How is England?
 

So how is England these days? I've been gone a year now and as it approaches Christmas I feel a bit reminiscent, log fire in pub, frost on ground, Radio Times to look through for which Bond films are being shown, Paxo, M&S presents etc. etc. family around Christmas Tree, you know what I mean. What things about Northern Hemisphere Christmas do you like and think you'll miss?

It's cold !
The Christmas wind down has started at work.
People have started taking sick time of work getting ready for their Christmas break.
It's as you described, much the same as every other year.
I suppose I will only appreciate what we have when we don't have it.
Never the cold though !

Re: How is England?
 

I think I'll miss mulled wine - can't see it would work in the SH.
Not too cold today - haven't got a TV guide yet (though I heard that we're getting loads of repeats on Chrimbo day), lots of sales on (3 for 2s in Woolies, boots etc), M&S presents not to great this year... no chance of snow... nativity service at the primary school was really cute.

Re: How is England?
 

Well, I spent half an hour outside, chipping ice off the car before climbing in to spend 45 minutes doing the 6 mile drive to work (traffic lights, traffic jams, general idiots). It's freezing cold here at work, so I'm trying to type wearing my coat and gloves, which isn't easy. On the plus side, it's not raining and the freezing fog has cleared.

Was sitting in a pub with a log fire the other day, very nice, but very smokey. Looking forward to spending the next two weeks at my parents house attempting to light their log fire with damp kindling and too much newspaper.

Radio Times is now hyper-confusing because of all the digital channels so it's hard to find out when the Bond films are on...

CHristmas tree doesn't go up until Christmas Eve in my family and it will be stressful when it does, mainly because my dad will fail to purchase the tree until 6pm on Christmas Eve.

Family will be gathered around said tree and fire, but we have to get there first which means battling down to London on the train, getting to Gatwick, sitting on a runway until the fog clears enough to land in Jersey, where my parents live.

Do I sound like Scrooge yet?! Actually, it is a lovely frosty morning here, everyone is cheerful (if cold) because Christmas is just around the corner, there are mince pies on tap, I've got my staff Chrimbo lunch later and the prospect of a whole two weeks off work. And at the back of my mind, the thought that this may well be our last Christmas in the UK for some time - so we'd better make the most of it!
:D :D :D

Oh the cold! True I hate it really and when in Melbourne some weeks back I shivered for the first time in the daytime in Oz - awful - but have a romantic notion of frosts and snow. Can't get used to this Southern Hemisphere Christmas thing, said "merry Christmas" for first time today to someone and its only a week away. Mind 38C in Melbourne yesterday doen't make you feel too Christmassy!

You just can't beat England at Christmas time! We spent last Christmas in South Africa visiting the wifes family and it just didn't feel right. Even the missus agrees.....there's something magical about Christmas here.

I trully loathe the cold....but this time of year I can just about stand it. There is still frost outside but the sun is out so it isn't dreary. No heat in the sun though so coats, hats, gloves and scarves are a must when going outside. They predicted snow in some parts of the country for tomorrow.......we'll see.

On the negative side.....traffic is abysmal. It took me 40mins to travel 6 miles into town the other day (mid week) and then another 35mins waiting for a parking. Went to put my £2 coin in the parking meter and it wouldn't take it. :( Ran to a few nearby shops to get it changed - fearing the 50 new traffic wardens our council has just hired who are very 'ticket' happy - but no one could spare the change!!! One place even said they wouldn't change it as it could be a forgery!!! :mad: Silly season is well and trully underway......and I for one won't be missing that aspect of it this time next year! :D

Bread sauce , mother in law on a girls nite out dancing on the tables in the local pubs:D a nice frost , my mum and dad and this time not being able to hold my new nephew/niece ( shes due today :) ) but im sure we will have a good one here i hope.
Joanne

Re: How is England?
 

England is pretty cold today.
Around 2 degrees here in Nottingham.

But I think that will be one of the things I will miss. A warm christmas just does not sound right at all. Will miss the boxing day Forest match and the huge meal my folks always cook. Dont know whether Oz is the same but there is such a christmas feel about the place hope Oz can recreate it.

TT

Tricky tree this is our 3rd in total here in perth and it still has no real christmas feel to it well not for us , we have the tree up , the presents , shopping malls are packed etc , it just still feels really weired to say " oh we are off to the beach on xmas day " not very christmassy , but i suppose its just how we have all been bought up isnt it a cold and sometimes white xmas:(
Joanne

I think the problem lies in trying to recreate a British Christmas. It's never going to be the same...maybe it's better to celebrate an Aussie Christmas, you know, BBQ and all that. That's what we did when I was out there for Christmas and it was great. We didn't have turkey or mince pies or crackers, but we had a huge party with family and mates and, although different, it was a very specal CHristmas

Urmm 90% of people who are mainly ozzies that i have spoken to have a traditional christmas like we do at home . It i think tends to be alot of the brits that go down the beach. We have done the beach thing for 3 yrs so are having a light bbq at lunch and then will have a roast for dinner , after 35 yrs of traditional christmases you cant just forget them.
Joanne

Re: How is England?
 

I never really minded the cold weather. I enjoyed the approach of winter and shopping for my new winter hat, scarf and gloves, just an annual event. Probably left over from when I was a kid and we always got new set for christmas.

Its true it is treacherous driving in fog and on frosty roads. Not so good.

Mostly I will miss my friends and family, today all my work friends are enjoying the office christmas extravaganza which is a tradition I started, lots of nice eats, quizzes and 'talent' spots, mostly lots of fun with people I spent most of my time with.

I will miss spending time with my family my nan at 91 is frail and says she will die before she sees me again.

I will miss seeing the enjoyment on the faces of those I love as we spend time and share gifts. I will even miss getting the jumper I get off my gran every year that only ever gets worn once, on my first visit to see her after christmas.

It is hard hearing those you love tell you they miss you and christmas won't be the same for them this year because I am not there.

I miss the christmassey feel of things in UK, it hasn't felt the same here. Maybe its because Christmas is competing with summer, summer hols, school hols here and at home its the only thing we have to look forward to so there is a bit more gusto.

We were in the city today and it just didn't feel really christmassey at all. Woolies were playing carols which was good but generally there doesn't appear to be a lot of christmas spirit around. In the bank here today they had one piece of tinsel at the top of the teller window and few scrag ends around the calulators. Not a mince pie or glass of sherry in sight.

Anyway I am going to finish now before I depress myself.

The weather is freezing, my heating is on max and it is ice-scraping every morning again. Apart from that the shopping is quite good if you can get to the shops by 9am, after 10 it gets very busy. Lots of 3 for 2 deals on! WHS and Woolie shave some great kids pressies!

I personally think Christmas brightens up an otherwise gloomy time of year in Britain. In Aus where it is during the summer it probably isn't as much of a focus as you have other things you can look forward to doing in the sun.

I think Tina is right - Christmas is kind of an oasis in our winter..in Aussie there's plenty of other nice days and times to be had all year round...

I have loved it the last few days as the sun is shining.

There hasn't been a Bond film on on Chrstmas Day for years, I think...seemed to stop in the early 90s..

Badge