Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

5 years ago we arrived in Budapest a few days before Christmas to be greeted with truly gruesome weather, having only 1 piece of luggage (everything else not due to arrive from the UK until late January). Unfamiliar with much, especially the language, Christmas was bound to be a limited affair, and it was!

However, a miniature Christmas tree, just 1 small gift each, some DVDs played on our lap top (our TV / internet couldn't be connected until 28th December), great walks admiring the City's decorations (despite being minus 15c), roast chestnuts in the market - & we had one of the best Christmases ever!

No pressures, no impositions, no pita relatives - magic!

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Sounds lovely. We have a little potted pine tree we decorated.

I do wish Vancouver was more decorated for Christmas but its not the most festive city.

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Stick with it, JS! Just have a simple, but enjoyable, Christmas!

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

This is the only significant vacation time I take each year, so I really look forward to it.

I should get 2 weeks off, but my clients may change that.

Lots of eating, drinking and spending time with the family - fantastic time of the year.

I may be persuaded to get out an acoustic guitar and play something that everyone can sing, particularly if they have had a few drinks. Fun time all around!

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

One of the few I am not working so a plus. Usually I have jobs where I work Christmas.

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

:rofl:


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...fc7a30df7b.gif

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Bells from egg cartons and silver paper. Pipe cleaner figures. Tree branches painted white and sparkle added. Dates. Clementines. Nuts.

Immediate family at dinner - which was lunch time :lol: - with the rellies arriving for Christmas tea after xmas TOTP. Christmas pud which I didn't like but had a portion in case there was a threepenny bit in it.

So many seated at the table that there was an old fashioned pasting board (hinged down the length so when folded it was more like a plank but sturdy) covered with a blanket and placed between chairs for all the kids to sit on.

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Hanging around in Toronto which will be quiet and boring. I will venture up to one of the local snow hills to board a couple of days to pass the time.

I don't half miss getting pissed in a pub on Christmas Eve.

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

It's not the city that never sleeps at Christmas?

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Nice memories Bristol :) We made bells out of the silver tops of milk bottles and paper chains cut from magazines. One 'main present' and a couple of little ones. Roast chicken for Christmas lunch, a huge luxury then. How things have changed, beef was so cheap then that it was an everyday meal. I always hoped I'd get the threepenny bit :D

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Probably nothing that exciting but fishing, crabbing and pawning but whatever I do I plan on staying as drunk as possible throughout the time.

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

But there's lots of decorations around!

Look for information on which houses and streets are decorated.

Go down to the Christmas Market ............ you have to pay to go inside, but you can walk around outside for free.

Go to the hotels, especially ones that are having the Christmas tree competitions.

Go to Stanley Park or Queen Elizabeth Park, free ............. VanDusen has great decorations, but you have to pay to enter

You have to get out and look around to see them, but Vancouver certainly is not an undecorated city by any means!

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Everything shut by 5 ish on Christmas Eve- even Hooters.

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Yeah I am with you James.....Christmas Eve...and everything is shut at 5!! WTF??? the pubs are packed on Christmas Eve in the UK!
Christmas Eve would be pretty low key if it wasn't for a knees up at a friends house.... its usually a good one.

I would have thought something would have stayed open in a city like TO biggest city in Canada?

On an unrelated note....any recomnendations for a good live music bar in TO? something that plays the usual classic rock/pop kind of stuff?

Re: Who's doing what for Christmas?
 

Try The Keg - they are usually open til 10 - I've gone there for the past 3 years.. and many ethnic restaurants are too.

The Keg only closes on Christmas Day. :) https://kegsteakhouse.com/en/locations