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andrewduckerChristmas is coming.
Hell, Christmas is pretty much here. Less than a week from now I'll be sitting down to Turkey with the family (about 20 of them).
My family has a somewhat unorthodox Christmas - my paternal grandmother, all 4 of her sons, all 4 of their wives and all 15-odd of their children sit down together at a very large table on Christmas Eve.
The Christmas Eve thing is apparently a continental tradition, explained to me a long time ago by my father as being because on the continent they celebrate the day before Christmas so that they can spend the day itself in quiet contemplation of the birth of Christ. Or, in most of my family's case, driving off to see the wive's parents. My mother's family being Jewish by religion as well as descent, I've never had to do this, so Christmas day itself can be spent in quiet contemplation of whatever's on the TV...
Other strangeness includes the fact that we have the Christmas meal in the evening (possibly because it takes several hours for people to arrive on the day) and the fact that we sing carols. No, really. Despite my staunch agnosticism I stand with the rest of my (fairly atheistic) cousins and go through a couple of verses of Christmas songs, largely to keep my grandmother happy. It's possibly the strangest (or at least the most out of character) thing I do each year.
For the past 12 years, this celebration has occurred at my parent's house, largely because we had the largest one and were fairly central. However, this year uncle Chris has taken over the duties. Which on the one hand means less tidying up afterwards and peeling potatoes beforehand, but on the other hand means travelling there/back on Christmas eve. I don't remember ever celebrating Christmas except in my parent's place. I'm sure this year will feel a little freaky.
Hell, Christmas is pretty much here. Less than a week from now I'll be sitting down to Turkey with the family (about 20 of them).
My family has a somewhat unorthodox Christmas - my paternal grandmother, all 4 of her sons, all 4 of their wives and all 15-odd of their children sit down together at a very large table on Christmas Eve.
The Christmas Eve thing is apparently a continental tradition, explained to me a long time ago by my father as being because on the continent they celebrate the day before Christmas so that they can spend the day itself in quiet contemplation of the birth of Christ. Or, in most of my family's case, driving off to see the wive's parents. My mother's family being Jewish by religion as well as descent, I've never had to do this, so Christmas day itself can be spent in quiet contemplation of whatever's on the TV...
Other strangeness includes the fact that we have the Christmas meal in the evening (possibly because it takes several hours for people to arrive on the day) and the fact that we sing carols. No, really. Despite my staunch agnosticism I stand with the rest of my (fairly atheistic) cousins and go through a couple of verses of Christmas songs, largely to keep my grandmother happy. It's possibly the strangest (or at least the most out of character) thing I do each year.
For the past 12 years, this celebration has occurred at my parent's house, largely because we had the largest one and were fairly central. However, this year uncle Chris has taken over the duties. Which on the one hand means less tidying up afterwards and peeling potatoes beforehand, but on the other hand means travelling there/back on Christmas eve. I don't remember ever celebrating Christmas except in my parent's place. I'm sure this year will feel a little freaky.
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no subject
Date: 2003-12-18 11:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-18 11:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-18 12:07 pm (UTC)I'll give that a go.
Earlier this week my flatmate Tracy said "so what's Christmas like at the _Ducker_ household". I was too tired to reply, now I've forwarded her this. Hurrah for apathy.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-18 12:29 pm (UTC)So your Mum's side are actively (rather than passively?) Jewish? How many cousins have you GOT? What religion is your dad's side then? What happens to/with the maternal grandparents??
I do not know the words of ANY carols..
Are we revealing there on Xmas day? Or revelling there? Interesting Freudian typos!
PS
Date: 2003-12-18 12:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-18 01:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-18 03:22 pm (UTC)I have about 15 cousins on my father's side, plus 5 on my mother's (one now dead).
My maternal grandparents are both dead. I have no memory of my maternal grandfather, and my maternal grandmother died about 10 years ago.
And the last few years we've done songsheets for the atheistic types at christmas :->
My father's side are mostly christian (including my eldest uncles family, who are heavily involved in their local church and used to leave early at christmas so that they could sign at the midnight ceremony).
We're revelling at my Uncle's on Christmas Eve, being driven home by my mother that night and spending Christmas Day recovering.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-18 03:28 pm (UTC)Boxing Day
Date: 2003-12-18 03:42 pm (UTC)So you're ALL jumping the gun.
Cheats the lot of you, grumble grumble mutter mutter.....
Re: Boxing Day
Date: 2003-12-18 03:55 pm (UTC)Re: Boxing Day
Date: 2003-12-18 05:33 pm (UTC)I wish you a good Yule.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-18 05:38 pm (UTC)