elf on the shelf" wasn't a thing when they were small.
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i am rather surprised by the number of people who do not ostentatiously celebrate Christmas. I love the decorations (got to be white or silver though) and enjoy receiving and sending cards. However I do get slightly miffed when, having sent thoughtfully chosen ‘arty’ cards, we get back something from the Lidl bargain box sent by people who have money to spare. Like an earlier poster, I am not a fan of emailed greetings. Who wants to prop up their iPad on the mantelpiece over Christmas?
There wasn't a mid December box in the Poll for putting up the tree. We always used to do it on the 13th which was my late OH's birthday. Nowadays we do it around the middle of December but no set day. When the family come it is a big tree and I string up decorations as well. I have the family every other Christmas, 4 children & spouses and 11 grandchildren at the latest count. 2 more on the way. The family who live nearest go home for the night. The others stay 3 - 4 days. So it is a big feast.
I send about 70 Christmas cards. As I live mostly in France it is good for keeping in touch with friends and family in the UK who I don't see very often.
Also I am a churchgoer, so I go to 2 Carol Services, help decorate the church and make mulled wine and mince pies for the after service refreshments. I don't go on Christmas Day because most of the family aren't religious and we are opening stockings and preparing lunch. There often isn't an Anglican service on Christmas Day anyway, here in France. When the families go to their in-laws we usually have friends round for lunch.
A glow worm's never glum
Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum!
I'm so glad that "Elf on the shelf" wasn't a thing when they were small.