Christmas 2021

[WalterB]

Well, I made this post once, but now can't find it. My guess is that I lost track and closed the page before I posted it.

So, anyway, The main gist of the whole thing was that, as happens most Christmases, tomorrow marks a time when everyone puts aside all the hate and anger, and feels at least a little bit of love. I seriously hope all of you have family that you can share the day with, in whatever shape or form works. By that, I mean, if your family is right there, great. But if part of your family, your parents, for example, live far away, well, today's world brings all this wonderful technology that allows us to still have face-to-face contact. And, to me, that's about the best thing about Christmas - sharing the love with everyone we can.

I certainly hope the fat guy treats you right tomorrow. There are lot of traditions. We always set our tree up maybe a couple weeks early, then gradually, presents would start to appear under it. Finally, off to bed on Christmas Eve. Then, Christmas morning, waking up. Not hearing anything, I would slowly open the door and sneak downstairs. There may or may not have been other family up, but to see the darkened room, the lit-up tree and the new bicycles, dolls, train sets, doll houses, all the toys and all the other presents that weren't there last night was just, to me, unbelievably Santa Claus and Christmas.

Some open their presents the night before, and I never understood that one. I mean, Christmas Eve is when Santa is delivering all the presents. Well, whatever. Everyone's tradition is meaningful to them. And, in the end? It's all about the love and closeness you feel to others. However you get that love and caring is your business alone.

My go to phrase this year is: happiness and joy to all of you.
"May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white."

And sending it off with a couple of feel good songs.
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And probably my favorite Christmas wish for all. It starts slow, but hang on until the 30 second mark, where it picks up.

"Christmas bells, those Christmas bells, ringing through the land, bringing peace to all the world, and good will to men."

Merry Christmas to you all.
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[lance_s]

Well, I made this post once, but now can't find it. My guess is that I lost track and closed the page before I posted it.

So, anyway, The main gist of the whole thing was that, as happens most Christmases, tomorrow marks a time when everyone puts aside all the hate and anger, and feels at least a little bit of love. I seriously hope all of you have family that you can share the day with, in whatever shape or form works. By that, I mean, if your family is right there, great. But if part of your family, your parents, for example, live far away, well, today's world brings all this wonderful technology that allows us to still have face-to-face contact. And, to me, that's about the best thing about Christmas - sharing the love with everyone we can.

I certainly hope the fat guy treats you right tomorrow. There are lot of traditions. We always set our tree up maybe a couple weeks early, then gradually, presents would start to appear under it. Finally, off to bed on Christmas Eve. Then, Christmas morning, waking up. Not hearing anything, I would slowly open the door and sneak downstairs. There may or may not have been other family up, but to see the darkened room, the lit-up tree and the new bicycles, dolls, train sets, doll houses, all the toys and all the other presents that weren't there last night was just, to me, unbelievably Santa Claus and Christmas.

Some open their presents the night before, and I never understood that one. I mean, Christmas Eve is when Santa is delivering all the presents. Well, whatever. Everyone's tradition is meaningful to them. And, in the end? It's all about the love and closeness you feel to others. However you get that love and caring is your business alone.

My go to phrase this year is: happiness and joy to all of you.
"May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white."

And sending it off with a couple of feel good songs.
.

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.
And probably my favorite Christmas wish for all. It starts slow, but hang on until the 30 second mark, where it picks up.

"Christmas bells, those Christmas bells, ringing through the land, bringing peace to all the world, and good will to men."

Merry Christmas to you all.
.

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Haven't been around much the last few days - life got really hectic. And then my son and grandson were not well and tested positive for covid. They seem to be recovering, but are quarantining so will not join us on Christmas day. :( , but better safe than sorry for everyone. My daughter is is Oz, so she won't be around on Christmas day either. We have video call planned for this evening - will be Christmas morning down under.

I think 2021 has not been a good year for many people. Lets hope that 2022 is a lot nicer, and if we can't lick covid, we at least learn how to come to terms and live with it.

I'm off to the cottage as soon as I've got the car packed. Merry Christmas to all, and best wishes to everyone for a happy and prosperous new year.

Thanks Walt, for that selection of Christmas songs - Snoopy and the Red Baron is one of my favourites. Here's one to add to the list, thinking of my daughter down under. Six white boomers by Rolf Harris.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlSsffF2xhA

[StevieP]

Merry Christmas everyone… my brother is here now and staying with me for a few days and I’m looking forward to spending that time with him. It’s going to be all food and board games I think, much as it was last Christmas. Just he and I of the family left now so we really make the most of it while also honouring those not here with us anymore.

[ErikB]

Well, I made this post once, but now can't find it. My guess is that I lost track and closed the page before I posted it.

...

Merry Christmas everybody!

Thanks Walt!

I think I saw the Christmas Twist once before. Very nice. Now I have it bookmarked!

Here are a few Christmas songs I always liked from Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics:

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And finally, one of the content producers I pay attention to was going to watch his favorite Christmas movie on Christmas Eve: Die Hard. Watching that movie was the first place I heard this song:

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[Hornylady9]

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! Whatever way u celebrate the season keep love and laughs in your heart. Let go of the anger or hate so that you can heal. Hanging on to it only hurts you! May you find peace and love to warm your heart!. Love to fill your soul and happiness in your day!

Zany

[Davest]

Merry Christmas everyone! Whether you spend the day with friends (the family we choose), or family (the family we inherit), or in quiet contemplative solitude, or playing games (like me), I hope the holiday season finds you all happy, healthy, and filled with peace and joy and love.

[Highwulf]

So my Christmas is as seen here. Waterside Home Help who mostly do my cleaning and shopping decided to make me a Christmas dinner as I live alone and unable to cook. Thank you to them and my cleaner made the gems for me for Christmas and my present to others is a trimmed up tidier beard

And so to everyone here either VNA veterans, privates or in between have a Very Merry Christmas and/or Seasons Greetings from this old Wulf here

[ErikB]

In this video, three pairs of reviewers are working their way through alcoholic advent calendars in one sitting and rating each day's offering. Towards the end they are getting a little drunk, and I learned a new word for semen:

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[greggl]

Happy Holidays and I hope everyone had a wonderful day

[rokkerr]

Happy holidays all :)

[ErikB]

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[StevieP]

I hope everyone had a great Christmas... my brother went back home yesterday, I was very grateful that he stayed for the entire weekend. There was lots of food, lots of movies and just the one board game (but that was fun)... I am back to work tomorrow for a couple of days and then off Saturday and Sunday... it's that weird twilight zone between Christmas and new year where everything feels in limbo! Haha!

[Davest]

...and just the one board game (but that was fun)

As someone who plays many board games (see pic) I am curious what game you played.

[WalterB]

Holy Toledo, Davest. You ever play any games?

My ex divorced me when our son was 2 and moved back to Detroit with him (we were in Denver.) So, I was always looking for ways to entertain him when he came out for his summer vacation. When he was 8 or 10 or so, I bought him a Nintendo 64. Bought one for him to take home and one for me to practice on. But that was the last (only) physical console I bought. I still play the occasional computer game, but I usually just download somewhat simple games from Gamehouse.com. Usually Hidden Object games. I do like the "Delicious Emily" series, which is time management. Emily always works in some sort of restaurant type atmosphere. Sometimes at the food counter at a fair, sometimes in a newly renovated hotel restaurant or some such. Once she was on a cooking show and had to serve audience members. There are quite a number of games in the series now, and family members as well, notably her sister Angela and her best friend François.

[lance_s]

...and just the one board game (but that was fun)

As someone who plays many board games (see pic) I am curious what game you played.

Ticket to Ride, Scrabble, Upwords, Code Names. And one other game that involves placing cards to complete paths, but I can't remember the name....

[Davest]

Ticket to Ride and Code Names are awesome. Scrabble is timeless. I haven't played Upwords.

Placing cards to complete paths could be any number of games. My first guess would be Carcassonne.

[StevieP]

...and just the one board game (but that was fun)

As someone who plays many board games (see pic) I am curious what game you played.

Well despite having, specifically for Christmas, me being the remaining expansions for Disney's Villainous and my brother getting the Die Hard board game all we ended up playing (aside from a quick game of Jenga) was Disney's Hocus Pocus - based on the movie of the same name and we got it because it looked "fun and easy". But it was actually very hard. It's a co-operative game and we didn't win once... which just spurred us on to really want to win! I feel, despite there being different conditions for 2 players as opposed to up to 6, that it would be far easier to win for 6 people than just 2. Even 4.

[Davest]

Haven't played Die Hard or Hocus Pocus, but Villainous is a great game. I'm not usually a fan of asymmetrical game play (where each player has different powers and victory conditions) but Villainous does it better than most.

[StevieP]

Villainous is great and surprisingly well balanced regardless of who you pick as your chosen villain. Die Hard, to be honest, looked a bit overwhelming as it's split across 2 boards, 3 acts and well it's basically playing the movie. On your table.

But Christmas I guess has now come to a close... I was at work today, but only until 3pm as it's a bank holiday here in the UK and it was very very quiet. So I have spent my time since getting home outside up a ladder taking down all the Christmas lights I had up outside! I could have left them up another couple of days I suppose but I noticed that everyone else in the street has taken theirs down now!

[lance_s]

Ticket to Ride and Code Names are awesome. Scrabble is timeless. I haven't played Upwords.

Placing cards to complete paths could be any number of games. My first guess would be Carcassonne.

Upwords is like scrabble, but less demanding. You stack tiles to change words already on the board, (hence the name).

The other game I was thinking of is Tsuro. I like it because there is a big element of skill. And it is for 2 - 8 players, so good for when there is a crowd.