Christmas snobs over here

[2014newme]

This thread is for Christmas 'snobs'.
Proud to be one. 🎩🎅
So if you're not a fan of elf on the shelf or excessive mountains of tat this is where you can hang out and be safe from discussion of boots 3 for 2 gift sets.

Just bought Christmas Chronicles because of the Christmas card quote

Nigel is my spirit animal.

Just ordered The Christmas Chronicles. I saw it in Waterstones last week and was v tempted. You lot have made me go ahead!

I detest elf on a shelf with a passion and everything that shit head elf stands for. I have no patience for attention seeking, competitive mummies going on about their oh so witty and suggestive elf antics on FB. To me the elf is firmly Hyacinth bucket territory, keeping up with the joneses. Bore off.

The same for over the top artificial christmas decorations. Artificial greenery, monstrous light installation etc.

I prefer a nice, tasteful, nordic Christmas experience.

Who else HAS to watch Carols from King's on Christmas Eve? Or at least listen to it. Preferably with mulled wine!

We lived abroad for a long time and thanks to the BBC World Service I never had to miss it.

We once had the naffest Christmas tree ever. We were living in the Gulf in the mid 70s when there were virtually no western style shops, and often we couldn't even buy basics. 'A wooden spoon? Er, we might have some in 6 weeks, there's a ship coming from India...'.

Shortly before my first Christmas there, someone told me of an amazing new shop where they had all sorts. I went off to find it, a long drive ending in a dirt track, and lo, they had Christmas trees! Or sort of. It was just a long stick thing less than a metre high, covered in green and white tinsel, and the 'branches' were just straight tinsel covered sticks you bent out. It came in a box with a set of coloured lights, a metal stand and a few baubles.
I loved that tree! Had no dcs at the time, but other expats' kids came in to admire it - hardly anyone had any sort of Christmas tree then.

Telly King's is recorded several weeks before. Radio King's is live.

I have queued for the latter: from 8am in snow. It was bliss. Such a lovely community in the queue, holding spaces for people who were strangers four hours ago while they do a coffee run

Honestly nothing beats being there on the day except their Good Friday but the radio is a good second place. More evocative with live coughs and fluttering paper.

Oh yes, always on the Roberts not the tv MrsH. Although the thought of being there live sounds wonderful!

craftsy -- that is the dearest tradition. Your little boy is lucky to have you doing all of that for him. What memories he'll have!

Craftsy that is so wonderful! What a gorgeous tradition!

Just come back and realised there are two anon posters on this thread. Just to clarify .I like the sound of Anonevents very traditional (if posh) Christmas. I grew up celebrating Christmas Day just with mum and dad ( no transport and money was tight) . My mum tried hard to make it special but I dreamt of the big family Christmas celebrations I saw in films and books. Like many posters on here I have built some lovely traditions with DC and DGC.

I don’t watch much telly at Christmas.
A few Christmas special kids stuff such as the Julia Donaldson stuff.
But never soaps (don’t watch them anyway). Or Mrs Brown boys (wtf?!!) Or The Royal Family.

Do you mean the Royle Family, Losing?

Had never watched it until one Christmas years ago, when we watched the Christmas Special. I wasn't expecting much at all, but we all found it extremely funny - my mother laughed until she cried.
Having been a bit sniffy about it (despite never having watched it!) must say I thought it very clever, with outstanding acting by all of them.
And unusual, in that it portrayed a family doing all the things superior beings like to sneer at - but at the same time showing them as such a warm and loving family.

Yeah gettings
I just wasn’t a fan.