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Ciaran · 10-26-2013, 07:04 AM

I love Christmas.

Here in the UK, we (obviously) don't celebrate Thanksgiving and the other celebrations are fairly contained within the respective ethnic / religious communities.

Christmas is different. Unlike the US where many aspects still operate as normal, most things stop completely here on Christmas Day (and, often, Boxing Day too). No buses or other public transport. Very few, if any, shops open on Christmas Day etc.

During my younger adult life, I used the Christmas holidays as an opportunity to travel a lot. I think, between 1998 and 2007, I spent one Christmas back home. The others were spent in Rome, Manila, San Francisco et al.

I didn't regret it at the time - but, as I've been living the past 5 to 6 years in London away from my family, I do now.

These days, for me, Christmas is about family and my close, life-long friends back home. It's not about religion (well, it is but that's a 365 day a year thing), at least not in any meaningful sense. It's all about being back home.

After recent months, I'm very much looking forward to getting back home this year. Last year, Christmas was hectic and noisy - Tmbyfem was here, alongside my brother and his young family. This year, Tmbyfem won't arrive until post-Christmas and my brother will be celebrating Christmas with his young family in their new London home.

So there'll be fewer people which means less noise and more turkey for me. My family and friends will be around me. I'll eat and drink more than I should, probably go to mass 6 of the 7 days I'm there, reiterate to my parents and my friends how much I love them and return to London with a smile inside.

That's my Christmas.

10-26-2013, 07:04 AM	#6
Ciaran Member How Do You Identify?: Altocalciphilic Preferred Pronoun?: Papa Smurf Relationship Status: Curmudgeonous spinster Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: London (but from Belfast) Posts: 678 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 471 Thanked 3,656 Times in 602 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	I love Christmas. Here in the UK, we (obviously) don't celebrate Thanksgiving and the other celebrations are fairly contained within the respective ethnic / religious communities. Christmas is different. Unlike the US where many aspects still operate as normal, most things stop completely here on Christmas Day (and, often, Boxing Day too). No buses or other public transport. Very few, if any, shops open on Christmas Day etc. During my younger adult life, I used the Christmas holidays as an opportunity to travel a lot. I think, between 1998 and 2007, I spent one Christmas back home. The others were spent in Rome, Manila, San Francisco et al. I didn't regret it at the time - but, as I've been living the past 5 to 6 years in London away from my family, I do now. These days, for me, Christmas is about family and my close, life-long friends back home. It's not about religion (well, it is but that's a 365 day a year thing), at least not in any meaningful sense. It's all about being back home. After recent months, I'm very much looking forward to getting back home this year. Last year, Christmas was hectic and noisy - Tmbyfem was here, alongside my brother and his young family. This year, Tmbyfem won't arrive until post-Christmas and my brother will be celebrating Christmas with his young family in their new London home. So there'll be fewer people which means less noise and more turkey for me. My family and friends will be around me. I'll eat and drink more than I should, probably go to mass 6 of the 7 days I'm there, reiterate to my parents and my friends how much I love them and return to London with a smile inside. That's my Christmas.