Gio

Do you spend your Christmas here or in Blighty? I'm going back to the yeuk this year for mine. Do you miss the Christmas spirit in the u.k or not?

indiebird

Hmmmm well we normally go home. We did think quite hard that we might not this year as it always feels rushed and a bit stressy trying to fit everyone in, but we are going we have now decided. 4days with the outlaws and 4days with my family. Then back here for new year and hopefully off skiing for epiphany... (well sitting in a spa with a glass of wine is actually MY personal plan) I don't miss the early xmas run-up in the UK. I am normally sick of it by now. Haven't even heard an xmas song yet...

duffer

Not. It's Buon Natale.

Lorna at Vicenza

I used to save up six to seven hundred thousand Lire to get home. It was so expensive.
One year - when I was still single - I went back at the end of July for my cousin's big wedding and told everybody I could not afford to go back for Christmas as well. It was my first Christmas here and I met my Italian partner. I still sometimes wonder if that was a good Christmas or not

I've stayed here for Christmas another couple of times when pregnant but we usually go back every year. I love it, the kids love it and even OH loves it. He gets on with all my family, loves going to the pub for a few drinks and a game of pool with all of us. He likes the Christmas atmosphere and the fact that he's miles away from work and they can't call him in. He avoids most of the shops and even I avoid the mad crowds in the pubs and clubs in the town centre most of the time. I can't be bothered to shove and push to get served anymore but I like the smaller, friendlier pubs. I like the music and the laughs and the humour. I like finding bargains but I'd never queue for them on Boxing Day or whatever. I like Quality Street and my Mam always gets me a Chocolate Orange.







Bah Humbug !

indiebird

Ahhh thanks Lorna, but it IS still a bit early!! Last year on FB I started a group called 'Christmas should start on the 23rd of December and not before' so annoyed did I get of getting fb xmas trees and god knows what in bloody october!! Hasn't been so bad this year....yet!!

Lorna at Vicenza

I always think Christmas starts much later here in Italy - and rightly so. The shops where I live have only just started to get some Christmas stuff on the shelves.
I asked my sister to send me some cheap cake decorations for the Yule Log I'm going to make for school end of November. I told her there was nothing out on the shelves here yet (not that I'd probably find a Merry Christmas sign and a robin red-breast here anyway) and she was amazed - a lot of stuff had been out in the UK since Halloween and even at the same time as Halloween - which she thinks is wrong too.
I don't normally start anything until December at least. I put the tree and trimmings up here earlier than I normally would - like the first weekend in December - so that the kids can enjoy the fairy lights etc. in their own home for a bit before we leave for England. We never usually return to Italy until the 4th or 5th of January and then on the 6th it's time to take them all down. I don't go overbaord on the trimmimgs either but the kids like doing the tree.
Mine still believe in Father Christmas. Think it might be the last year for Chloe though.

Gio

Sorry Duffer. My spellings bad at times in English but in Italian I'm rubbish, but, I guess you got wot I ment. Din ya?

Lorna at Vicenza

So where are you spending Christmas this year Ernesto?

TestaRossa

My Christmas is the same here as in the UK as we don't spend it with our other rellies - no parents as a focal point does that I think! I wait for Alex to come back before I decorate, so about the 12th, any earlier and Antonia would drive me nuts! She's already worked out this year that it isn't far off!! She has been banned from talking about it on pain of cancellation! Flo is pretty at Xmas and I like it when the sun shines on Xmas day. We hope to be out of flo for new year but I like being here for befana!

Lorna at Vicenza

Duh - must have been half asleep when I asked that.

Gio

Yeh, I know what I write just goes right out of yer head..

.Ariel.

The run up to Christmas has already started here in the UK. Apparently due to credit crunch stores are helping us to spread the cost by getting us to start spending early (so kind). I actually love the run up to Christmas more than Christmas itself so I don't mind.

I've been in Italy for the past 10 years but have always come back to the UK for Christmas. We were going to go to Italy for Christmas this year, but events mean we will stay in the UK. Am glad really. Don't want to be away from home on the 25th if I'm honest.

I'm so happy to be able to chrismtas shop here this year. It's so easy getting gifts. Go 3 for 2s!!!!!!

Am in Naples this weekend - are the panettones out yet? need one.

TestaRossa

Yup, and the Pandoras. I saw the gift boxes today with the spumante and a Pandora in! The pig's feet have been out about a month! Must send a couple to my sister!

Lorna at Vicenza

I like pandoro - just a big lump of fluffy sponge cake really - but those pig trotters are just awful !

LivingHere

I like Christmas here. Normally its really cold, doesn't rain and more than once we have had snow. Our first Christmas here it snowed on Christmas day. My oldest was two and she was old enough to be excited by it.

tbh I can't face the hassle of packing everything, dividing our time and then coming back. My excuse has always been "Where will Father Christmas know where to go?" Plus we have a chimney here.