Christmas Shopping

Ladies and Gents

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? I started a couple of weeks ago, got most of my Christmas cards, some of my grandchildren's pressies (in the Tesco sale). I hate the last min rush around the shops with all the crowds. I will start wrapping the pressies in the next couple of weeks and write the cards ready to post next month.

Is anyone going away for Christmas?. I have spent a few Christmas's in Turkey, but as they dont celebrate Christmas it seems really strange seeing everyone going about their business as normal. Strange really when Santa originates from Turkey . If I am in Turkey I always spend Christmas Day with my best friend (she cooks ) and we have a hoot.

Also spent a couple of Christmas's in the Canaries which was very enjoyable, although I prefer Gran Canaria to Tenerife.

New Year in Turkey is wonderful as this is what the Turks celebrate as Christmas.

I have a few options this year for Christmas, but not yet made my final decision.

So what have other people got planned for the big day?

Ruby

Your well organised Ruby.....how do you do it...do you make lists...

Our shop's been selling christmas deccies for about 3 months now, it will feel like easter by boxing day! Lucky I'm off today with a cold (sob sob) but thank feck i don't have to hear jingle bells all fecking day long x

Hi Ruby

I have started my shopping....only because I will have such a huge crowd coming to my home!!

I need to be really organised as I shall probably have around 45 people......for a champagne breakfast on Christmas morning and then a very late afternoon Christmas lunch.

We have cold lunches mostly in SA, as it is normally sweltering here in December... but I have beautiful big trees in the front of the house where I will place lots of tables and chairs. We tend to 'bring out the silver' at Christmas and have real fine dining with grandma's silver and crystal.

Actually last year i also had the entire family and by 5 pm everybody was rather pickled and my usual neighbours 'ma and pa warthog' and their 3 new born babies came to visit!! They caused absolute mayhem as they were trying to pick up scraps of food rather too close to the humans celebrating.....We had screeching children, pissed old aunties tottering on their stillettos trying to climb onto the verandah and very unbrave men trying to climb trees. My children were hollering with delight and encouraging the animals to come onto the verandah with slices of bread and fruit. There were a few upturned tables and the piggies got a wonderful treat!!! Talk about pig in poo!!! Mom warthog is pregnant again so i am just waiting for her new piglets to be born........and trouble to start again

Africa is always interesting

Happy Christmas shopping

Nicks

Hiya THD

Yes, I am guilty of making lists Not only do I make lists, but I keep a diary too

Hello Hyatum

Absolutely loved your post, I am almost in that garden myself watching those tipsy aunt's in their heels running for their lives and the 'he men' clambering up the tree faster than any chimpanzee could muster.

You are so lucky to be in the middle of summer during the festive period.

It is amazing though that the ex pats (BTW, I know you are not an ex pat!!) in SA make more of Christmas there than they ever did whilst living in the UK, strange really, I think they just want to show off to their so called adopted family i.e. other ex pats by inviting them over for the big day. They then all stand to attention during the Queen's Christmas Day broadcast, something they would never dream of doing in the UK. My brother's wife was one of this gang, thought she was born and reared in SA, you would ask her a question and if it was a 'yes', she would reply 'yaaar' - how that really irritated me It makes no difference what country an ex pat lands in, they always have to show off and make out they are more local than the locals.

Nicks, what is your experience with the ex pats?

Ruby

Hi Ruby

I agree with you about ex-pats, they can be a pain in the butt... most of those I know work in the environmental and creative field and they are pretty loony but are actually a lot of fun. There is even one who is an Honourable Lord (of Scotland).....I can hardly understand a word he says but he does this nifty dance (after lots of wine) where he holds one leg at a right angle in front of his knee then jumps back and forth with his other leg (NO not the middle one) and all this wild movement is done in his kilt. Actually our province was always seen as the 'last out-post' because most British settlers came here. Some of the old folks ....not too many of them around anymore...... were very 'proper' and colonial and spoke with hot potatoes in their mouths and they competed as to whose homes were more 'English'.....and the men wore blazers and cravats and you know 'stiff upper lip' .....while back at the ranch they used to bonk each others wives like in 'White mischief'.

But I really don't know anyone here who raises a glass to Queen and Country. It's quite absurb. (Mind you I would not raise a glass to our own King and his merry wives!! I would raise a glass to Mandela and Tutu) The new generations including myself are much more firmly 'Seff Effricans' .....born and bred!! We are total hybrids, a real mix of cultures and backgrounds. The Lingua Franca of the country might be English but it is 'yaaar' English!!!!

Have a great weekend ...did you send us your weather from mud-island its raining!!!!

Nicks