Christmas Considered Harmful?

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Obviously a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

But…

Anyone else noticed the forum gets a little grumpy as the season of goodwill approaches? I think it's because Christmas is full of stress. Fellow members, you have my sympathy.

Look at poor little me. I want a 3D-Printer and will get socks. I have to spend valuable workshop time entertaining relatives. I've been in a cold dark loft-space searching desperately for tatty decorations that I don't want to put up. I shall eat and drink too much; the cat's already been sick. Tone deaf hoodies ring my doorbell wanting money. I always forget somebody's present. That plastic tree has seen better days and there's nothing I like on telly. There's absolutely no point in me hanging around under the mistletoe.

This thread is specially for the Humbug Club. If you think Christmas is a Health and Safety issue, now is your chance to share! Best moan wins.

Dave

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

[geoff adamsParticipant @geoffadams14047]

totally agree roll on next year

geoff

[Geoff TheasbyParticipant @geofftheasby]

Blxxdy computer's even defragged my humbug!

Geoff

[clogsParticipant @clogs]

I'm laughing out load, u should have added, people turn up and eat ur goodies and drink ur Port…….

thought it was only me…….grumpy…….

guess it comes with age…….

the stand out Christmas for me was when I took my dear old mum to Gran-caneria for the hols….if she were here we'd go again……..

hahaha……….clogs

[Richard S2Participant @richards2]

Nowadays, It's the only time I find wishing my life away by looking forward to the 27th Dec and the longer days ahead.

But I have to say the on two of my other Forums, they dress them up seasonally which gives a strange degree of satisfaction in 'Popping the Lights with the PC Arrow Cursor regularly after refreshing their Home Page!. Yeah, I'm SAD !.

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

I agree totally, I hate Christmas, it's just not an engineers "thing" is it. My parents were really embarrassed in the fifties when money was tight and all they could afford to get me was a second hand (huge) box of Meccano! Best Christmas present ever! I think what annoys us especially, is the lack of quality, and the short lifespan of most Christmas gifts. We should rename it Consumerfest!

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Not just me that hates Christmas then. I get grumpy at the thought of buggering about with trees and lights. One Christmas day I went out and painted the workshop floor, the family either understood or did not miss me !

[vintagengineerParticipant @vintagengineer]

Our local Indian Restaurant cottoned on years ago that not everyone likes Christmas and opens Christmas day. Same prices as normal and no decorations!

[Bruce EdneyParticipant @bruceedney59949]

Ah – A bunch of kindred spirits – Here I am on a damp Christmas morning (was expecting a Sunny day in NZ 22 deg) reading these comments thinking "YES!!! it is not just me!!!"

Going to finish my coffee and head into the workshop for at least an hour of cutting some metal before some family turn up.

I am sure the current celebration of Christmas was thought up by some sadistic Extrovert just to annoy their introvert partner.

With all that said I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may all you socks soon have swarf embedded in them!!!

Cheers

Bruce

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Have you noticed the tree always starts dying on Christmas Eve?

[Mick HenshallParticipant @mickhenshall99321]

Well I don't care I look forward to Chrisymas and fully intend to enjoy every minute of it , so there

Mick   😁

[Geoff TheasbyParticipant @geofftheasby]

Phil, me too! Big carrier bag of used Meccano, Great!

Geoff

[Bill PudneyParticipant @billpudney37759]

Well I had quite a good time. I spent a very satisfying three or four hours fitting the lower dovetail slide on my home made carriage for a little lathe. Being cast iron my hands were suitably black and oily. The Boss even understood when I came indoors to use the ultrasonic magic bubbles to clean the bits. A good day, no bah humbug required!!

Merry Christmas

cheers

Bill

[John OlsenParticipant @johnolsen79199]

We spent the day out on the water in my steam launch, although not yet under steam, just using the electric trolling motor auxiliary. A nice way to spend a sunny summer day. The solar cells pretty much kept up with the current use until it clouded over a bit towards the end. Not fast, but great fun.

John

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Have you noticed the tree always starts dying on Christmas Eve?

Ours doesn't – it's plastic! Merry Christmas.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

While i'm not really a Christmas sort of bloke or birthdays either i would like to reach out to my fellow model engineers that may be alone at this time of year to wish them a merry Christmas and to let them know that they always have friends on the forum to coverse with either on the forum or by a personal message .

P.S .

Neil i sneak into your house and poison your tree with roundup 😄

Ian

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

Four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden the liquor.. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and an irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?'

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

Not a lot of people know this.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 24/12/2017 22:07:32:

Have you noticed the tree always starts dying on Christmas Eve?

And then your Baubles drop off…

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 24/12/2017 22:07:32:

Have you noticed the tree always starts dying on Christmas Eve?

I look out the window and yes, some blue sky (in UK) and the Christmas tree we planted 60 years ago now about 30 ft high.

Call from nephew returning from Xmas at in-laws their day is almost over and cooling down from the 27 degrees it was. Happy last 3 hours of Christmas Day to all you in the antipodes.

[ron vale 3Participant @ronvale3]

Re going up in the loft.

found one of last years presents i was going to give to the grandchildren

They would have loved that kitten

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by ron vale 1 on 25/12/2017 11:52:24:

… found one of last years presents i was going to give to the grandchildren

They would have loved that kitten

.

Up-cycling opportunity there, Ron

Grab a copy of Simon Bond's book and give then the pair, as an educational toy

MichaelG.

[ron vale 3Participant @ronvale3]

Michael

The good lady didnt speak to me for a few days when she saw that wonderful tome

I still would like a pair of oven gloves

[GeorgineerParticipant @georgineer]

Posted by Bazyle on 25/12/2017 10:55:11:

… the Christmas tree we planted 60 years ago now about 30 ft high.

Be careful, Bazyle – My grandparents left Dad's Christmas tree in the garden when it grew too big to come indoors in the late 1910s. It blew over in a storm in the 1970s and took down not only the 'garden parlour' but both the next-door and next-door-but-one neighbours' fences at the same time.

George

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Having a tee-shirt which declares me to be a Founding Member of the Grumpy Old Mens Club, I am one with the feeling of SOD; my family are quite used to my Bah Humbug approach to Christmas.

But I do not hate Christmas as such. I hate Christmas for what it has become. The whole message and magic of Christmas has been lost. Children getting bigger and bigger more and more expensive presents which the parents can't afford and the children expect but don't appreciate. Compare that with our youth when parents were hard up and we were more than happy to get anything at all.

Christmas adverts from end of August onwards, shops stuffed with Christmas goods for months before, compulsory Christmas music blasting from every shop for weeks, and then the shopping. Horrible. Hide in the shed time. Tons and tons of food bought, because we 'must have some of this' or 'some of that', how much goes to waste, must stock up as the shops will be shut for one whole day.. How much do we over-eat and drink? We buy as well bottles of booze that never gets drunk for ages, plus that bottle of 'whatever' that no-one drinks but we'd better get a bottle in 'just-in-case' cos Aunty Whoever drinks it and if she turns up'….

There is not this hype in France, or at least the part of Brittany we go to. Things are so much more calm, the lack of hype and great expectation means Christmas is so much more enjoyable, though still expensive!

Whatever happened to the message of Christmas, to peace and goodwill to all men? It has all ended up as one huge raid on my wallet, depriving me of essential workshop goodies and depriving me of essential shed time, that's what's happened to Christmas.

Bah Humbug to you all.

Chris

PS. When we moved to our present house 10 years ago some idiot had planted a Christmas tree in the garden years before which by then was 45 foot tall, give or take a yard or two. Dominated the garden, took masses of space and light, hid a beautiful copper beech tree behind it. Cost £400 to have it cut down, but well worth it. Beware, those thinking of planting this year's tree. Ours is a suitably plastic and fibre-optic jobbie, will give years of service, none of this £25 plus a tree rubbish you end up putting on the tip 2 weeks after Christmas Day – why clutter your house with it, shedding needles, why not go straight down the tip and just throw £25 in the skip and save the mess and wastage. Bah Humbug. My wife really loves me, this time of year………..

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