Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Yes forgot about that during Christmas, a good money maker for hotels and restaurants.

All the hotels I ever worked in even the Day's Inn would be booked solid mid November to New Years Eve for parties, in December especially many nights more revenue from banquet department than rooms.

Upside to being night audit, get to see all the revenue, and non-cash tips the banquet people make and how much the electric bill is :lightbulb: the 140 room Best Western would average like 3,000 a month for hydro, can only imagine what the big hotels in Vancouver and Whistler pay just in electricity each month.

Not so much now as many chains have pulled porn from their rooms, but back in the day everyone thinking it was some hidden secret, I know what you were watching last night, exact time, title and even how long you watched it for....:rofl:

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Yes cooler..but warm by most people’s standard. :thumbup:

I have been to LA many times, but I’ve only been to SD once. Loved it and will go back one day. Yes the scenery is fabulous.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

LA is too big and spread out for me, never been a fan, but a lot of people in SD don't care for LA...so it's not unusual...ha ha

SD is also more compact and easier to get place to place, Mexico to the south, ocean to the west, mountains to the east and Camp Pendleton to the North, ensures SD can't turn into another LA, simple not enough land. Camp Pendleton is a savior really, without it, SD/Orange County/LA would just be one giant mega blob. Add in a bunch of the other random military bases in the area and there is a fair amount of land that can't be built on/developed so while not accessible to the public, it also prevents the land from being turned into more houses and strip malls.

And San Diego has a quaint easy to get in and out airport located a mere 3 miles from downtown, also busiest single runway airport in the US, and I believe 3rd busiest single runway airport in the world, with Mumbai and Gatwick being busier, so when BA flew San Diego to Gatwick they had service between the busiest single runway airport on each end, but they switched to Heathrow and during COVID no idea if they are even flying the route.

Balboa Park is also awesome, and only a few minutes from downtown, home to the SD Zoo which of course is world famous for its research and conservation and helping keep species from going extinct, but in addition to the zoo there are like 20 museums in the park, most of which offer 1 day free each month to residents plus the botanical gardens, so much to do there....

It's probably why I get so bored in BC, I had more to do in just 1 park there......:rofl:

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

And don't forget Santa and his reindeer

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...48460126ba.jpg

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

When I started work in the mid 1980s - this was known as Friday. When it came around to Christmas - we didn't bother with the pub but food and a ridiculous amount of drink was brought into the office past the police guards who would stand with their eyes shut and fingers in their ears so they couldn't see the bottles or hear them chinking. That changed a lot by the time I left in 2004 with no official recognition of the holidays at all. The company in Toronto used to have great annual parties including open bar, but after a couple of takeovers those stopped happening to the same extent. When I moved into Real Estate - my first brokerage which was a Remax franchise held some pretty swanky parties - again open bar (but given that everyone paid them $900 per month for the privilege of working there they could afford it).

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Also known as POETS day.
Piss Off Early Tomorrow's Saturday

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

At last, someone else who uses that term!! That and 'Piss Off Everyone, Tomorrow's Saturday' :D

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Nearest I got was the first two weeks of December in Tenerife. Sitting on a bar terrace, palm trees all around, nice evening, t-shirt...and the surrounding bars having Christmas decorations up.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Friday has meant little to me since high school, but then I have had a M-F type job, so my days off have always been mostly things like Wed/Thur off, or Sun/Mon, Or Mon/Tues or when doing 10 hour shifts Mon/Tue/Wed off type deal, does make it a little more complicated to have a social life.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I have spent Christmas several times in Florida and the Caribbean. If I had my way I would spend every Christmas somewhere hot. :thumbup:

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

:lol:

We had a very strict HR manager at my local government workplace. Before every Christmas party he'd bore us all witless at the manager's meeting, telling us how we were responsible for the behaviour of our staff, how important it was that nothing was done to offend anybody, how we had to 'maintain standards' blah blah blah.

He (HR bloke) was responsible for hiring the 'entertainment', which usually consisted of a lame comedian that everyone laughed at for the wrong reasons, or a karaoke machine (kill me now). But one year he hired a professional Santa and his little helper. Santa was perfectly respectable, but for some reason his little helper in her micro-mini costume with her boobs fighting to escape the white fluff and her arse hanging out of her g-string got most of the attention.

Half the workforce was offended and the other half kept stampeding in different directions as they tried to get the best view. We never let him forget it :lol:

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

The Garden where I worked for over 30 years always had some sort of Christmas do ....... ranging from staff organising and cooking turkey etc (when we had a kitchen available), to an organised pot luck dinner and dancing, the Director having a get together at his house. It was never held outside the Garden except when the Director holds it at home.

It is still being held at the current Director's house, and we are still invited! Everyone chips in with something ............. OH makes his "famous" trifle, others take salads or side dishes, or beer or wine. The Director and his wife provide the main dish.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

We spent a couple of years in Dubai. The kids were little then and I remember noticing how that even though it was 'shorts & t-shirt' weather outside they would automatically draw snowy scenes on their Christmas pictures and cards without thinking that that was strange. Of course, Dubai has changed a lot since then and they probably do make it snow at Christmas now :rofl:


I think I would rather become a Jehovah's Witness than agree to go to a works Christmas do... truly the stuff of nightmares.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Yes times have changed so much now, silly rules and the "the no more fun times police" have stepped in to end it all....together with the fact companies have become a lot more tight fisted, so Christmas parties are mainly a thing of the past now.

Terrible shame really, as JSmith pointed out they were great for morale and for team building, because everyone was relaxed and feeling social, you would get chatting to co workers that you would normally talk to in the work place, thus establishing solid working relationships with your work colleagues, therefore benefiting to company through improved communcation between workers.

Oh well all good things come to an end.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I dunno how the past was, but Christmas season is often lay off season these days. So nice of companies to issue lay off notices just before Christmas. :sarcasm:

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

A Clan Dew hangover.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Noddy Holder. :nod:
And this. :(

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

From Noddy to you...

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I've met him or rather been on nodding terms. He had a timeshare apartment at the Carlton Hotel Bournemouth. Nice bloke.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Boots 3 for 2 on Christmas gifts, although I still look online and send my mother a list of few items of what I would like

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I miss so much my dear Mother. Most Christmases there was only the two of us (my father having been killed in war)and she went out of her way to make each and every one so memorable for me. Unfortunately when one’s a child one doesn’t fully appreciate the effort made, but I do now and each Christmas Day now I set aside a couple of hours to sit quietly and think of her.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

:wub: where's a <<<<<<<<hugs>>>>>>>>> emoji when you need one. Wonderful sentiment, your Mother sounds as if she was an amazing person who filled your christmas's with joy and love.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

This is really lovely.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

What a beautiful thought. I'll remember this.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Thank you for sharing. I can't express my thoughts any better than this:
This:
And this:

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

What a lovely thing to do.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Retro Christmas flash back to 1983.....Cabbage Patch Doll Mania.

Doll retailed for $20, but was reselling as high as $50. ($52 & $130 when adjusted for inflation to 2020 dollars.)

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Similar prices going crazy in the 70's for Pet Rocks, Mood Rings and also Doodle Art kits.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I had a pet rock, but in the 80's, amazing what kids can convince parents to buy. :rofl:

I don't remember if my sister got a cabbage patch doll in 1983, she would have just turned 3, and I was 4 1/2 and don't have sufficient memory of 1983, can't remember anything really from 1983 specifically.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

My daughter would have been about 8 that Christmas, and I remember she really wanted a Cabbage Patch Doll. I went to The Bay downtown around late November, and got the last one on the shelf in the Toy Department. I paid the going price for it! It was well-loved for years ......... and she still has it.

She then wanted another one the next Christmas, and I got another one then, and she used Christmas money to buy a male Cabbage Doll during the Christmas sales!

She played with them for quite some time, then they went on the shelf as she grew too old for dolls. In 1995, she gave me the second female doll to take to England to give to my niece's then 3 year old daughter .... and she loved it. Later, we took the first doll and the boy to Halifax. They are now on the shelves of stuffed toys in her son's room. Yes, he liked stuffed toys, though growing out of them now!

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I love that you do this plasticcunuck as I do this also . For Xmas Day and also my birthday . Just some time for my parents.

You are obviously a chip off a rather special loving Mum's block & she brought up a wonderful son. She would be so proud.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

My mom doesn't recall having to go deal with the crowds, I don't think my sister got one until a couple years later when she was older, at 3 she probably didn't even know they existed, I certainly have no memory of 1983, I do have cabbage patch dolls, but I don't think I was aware of them in 1983....but maybe I was, I literally no specific memories from 1983, not until 1987-88 where I have some specific memories begin.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Nice Christmas cake. But there is good news.

I usually buy a couple of those brick types of what they call fruit cake here. Not the light ones but not necessarily the dark ones either. :confused: :lol: They are acceptable but not really.

Last year, just after Christmas, Sobeys sold something they called "Sensations by Compliments Royal British Fruitcake" and I thought it was the real deal. Easily the best I've had in Canada and it seemed to me on a par with M&S.
I was just looking at the latest Sobeys flyer and I don't know if they've rebranded it (I remember something about a new name for 'sensations') but they appear to be calling it Deluxe Fruitcake now. But the wrapper is absolutely identical to the one illustrating it when it was Royal British Fruitcake.

So that's the one to get. :thumbup:

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I always buy the dark cake. Bought a couple from Metro last week. Last January I bought several from Sobey’s...reduced. Hubby loves Christmas cake/pudding. Went to the British Shop yesterday for M&S Christmas pudding. They have been forced to close during lockdown. Why...they sell food for goodness sake? Grrrrrrr

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I got my Christmas cake from Sobeys as above. Sadly it's not UK made like last year. Deluxe from Weston Foods Toronto.

But it is better than the usual stuff available. I always find light fruit cake to be just fruit cake and the dark version just seems like molasses was added.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

I didn't come across any crowds either. Not did I have to fight anyone to get either of the 2 I got. All was relatively peaceful when we went to the after-Christmas sales for daughter to use her money to get the boy doll, no more crowds than usual and no fighting and pushing.

I/we just walked up up the shelving and took our time with no-one over our shoulders.

I'm sure there was pushing and shoving and crowds ............. somewhere!!!

Then there was that wrinkly dog that came out either just before or just after the Cabbage Patch dolls, and people were crowding for those.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

We had some really good locally made Christmas cakes, in that slab format because made in square tins, from Safeway before Sobeys took them over. Dark or light fruit cake, with or without almond paste. We would buy before Christmas and then get some more afterwards when they were often on sale!

OH bought one of the dark fruit cakes about a week ago, but it doesn't seem to be going down very fast. I haven't yet tried it ...... it was milk and gluten (wheat) in it, so I'm hesitant.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

The Sharpei bobble-head in the car rear-window? Pound Puppies came out right after Cabbage Patch Kids to cash in on the marketing ploy of adopting a toy, but they weren't wrinkly; just floppy. When I was small poring over the Stars and Eaton's Christmas catalogues was a major occupation in December.
Edit: I had to look it up, and I guess I may remember Wrinkles, but I don't think it got near the advertising the big manufacturer's toys had.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...1523f101db.jpg

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Christmas eve alone. Watching television and drinking some of the Christmas booze while my parents had gone to pusb with their various new partners. It was probably child abuse but I loved it.

Re: What do you miss about Christmas from homeland?
 

Lineup for Cabbage Patch Kids at a Canadian Tire store, Christmas 1985:
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...6a9713535f.jpg