Who hates the run up to christmas ?
but in the true tradition of scrooge enjoys the day.
( in the end )
fed up with the increased traffic?
Christmas songs in shops that start in October ?
air your Christmas woes and join the bah hum-buggers.
What gets ups your nose at 'Christmas time'

Donna :-)

Yea, go on then I'll join your merry :rolleyes: crew.

Me too  :) Love a pre-christmas grumble ;) Biggest grumble is ugly men with mistletoe

:D .........................................in their belts :rolleyes: :D

ROFLOL :D :D

Norty Isabel :D

>What gets ups your nose at 'Christmas time'

Most of it. Pass me a hanky someone...;)

you are all welcome there's no need to be afraid
in a world of plenty...............................
told you i was going mad :D

I used to get so stressed out by Christmas and then I had two awful awful Christmas's and everything was put into perspective.

Now I just think what's the point for one day.  I do my shopping later and later every year. I still get it done.  My mum builds up her larder weeks in advance and then spends months getting through it.  I don't bother doing that anymore.  If I decide I need something the shops are open again 27th but usually I find I don't need anything.

The most important thing is that you spend the time with the people that count. 

I must be getting old and cynical but it was as if I could see through all the commercial hype and decided that I wasn't going to be a puppet to it anymore! There spoken like a true Bah Humbugger :D

where i live there is a spar store that is open for five hours, on Christmas day.
its open for 365 days of the year.
so in my mind theres no panic !!!!!!!!
you are a true humbugger for sure chez_swa
welcome to my world
and you are not getting old,
you can remember when the times were less, commercial
and Christmas was 'Christmas'.
if you what i mean
edited to say welcome to the humbugger club

Lucy's whole family has joined flaming champs :-D :-D  I fear I have had it for this one :-D

so blue you must have some christmas hates
what makes you feel like saying bah humbug

warm regards
Donna

Me Bah humbug... NEVER :-D :-D  only that could upset me on Xmas was if all my Xmas lights failed :-D and I Couldn't get something I need out of M&S  ROFLOL :-D :-D

However I think it is sad for those who have to work in shops on Xmas day.

Nobody HAS to work in a shop on Xmas day...............  No employer can force you to do this. If you CHOOSE to do so, that is of course your decision...................

I didn't think shops were allowed to open xmas day, it's terrible if they do.

I am sure the law protecting this  only applies to large shops I believe over 280sq unless something had changed recently.

I actually shouldn't have used the word shop even though I think that is a shame I actually meant those who have to work on Xmas day generally and there are plenty of them. 

Regarding the shops though I think in addition to size it still only applies to England and Wales . I know there is a campaign in Scotland but I am not sure that has even went through yet as it was just this summer I remember reading the proposal in the Scotsman. Maybe wrong though.

If you work for an organisation protected by the legislation and you have agreed to work within your working contract then you would be breaching this contract, though Employers have to be seen to be fair by rotating etc.

Nobody has to do anything they really don't want to but if you want your job ;-)

I think you are confusing a couple of things Blue.

There is a difference between the ban on TRADING per se on businesses over a certain size, but this has nothing to do with whether or not employees can be forced to work on Christmas day or Sundays etc.

Of course there are those industries that have to work 24/7 inc Christmas including the Emergency Services, but those are included in the Terms and Conditions of employment.

So basically unless it is specifically included in your T & C no employer can FORCE you to work on Christmas Day; agreements are, however, often made between staff re this an other holidays and volunteers are usually asked for in most industries first........

I worked in company that said you had to be prepared to work bank holidays should the need arise, in other words, not enough volunteers.  It was made clear that although in T&C you would be unlucky if this were to happen.  However, every Christmas we would have to work either Christmas day or New Year's day and were not allowed to take both

Hope you don't have to this year Chez.:-))

No I ditched that company one month before they made everyone redundanct and I'd been there 10.5 years :rolleyes:  Actually don't regret it because I made the decision that was right for me at the time.  Can't say the money wouldn't have come in handy though.

Felt had to say though that there is a huge big difference between being FORCED and being COERCED.  Regardless of company policies, if a company wants employees to work unsociable hours they have ways of turning thumbscrews, especially when it comes to women in low paid jobs with children.

That's a shame. Hope you get something a bit better soon.

I have a few people who work for me and I think they enjoy my Xmas spirit for sure even let a few of them have decent lunch breaks last week to get things bought in :-)  Mind you I always get a nice gift as a thank you..  I personally think it is vital for employers to try and get it right at this time of year.

two years since I worked there and they've moved on now.  It worked for me just fine while I was there and also did me a favour by kicking me up the pants and driving me back to education.  So all's well that ends well I suppose :)

Confusing things...not at all.. I can assure you I am fully aware how it works.

>So basically unless it is specifically included in your T & C no employer can FORCE you to work on Christmas Day<

Hey don't back pedal now ;-) that is NOT what you said "NOBODY has to work" and that is incorrect, you didn't say anything else,,,,,and by saying the above YOU have just reinforced my first comments were right and there was NO need for you to even comment on them in the first place.  There IS and Are people who HAVE to work in shops on XMas day.

My point was you said NOBODY has to work so rather than reply oneliner and say yes there is I explained where it would be situations where people HAVE to work.. Of course the business legislation has something to do with this and if course I know the 2 are different but one involves the other and supports my point that shops are allowed to open so people have to work, I would think anyone thinking it didnt would seem confused !!!!!!. If there is no legislation to stop companies opening then there is no legislation to stop people having to work. Most buisnesses will have this in there terms of conditions in the employee contacts never mind the implied terms.

SO that means there ARE people who HAVE to work on Xmas day.

I didn't post to enter into a huge debate about this and didn't think my initial comments would be disected. 

MY ORIGINAL comments are still right it is a shame people HAVE to work on Xmas day. Very strange thing to do , to say someone's comments are incorrect and them come back and say they are ;-))) and not forgetting taking over post ;-)

Come on you guys it is Christmas and goodwill to all men and that :D

Oh no I don't believe I just said that You don't think that the old Christmas magic might be starting to wear me down do you :D

It's alright Lucy, it's not getting to you ..... just put down those Christmas cards and walk away from that tinsel....that's right, nice & calmly ....... - just move that bit of mistloe and you can sit down :D :D :D

Better now????

Margot

Phew yes I think so :D :D

I was very nearly tempted to buy some Christmas cards today but just couldn't go that next step :D

All presents bought now and our bedroom now resembles Santa's workshop just haven't got the army of Santa's little helpers yet.Have a funny feeling it is going to be a one woman effort yet again this Christmas :rolleyes:

ROFLOL Margot.  Think we will get a glint of sparkle from her yet.  What about poor Indigo? Think she needs sending up here to her Auntie Pam.. got another 2 outside deccies coming Lucy BTW a 5ft Snow man who takes his hat of and waves his hand and a 5ft Candy cane ;-)

I will need to take pics of it for you.. :-D

Exactly Lucy,.. Hence My astonishment,, but hey live and let live :-)))

That Xmas Magic will get you it is the last thing I do ;-) I think you are just in the Closet :-D :-D

LOL :D :D :D

I hate Xmas for many reasons and much as I'll enjoy seeing my sister and her family on Xmas Day, I'll breathe a big sigh of relief when they leave on Boxing Day :D

Humbugger Daisy :D  :D

Daisy :-D :-D

Yes who said you could join in you are far too Christmasy to belong here so now off with you and go and jingle jangle somewhere else :p

:-D

Lucy your sig is great ;-)

I love Christmas, what I hate is the pressure to spend 'as much as possible because if you don't your friends and family will think you don't love 'em!' stuff.....  We set a budget for the kids, and get all their pressies end of Mov/early Dec, and likewise with the extra food, with one final trip the day before Christmas eve for the fresh stuff (bread, milk, cream, veggies etc.) Luckily niether of us has extensive families and we have an agreement with friends that we just don't buy for each other, but try to spend time together instead.

I just can't believe how 'sheep like' some people are - got to get the kids the XXXXX which is the 'must have' this year, how children in the playground can be heard saying 'it cost £X' when what it cost is the most important thing - more being better as if it's some kind of competition.

And my BIGGEST bugbear is not being able to find Christmas cards which have anything to do with the true story of Christmas, even though I'm not a church going Christian, I like to help those who are celebrate their faith, and not the story of the coach and four pulling up in a snowstorm, or a cute little pup asleep with a red and white pointy hat on...........

BAH HUMBUG!!!!!!!!!

I think more people should celebrate Yule and not Christmas like I do :D That way it doesn't matter what shops are open where and when and who's getting what presents LOL.  My family have never celebrated Christmas and I'm eternally grateful for that!! (Dad is a Jehovahs Witness and Mum is a Witch).

Having worked with horses most of my life I always had to work over the holidays anyway and now I don't work in that field anymore I've gone into care - so it's still the same!!!

I detest the way most people HAVE to buy presents for relatives they don't see from one year to the next - Giftmas!!! thats what it should be called.

Where shall I start.....................:D :D

Me in  a major way.  I do Xmas shopping christmas week, just dash around buying as much as I can under £10 per pressie.

I do my shopping at the last minute too and put up the decorations on Christmas Eve. I enjoy Christmas, but hate the way the rush begins so early now.

I hate the prelude to xmas too, just seems to bring out the worst in shoppers, hence the reason my shopping was done months ago.

I still reckon that one of the best things about Christmas is the cold turkey and bubble and squeak for tea on Boxing Day!

My hubby is the biggest bah humbag of the century. We have a decoration santa that says ho ho ho when you walk past it. So this morning hubby goes up the hall and santa says ho ho ho and he says ho bl***y ho, to which my three year old son repeated word perfect - i hope he doesnt repeat that at nursery!!!!

For reasons that are too complicated to go into, half our middle sitting room ceiling is missing. So OH today came up with the bright idea of hanging a pair of red trousers and boots from the cavity with a sign that says "The f****** chimney is over there dimwit!"

His better idea of the day was the one that went along the lines of why not book into a dog friendly country house somewhere nice next Christmas and hang the expense!

"The f****** chimney is over there dimwit!"

Roflmao :-D

Hate having to buy pressies for nieces and nephews that have every concievable thing, what on earth do you get them?  I tend to buy books and things their parents wouldn't think of ;)

My sisters and mum tend to club together and buy a better/more expensive pressie, usually the one we were going to get :rolleyes: but this year I had a paddy and put my foot down, call me a scrooge but I really didn't want my 8 year old to have a PS1 /PS2  complete with heaven knows how many games this year, and when I think he's ready and old enough for one I want to buy it for him!   This is probably the last year he'll be a proper 'little boy' interested in playing with cars, castles and soldiers, spy stuff etc. and I want to make the most of it, there's plenty of time for games machines, besides, he has our old computer/megadrive and a couple of games which he enjoys, and the word and paintshop programmes. 

I also don't buy loads of food and sweets/cakes etc.  We don't really eat them, can't give them away and there seems to be no point.  We just buy what we usually do and a few luxuries.  Although I like to spend on a really good roast for Christmas dinner :D

And what is this Xmas all about? I'm seeing it more and more lately and to me its meaningless.  They might as well put Happy Shopmore!

OK! let me in, I'm definately feeling a great affininty with Scrooge :)

OMG

didn't realise I ranted that much!!!

Dill :-) LOL

But you say it so well :D

The amount spent on presents sickens me :( It also seems that the people who can afford them the least are those more likely to spend the most :( We only buy token presents, apart from the children who get vouchers for Next/River Island etc as they are poor students :)

Daisy

I whole heartily agree with Dill and Daisy :)

Lucy you in card production also ;-) I got am Xmas card today it is cover in mint humbugs with Bah Humbug written along the bottom :-)

My biggest moan is saved for work colleagues who send e-mails telling everyone '..I won't be sending cards this year, instead I will be making a donation to ....'.
I don't see any reason why you can't give to charity AND send cards. I reckon it's more to do with laziness. 

I don't like what all the proliferation of card sending is likely to do for the environment.  I only send to distant relatives not people I see every day!