Christmas traditions old and new – which old ones do you still keep and which new ones have you adopted?
What traditions are becoming the ghosts of Christmas past, and what does the Christmas of the future seem to hold? One survey has found the following:
★ Putting a penny in the Christmas pudding? Only 3 per cent of us still put them in.
★ Tangerines in Christmas stockings? 69 per cent of us have not even heard of this old custom
★ Toasting the Queen? 18 per cent of us still do this at Christmas lunch.
★ Dousing the Christmas pudding in brandy and setting it alight? 29 per cent of us still like this.
★ Home- made Christmas cake ? Well, 46 per cent of us still enjoy this.
★ Or German stollen instead? 25 per cent of us prefer this, or Italian panettone (14 per cent of us)
★ Roasting some chestnuts? Only about 5 per cent of us will be doing this.
★ Chocolates? 64 per cent of us will indulge over Christmas.
★ Champagne for Christmas breakfast? 65 per cent of us now think this is a great idea.
★ Watch the Queen’s speech? 26 per cent of us still do this.
★ Play charades? 28 per cent of us will have a go.
★ Watch a DVD/play a computer game instead? 42 per cent of us will do this.
★ Sing carols? Amazingly, only 16 per cent of us will bother.
★ Pick mistletoe? A paltry 9 per cent of us will go out searching for some.
★ Make a holly wreath? Only 6 per cent of us will tackle any holly this year.
★ Any pre-prepared shop food? 24 per cent of us will be ‘cheating’ this Christmas…
For the season of turkey
For turkey young and turkey old,
For turkey hot and turkey cold,
For turkey tender and turkey tough,
We thank you Lord; we’ve have enough!
Amen.
What to look for in a Christmas tree
Every December it was the same excruciating tradition. Our family would get up at the crack of dawn, go to a Christmas tree farm and tromp across acres of snow in search of the perfect tree. Hours later our feet would be freezing, but my mother would press on, convinced the tree of her dreams was “just up ahead.”
One year my sister finally snapped. “Mum, face it. The perfect tree doesn’t exist. It’s like looking for a man. Just be satisfied if you can find one that isn’t half dead, isn’t too peculiar looking, and can stand without you needing to prop it up.”
Wisdom for everyone with relatives coming to stay this Christmas…
★ Visitors always give pleasure, if not in the coming, then in the going. Portuguese saying
★ The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. – Anon
★ When we are out of sympathy with the young, then I think our work in this world is over. – George MacDonald
★ Suffering with truth decay? Brush up on your Bible. – Anon
★ Age doesn’t always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone. – Anon
★ Long-suffering is a grace of silence. – William Bagshawe
★ Nothing is often a good thing to say. – Will Durant
★ Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.
Christmas bites