Please take care

[Mom]

Christmas is a tough time for a lot of folk.

In times of plenty it is easy to fork out money on gifts. My kids had to learn a lesson several years ago about finances and the like. We are adept as a family for buying inexpensive gifts that give a giggle. Mom still spends money though, but on things like an iron and a toaster for my son the Xmas before he left home He wanted to know if that was a hint

I have my last one about to fly the coop, she wants a casserole dish, if you will, for Xmas. No doubt my budget will spring to some terrible baloon or rubber band powered bolsar flying something and some annoying other stuff for the santa socks...LOL

I love Xmas, but it all about family and friends for me. My gifts are not always tangible.

[Mrs Busa Pete]

were making chocolates
gonna put liquor in the centres for the adults, and chocolate sauce for the young ones

That is a cool idea. I will have mine with kahlua.

[nighthawk]

For many years I've had a huge dislike of the christmas season,my own adult children when asked about christmas all go "MEH" but do enjoy giving their younger step sisters a present or two,they in turn are realistic and ask for very little,the younger one would rather give than receive.

For nearly 30 years I've had to deal with the aftermarh of the stress and pressure this season has put on people not only financially but mentally as well. The want to do the best for your children fueled by peer and commercial pressure is hard for many to ignore.

I for one would welcome a move to ban christmas advertising totally in all forms of media until at least 2 weeks before the 25th and before someone say's what about the poor retailer trying to survive....... well I can speak of first hand experience(7 years in retail ..yes I held down 2 jobs to make ends meet)if your smart at what you do you would not rely on christmas to be your golden goose....


Hey...only my 2cents...

[CookMySock]

geez get a grip. Spend all the money on yourself or your immediate family and forget all this extravagant xmas bullshit.

Better still, don't spend any money at all and go on a nice bike ride down the coast..

Steve

[Ronin]

I only buy for my son. This year my ex and I are going halves on one good present for him and that's it. We each give him $20 to buy his mum and dad a present from him.

The rest of 'em can go whistle. I refuse to go (deeper) into debt just for xmas.

[ynot slow]

Families are funny eh?Years ago(when colour tv were new 1975ish)my auntie and uncle who had 6 kids and farmed asked there kids two options for presents,either a colour tv or tennis court,kids agreed tennis court,they cleared the ground,layed the concrete etc,we had numerous fun (and drunk)games as we aged.

We as kids were pretty well looked after,never given toys but say tracksuits for sport,tents,sleeping bags etc,practical gifts which lasted longer than boxing day,the tent saw many years use.

We now do the voucher thing as the kids like that,but also use the $2 shops for grandkids etc.

And priorities for me,this will be my 6th xmas after cancer and should've been dead in 03,and know a few from radiation therapy who sadly have passed away,kind of puts things into perspective.

So from me to the kb family merry xmas from my family to yours,enjoy the day for what it is and relax and chill out.

[Vern]

This is going to be the hardest Christmas I have had, usually I tell everyone just to buy me a block of chocolate but I have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes so all I can do is watch everyone else eat it knowing that it should have been mine. Bugger it I will just have to hide on Christmas day until everyone has gone. ha ha ha Vern.

[Paul in NZ]

Christmas brings out the very best and the very worst in me and i suspect a lot of other people.

I mean I LIKE Christmas and by that I don't mean to say the religious bit, I mean the whole, stop for a moment and give the world a hug bit. I like the decorations, I love the music (I have a little mix cd in me car etc) and the days a laxed out wonderful day. I'm a generous old fool too, I love buying pressies BUT I resist going overboard except I always buy a luxury treat for my girls as a surprise... This is now so much a surprise they let me know in advance what they need and I buy something else...

I donate time and $$ to charity, I just like the whole thing. We have done the Special Childrens Christmas party for a few years now and I'd challange anyone with a heart not to get a moist eye at some time during the day!

BUT - I've nearly given up. Greed and stupidity are taking over. Marketeers have mined this vein of generousity in the public for so long its ingrained and our community is worse off for it. Frankly I think I'd be better served just cancelling all presents and spending the day at an old folks home helping out etc (lord knows I'll be there soon enough)

I dunno - I feel like we should start a back to basics movement. Bring back some honesty and charity to the day.

[Mully]

We go out every year and buy a whole lot of little gifts to give to the City Mission to hand out.

Went on Friday night, spent $50-odd on a whole lot of gifts.

Plus, to avoid the "should I buy for so-and-so" - all the adults buy one $20 present and we draw numbers out of the hat. This year, I've suggested that everyone does the "buy a poor family a goat or chicken" thing that Oxfam run.

[Pussy]

I love the fellowship of Christmas, but you can stick the commercialism of it up your clacker....

[peasea]

I love the fellowship of Christmas, but you can stick the commercialism of it up your clacker....

Agreed. You can buy/make a present for someone you love any day of the year but Christmas IS a good excuse to catch up with people. The only down side of the theory is that too many dickwads hit the road at the same time.

I focus more on birthdays now my kids are over the whole Santa b/s thing. Birthdays are personal and as you say, Christmas is all about raking in the bucks. Humanity needs a day of 'togethernes' though, just one that isn't based on religion.

How about International Bake Your Neighbour A Muffin Day?

[Swoop]

smothered in cream cheese icing though *drool*

Dear Dr Mully,

Is it wrong to make up a batch of cream cheese icing and then just eat it straight out of the bowl?
It is perfectly acceptable to do this with chocolate cake mix, but I am wondering about the ethics of icing.

Many thanks,

[Mully]

Dear Dr Mully,

Is it wrong to make up a batch of cream cheese icing and then just eat it straight out of the bowl?
It is perfectly acceptable to do this with chocolate cake mix, but I am wondering about the ethics of icing.

Many thanks,

Dear Swoop,

Thank you for your enquiry.

To answer your question, it is perfectly acceptable to simply eat cream cheese icing directly from a bowl. In fact, studies* have found that it's actually better for you than eating it on a cake, as there is no cake component. Cake is acknowledged as being bad for you.

To mix up your icing experience, consider buying a packet of Tim Tams and using the icing as "dip" for the Tim Tams. This increases your Chocovitamin intake by as much as 35% compared to just eating the icing itself, according to some independant studies*.

I hope this is some use to you.

Best wishes,
Dr Mully

(*Mully et al; "Cream Cheese Icing? Fuck Yeah!" 2009)

[Pussy]

Swoop and Mully.... be careful that you don't end up with too much blood in your cholesterol system......

[Trudes]

My mum always asks me what me and the other half want for Xmas. I never know what to ask for because it depends on how much $$ she has at the time (and I know she likes to get us something so "nothing" doesn't cut it with her) so normally just ask for vouchers so she can decide how much she wants to spend. This year I told her a voucher for the hubby and I want some jars of the Tamarillo Chutney she makes I her Tamarillo Chutney!!!