My Big Fat Gypsy Christmas

[teahouse]

Love it, just love it - my secret pleasure ;o)

I forgot to dsay that i realised they were gypsies and then i asked some questions and he reluctantly admitted they were. I thought the FIL had let the gypsy people dow, they were really lovely people. I didn't have any opnion of them one way or another before or adfter my experience. Garden looks great.

Just Thought id give you all a update Josie and Swanley now have a baby girl called Josie ,,the boy who was doing the grabbing that hit the headlines is Josies brother John ,,on the next series it will show him and Cheyann the grabbed girl...getting engaged also Josies sisters wedding ,,,yes paddy really does love Roseann he is a big softy he really is and please remember most of what u see is 4 the cameras ,

Ilove the closeness of the families, i'm a bit envious.

my son is best friends with a traveller boy. He's called Charlie the Country boy by them. The traveller boy is a lovely lad, I call him my adoptive child, My Charlie has been invited to a traveller wedding by the family. I know it's an honour and a priveledge and something he'll never exerience again.

I'm quite taken by the lifestyle

Years ago when i was at University accomodation we had gypsy neighbours. They too were lovely, polite, clean brilliant neighbours. Always had a chat with me.

Then some years after that gypsies took illegal residence in a field behind my Mothers house.
Blasted music all night, tethered horses to Mums fence, dirty nappies rubbish strewn everywhere. Men had to come in protective suits and masks and spray the area. My parents and a few 100 other residents didn't get muchg sleep for months.

Good and bad everywhere, obviously.

londonlack - do you work on the show then?

I'm surprised there's another series really. Isn't it much of a muchness now? Of course half of it is for the cameras, that's what I always thought. I wonder if it's going to give us a glimpse into the not so funny side of being a traveller wife?

Gypsy Wifeswap programme would be good! Either wifeswap between gypsy familes or with non gypsy families. :)

No dont work on the show,,Husband is cousion to Paddy And also Josie !

oh londonlackeen that is really interesting. Do you live in a caravan etc too and have the weddings like this?

we have been living in our house for 22 yrs now,,like most travellers in london ..and yes we do attend the weddings regulary .

I'm dying to know why none of Paddy's five children invited him round for Christmas...

Londonlackeen do you have done amazing outfits like on the show?

paddys children spent xmas on holiday abroad or wiv there in laws ,,and my daughters do were the outfits but not to exteme ,

I've just caught up on 4OD. I have to admit this episode made me really uncomfortable. It all appears to be very neutrally presented, but the subtext invites judgement, I think. Personally I find the commodification of it all - women, religious rites, babyhood - unpleasant. I also feel that the voyeurism of the programme ups the ante, perpetuating the 'dream' of a massive wedding dress.

I also think it's been a very lucrative enterprise for Velma. Not only is the woman prepared to live at the shop at weekends; her Christmas can also be bought by the brides she sews into their gilded cages.

Would Channel 4 produce a series gawping at the traditions of British-Indian Muslim weddings, and the trappings and traditions of them? I don't think so.