Traditions this time of year

[EvilNed]

As most of you might have guessed, traditions is not something I care much for. A lot of people are conservative when it comes to Christmas. I'm not conservative when it comes to anything! But there are a few things that always happens anyway, even if I don't care much if I miss them. We don't have a big family in Sweden. Most of it's in the states. So our family gathering only consists of me, my siblings, my mother and father, my grandmother on my mothers side and sometimes our Canadian friend Sean. At 15.00 o'clock every Christmas eve, they air a bunch of Disney sketches on the tele. It's always the same sketches, so everybody knows them by heart. It's THE definite Christmas tradition in Sweden. It lasts an hour, and a few members of our family watch it. I've stopped watching it. I've outgrown it, perhaps. Afterwards, we eat food. Christmas is perhaps the only time in Sweden when Swedes actually indulge in a lot of food. For those of you who don't know, Swedish cuisine is often very spartan. Meat, potatoes and fish are three things that can be found on a Swedish table at least five days of the week. I like it this way, considering how unhealthy and grand the food is in the states. On Christmas we eat a lot, even if it's still pretty "spartan" food. Meatballs, lots of flesh, including sausages and ham, herring and lutfisk (traditional Nordic dish) served with mustard. Eggs, Brussels sprout, bread dipped in various sauces. Porridge, as well as various nuts. For those of you who need a shorter description, it's a Christmas Smörgåsbord. I'm sure you've heard the expression. This particular Smörgåsbord is called Julbord. It is not uncommon to be invited away to other families for Julbord. Various types of liquor is also served at Julbords, for Swedes love their booze. Any member of the family who wishes to participate, no matter how young, can get a few shots of liquor. I usually only partake in small dozes, for quite frankly, Swedish schnaps is terrible. After that we open our presents. Yes, we open them on Christmas eve. Each member involved buys at least one present to each other member. I usually buy several to my parents. Afterwards, we usually watch films. If Sean brings with him films, we usually watch them. Last year we watched La Haine and Gosford Park. Not Christmas films, however. We used to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation each Christmas, but I'm so sick of that film now. On Christmas Day we eat turkey at our Grandmothers. After that I usually get pissed. Go into town with my friends.

[Danny]

every year at my house we make it a tradition to make time to watch the nightmare before christmas. not a traditional tradition, but i like it.

[MinionZombie]

We get up, get sorted, open the presents under the tree in the morning and then my Mum gets the roast for Xmas lunch going. Around about 1 or 2pm we're ready to sit down and barge into the dinner, which ends up lasting at least an hour, maybe two if the chit-chat gets going...so we totally miss the Queen's Speech which we never watch anyway...just cos we don't. In between all this, we're off doing this & that, looking at our presents or watching them (e.g. DVDs) or whatever. Then of course there's Xmas telly, if it's Dr Who then me and my Dad go to the other room and watch it. Since lunch, I keep my Xmas Cracker hat on all day until I go to bed somewhere after midnight. There's other TV to watch and such, and then that's about it for the day really. Roll on tomorrow, get them prezzies opened! One year, many moons ago, we tried out doing presents after midnight on Xmas Eve...so Xmas Day technically...but only did it once. I didn't like it anyway, it's gotta be Xmas morning for me. Because, you open your gifts, then go to bed ... wtf?! You wanna play with them after you open them, not wait till morning!

[Tricky]

Well,usually i fall down stairs about 8 in the morning still mortalled from being out xmas eve & only having been home about 2 hours looks like i may be driving into town tonight though as taxis are looking at about £40 to go 6 miles home Anyway then we all open our presents before my mum starts getting on with the dinner,which my grandparents will join us for,then the afternoon will be spent sitting around talking,few beers maybe,then watching whatever is on TV.Usually in the evening i get bored of sitting about so i slope off upstairs to install a game if i get one,or last year sloped off for a sexathon with my now ex Boxing day i will be getting steaming drunk in town again!

[Danny]

oh aye, doctor who i forgot about that, and im going to me 'nans for a big lamb roast... thing and then off to watch i am legend on boxing day, nothing says christmas like vampires, naturally.

[MinionZombie]

I Am Legend eh? 7/10 I'd say...will post up my full thoughts later on. Blimey, 40 minutes till it's officially "the day". But 12 more hours till I can start tearing into the crop of gifts under the tree. Make the most of it people, we'll have to wait another year for it to come again.

[Danny]

ah man, i know my grandad got me a freeview box for in my room, ill have e4, film 4, bcc3 and dave and laods mroe in my room. ...yes theres a channel in the uk called dave.

[MinionZombie]

Providing you can get a decent signal anyway. You might wanna get an aerial with a booster, like I've got, it really made a difference although I can only get some channels...each area is completely different, depends on your distance from transmitters and so on...anyway...just waitin' for the family to get going so we can do the presents, hence passing the time on t'internet.

[Tricky]

Make the most of it people, we'll have to wait another year for it to come again. True,but 2007 has flashed by at a frightening rate for me Ive opened my presents now,dinner is on,so im just loafing about till food time!just having a look through the banksy "wall & piece" book i got,the man is seriously talented & its much more than just grafitti

[MinionZombie]

Just finished opening my prezzies, a good haul this year. I'm off to watch the Long Way Down DVD.

[mista_mo]

none really, it's just me and my mom now because my dad moved away, so it's a little strange not having him around. I didn't want a tree this year, and i've opened stuff early (a week ago) still got a bunch to get too today but meh. whatever.

[Danny]

ugh for some reason 4 different households thought i was eating dinner with them just like that episode of the vicar of dibley. i mean youd think theyd learn that christmas back in '99 when i sharted at the table, but no, they never learn.

[Dtothe3]

Drink drink and drink some more. We sdtarted on the champers at 10:00 with poached eggs and smoked salmon (i gritten my tooth and had vsome wasn't so bad_ We'vwe had about 5+ bottles between me and my stepdad. So yeah drink was pretty much it. Nice prezzies too

[Danny]

bleach, salmon. -nothing to contribute i just really hate salmon.

[MinionZombie]

bleach, salmon. -nothing to contribute i just really hate salmon. I'm not surprised if you cover yours with bleach. Got a good haul this year, books, DVDs and a digital camera being the main things. Got a nice zip up jersey thing, and some finger-less gloves (I now have 3 pairs of gloves, all for different situations when I'm out & about, two pairs for different filming situations you see). Was taking photos all over the place with my new digital camera, which takes fookin' good QuickTime movies too. I'm lovin' this camera I tell thee. Got "Long Way Down" and "A-Team: Season 4" on DVD ... then went and ordered up "28 Weeks Later" and "Spider-Man 3" online (both for £6) as well as "Halloween 2007: Unrated"...oh and ordered "Jackass 2.5" too. Book wise: "Roadside Picnic", "Jeremy Clarkson: And Another Thing", "Richard Hammond: On The Edge"...have started the Hammond book and it's bloody great, I've been barging through it like a possessed demon from hell who likes libraries a little too much. Also got a bunch of chocs to gnash my choppers through, hehe. A good haul this year, and a good Xmas Day itself. A nice meal (roast beef, it was fookin' superb)..."charades", "consequences", "Finding Nemo" on telly, Catherine Tate Xmas Special, Dr Who Xmas Special...plenty of larfs indeed, a great Xmas Day.