THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Fun Stuff => CHATTER => Topic started by: dr. nervioso on 03 Nov 2011, 19:32

Title: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: dr. nervioso on 03 Nov 2011, 19:32: So pretty excited for the holidays. Plan is to go to NYC with a stop in DC on the way. I am excited because I have not been to the New England area or whatever you guys want to call it since I was like 8 and went to Martha's Vineyard.

Also, with this trip, I will have been in every major US city. And Toronto. So yeah, gonna be a typical American tourist except less fried food and more wandering around beautiful parks. Alas, I do not think I will be able to stay for New Year's Eve.

So this thread has two purpses:
1. Talk about yur plans for the holiday season.
2. You, as a person who probably knows more about these places than I do, give me beautiful parks and stuff to see.

I do hope that Occupy Wall Street is still there when I visit. That seems like a fun crowd..
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: nobo on 03 Nov 2011, 20:53: Thanksgiving will be spent with my family in Chicago, so that means Christmas with my wife's family. My sister is a senior in high school so I'm thinking Thanksgiving weekend will be spent finishing up college applications. And my in-laws have a time share in Hawaii, so wife and I will be joining her sister + sis's husband and the parents for a week long vacation there.

Unfortunately I have never been to NYC so I cannot give you any advice as to what to see there. But I can suggest you come back to Chicago if you want some real pizza.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 03 Nov 2011, 22:53: Based on the thread title along, I was sure it was going to be a Trollstormur thread.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 04 Nov 2011, 03:11: I haven't been to those places yet either, but let me know what they're like because I'm going in the summer!

My Christmas plans are to spend a few days at the Boy's house, then a few days at my dad's house. The week around Christmas day I'll be at my mum's, and then I'm coming home for New Year and the three weeks before term starts again, so that I can get some work done and enjoy all the Christmassy things here. Mostly that will probably consist of going for walks in the evenings to enjoy the winter light. I don't get time to do that during term.

I've already started shopping, because I came across a hilarious band who sing songs about growing vegetables (http://can-you-dig-it.co.uk/) and their album is perfect for my mum. Now I need something for my dad, my stepdad, my dad's partner, my brother and the Boy. Apart from the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes I've done, that's it for presents.

Last night I was wondering if there was anything I want/need this year and there really isn't. The only things I would like to have that I don't have are kitchen items that it's impractical to get now (partly because I've already filled my cupboard in the kitchen and had to spill over into someone else's). In general money is always useful but my family don't like to give me money to just pay for things I'd be getting anyway. Which is stupid because it would reduce the amount of debt I'm in, and they don't like that either, but still.

Sorry this turned into an essay!
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: dr. nervioso on 04 Nov 2011, 03:26: I have been to Chicago a couple times. And I have tried deep dish pizza. Now I REALLY want some.

Darn you
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 04 Nov 2011, 03:48: Theres a pizza joint up Bleecker St (Greenwich Village) that you HAVE to try (apparently simply called "Bleecker Street Pizza"). That area is home to Washington Square Park and Cafe Wha? too. Go to them all!

Christmas plans are never usually that crazy, they're similar most years. I'm going to spend Christmas day with my family, boxing day with extended family, and the 27th will be seeing my girlfriend and her family I suppose, if not on Christmas Eve. (I swear, Sainsburys, I better not be working on Christmas Eve AGAIN this year, grr)
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 04 Nov 2011, 05:47: Hopefully I'll be working at Tatton Park for much of the Christmas period, then the annual party at my friend Natalies house on the 23rd, then at home for Christmas on the 25th and having the whole family over from the 26th till about the 29th.

Then after that, New Years, which is always a ridiculous evening in my opinion.

The only problem with all of this is the fact that my mum and dad both have their birthdays in November and January. Which means 3 months of gifting.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: schimmy on 04 Nov 2011, 06:47: Holy shit, you'll be working at Tatton Park? What'll you be doing?

My christmas plans are pretty much the same every year. On Christmas day, I'll be at my dad's house, where we eat posh ice cream for breakfast, then I go with my siblings to the pub to get drunk, and then come back in time to eat whatever my step-mum hasn't burnt or dropped on the floor.
On boxing day we have a much more classy christmas dinner at my mum's house, where my step-dad is too obsessive about cooking to allow anything to go wrong.

Oh, and the whole holiday will involve an awful lot of my (fundamentalist christian) sister talking about the True Meaning Of Christmas whilst the rest of my (strongly anti-religious) family try avoid getting into arguments with her.

If it snows whilst I'm at my dad's house, I'll probably walk down to Tatton park with either my family or my friends, and have a walk, because that's always fun.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: valley_parade on 04 Nov 2011, 07:39: Okay just to set yo' ass straight, DC and NYC are not part of New England. New England is the six corner states. Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

I have zero holiday plans as is. Christmas always ends up bumming the shit out of me because fuck capitalism making me feel like I have to have a significant other to buy jewelry or cars with big red ribbons for.

Actually I do have one plan. Christmas Eve, there's usually a big party down at our local Eagles aerie. The families of a lot of people I grew up with are always down there, everyone makes food, and it's a really good time. So there IS that.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 04 Nov 2011, 08:55: Then donate the money to a charity that you would spend on holiday gifts. That'd be a good thing to do.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: valley_parade on 04 Nov 2011, 10:02: See that's the other thing, I'm pretty much broke.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Carl-E on 04 Nov 2011, 12:19: Gaah. Christmas is always big for us, we decorate the house, and on Christmas eve we host a party for the choir and other musicians at our church. There's a 5 PM family service wit ha lot of music (handbells, brass choir, soloists...) and then an 11 PM service with less music. In between, instead of everyone going home or milling about for five hours, we have everyone over because we have a huge late victorian house and live near the church.

But this year... well, I was completely unemployed this summer after being underemployed for the better part of last year. Mix that with the expenses of my daughter's illness, and you get a house that's in foreclosure. We're trying to stave it off, it's gonna take every penny. Mix that with the fact that the church family is starting to crumble (the vestry chose a very bad new priest, several families have left, the church is in receivership, the choir's half its usual size, etc) and I really don't think there's going to be a party.

We'll still decoreate, thoughy. A tree's cheap, and we have the decorations and lights. No gifts between the wife and I, but we'll get a few things for our daughters.

Ho, ho, fucking ho.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 04 Nov 2011, 16:45: In which case don't freakin listen to the propaganda. Your a thinking person aren't you?

Jesus christ Carl... The very best of luck is all I can wish you.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 04 Nov 2011, 17:27: For Christmas this year I imagine I will be spending a few uncomfortable hours with my girlfriend's family whom for the most part I dislike, then I'll see my dad's side of the family for dinner and presents and such on Christmas Eve, then on Christmas Day I'll be at my mum's place where there will be lots of yelling and fighting and mum telling me that I'm going to hell and my brother getting increasingly drunk because he's not capable of dealing with our stupid family problems. On Boxing Day I'll probably go to my Great Aunt's place for lunch which will be awesome because I love her and her cooking (and I only see her once a year).

It's probably going to be pretty awkward this year because this is first time my extended family is going to see my tattoos and they've always assumed that I'm very conservative. Ah well.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 04 Nov 2011, 19:21: Does no-one here have just a happy family Christmas where the only problem is the occasionally burnt set of carrots?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: dr. nervioso on 04 Nov 2011, 19:38: I do. But instead of carrots, my brother and his girlfriend burnt the pudding.

Also I got my chicago-style pizza today.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 05 Nov 2011, 01:58: My Christmas will be nice! Almost entirely because I've carefully limited it to no more than a week with any one person and a lot of flexibility about escaping to the next person if necessary. There might be a bit of tension at my dad's because everyone's quite high-drama but it should still be fairly pleasant. And although I get a bit overwhelmed by the size of my stepdad's family (three sisters, each with two children, each with a partner and most with at least one child of their own), they're all very lovely. Sort of like syrup.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 05 Nov 2011, 02:02: I just realized that this is going to be my first Christmas without my family.

Awesome.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 05 Nov 2011, 03:33: -sigh- You guys have strange and worrisome christmases.

Just try and have fun, and remember to pick up some charity shop christmas cards. I know that's what I am doing for the annual "Which bugger do I need to send this to now" christmas card sending.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 05 Nov 2011, 05:29: I don't send Christmas cards of any kind. I try to avoid receiving them as well.

Josef, I don't think you can say it's strange and worrisome that young adults find it hard to return to their families for Christmas without some level of drama and anxiety. It's perfectly normal for it to be awkward to keep an old tradition going when people have changed almost beyond recognition. I have lived away from my parents for long enough that I've developed new habits, new beliefs, new patterns of living, and it is just as hard for me to go back to the old ones (many of which I gave up because I found them illogical or intolerable) as it is for them to accept me as I am now, rather than as I was at the age of 10. A perfect example of this is that since I moved out of my dad's house nearly five years ago, I have started going to church. This is a huge, huge, huge problem for my incredilbly atheist father. Christmas for me and Christmas for them mean completely different things and it is just an issue. Why is it strange that I would want to avoid that issue and just enjoy seeing them for a little while?

I'm an adult now, and I want to celebrate Christmas and New Year in my own way. We all develop lives that suit us, and it's not always easy to fit other people back into them. All holidays present this difficulty, because we all have set and varied ideas about how they should go.

Annnnyyyhoooooow, let's talk about decorating! I love Christmas decorations, although I was rather surprised to see that the Christmas lights are up and switched on in Cambridge town centre already.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 05 Nov 2011, 06:48: People don't change "almost beyond recognition" though. People like to think that they have (or in some cases actually HOPE that they have) but it never seems activly difficult for people to say "hello!" for a couple of days and make small talk without (say) mentioning cousin Sammy's failed marriage. And perhaps a bit of good natured debate is encouragable, as long as it doesn't get into a fight and no-one has had too much to drink.

Besides what are you defining as "young adult?" 20-35? 16-24? People who have seperate jobs and housing but are unattached? Its a rather vague term to be drawing from.

I more meant "worrisome" in the case that I am worried that you guys won't enjoy it. A number of people just seem a lot less pleased about the opportunity to see the family again and just seem to be aggrieved by their families. I like people enjoying themselves, especially with family and its just a little "sigh" worthy to be honest.

And yes the lights are already up around here, and the local shops are exchanging the halloween and fireworks for the christmas stuff yet again.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: JD on 05 Nov 2011, 06:55: I only have socialist christmases
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 05 Nov 2011, 06:57: I assume that all of the decorations in your house are Red, and you get to listen to the USSR's national anthem on repeat instead of the usual christmas songs?

TBH I think that that would be preferable than listening to Slade one more time.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: valley_parade on 05 Nov 2011, 07:24: Quote from: Josefbugman on 05 Nov 2011, 03:33
-sigh- You guys have strange and worrisome christmases.

Just try and have fun, and remember to pick up some charity shop christmas cards. I know that's what I am doing for the annual "Which bugger do I need to send this to now" christmas card sending.

We're not a 50's TV special, man. What do you expect?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 05 Nov 2011, 08:14: I dunno, people gettting together at Christmas, having some fun, exchanging presents and talking a lot about hope for the future.

That and/or drinking a great deal, having some minor row thats been going on for decades having a brief airing, enjoying but feeling slightly cossetted by the family atmosphere and feeling a bit greatful when everyone leaves.

It might not be a '50's ideal, but I just sort of expect families to be civil, give presents, make jokes and have a bit of fun. Apparently such a thing is rarer than I thought amongst people here.

Oh yes and as I minor thing I don't mean "strange" as a bad thing, just as an unfamiliar thing, and I already (hopefully) explained worrisome.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 05 Nov 2011, 13:55: Well sure we give presents, make jokes, are civil, it's just that we're realistic about it - it's time-limited. In my case I can take up to a week. In some cases two hours is easily enough. Family is accidental, you don't always get along.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 05 Nov 2011, 14:54: Again, to me thats a bit strange as the part of the family that I meet (my mums side) gets along very well. I don't meet my dads side as much because they are a bit busy with themselves as they have all got grown up children and are usually in the al garve at this time of year.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 05 Nov 2011, 21:25: Quote from: Josefbugman on 05 Nov 2011, 06:48
People don't change "almost beyond recognition" though.

You have no idea how wrong you are right here.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 06 Nov 2011, 00:59: I find it strange that you appear to have a family that likes each other.

EDIT: Ok I just wrote a huge, rambling and inappropriate post of the reasons I hate my mother with reference to specific examples that in hindsight I don't want to share with you guys (no offence but I don't know many of you dudes that well since the exodus). Suffice to say that my family is a drag because everyone basically hates each other which makes things like Christmas almost unbearable for the most part and frankly I wish I could comfortably opt out of the whole thing.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 06 Nov 2011, 01:35: @Zing:

Because people turn into gigantic towers of flesh and bone every evening! I was more meaning that, quite often, people don't change as much as they believe they do. OFC as with most things I seem to have written here, that probably needed some form of explanation, sorry.

@JtS:

I'm very sorry to hear that mate. Is there no chance of them behaving semi-decently with each other?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 06 Nov 2011, 04:35: Nope. On my mum's side there are 6 aunties and uncles with their wives/husbands and children who all have these retarded feuds and alliances over stupid petty shit like who misunderstood what at a party 15 years ago. On my dad's side there is just my dad and my aunt but my dad hates his sister and always goes out of his way to be mean to her despite the fact that her life isn't great because her kids treat her like shit and her husband it turns out has emphysema. No one is capable of being civil to each other for more than about 5 minutes.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Carl-E on 06 Nov 2011, 05:29: Time to build yerself a new family.

Now, I'm not advocating this, but I've not seen family for christmas since I had kids. Christmas is about the kids (least it always was in my family), and so everyone understood when we decided to stay at home and celebrate with the kids (and other friends, of course) instead of travelling to see them.

Of course, since college I've always lived a fair distance from most family members - that helps a lot, too...

Edited to add a Christmas story...

It was 40 years ago this Christmas that my then youngest brother (there would be another), at the tender age of 3, awoke before anyone else, went downstairs, and upon seeing the tree with all the gifts started christmas without us. Of course he couldn't read the labels, and didn't really care - he just unwrapped everything and left it in a huge pile of gifties in the middle of the floor. My father, upon seeing this, dubbed him "The Grinch" because he stole everyone's Christmas.

It stuck.

At 43, we still all call him "Grinch" instead of "Chris" when we're all together. Especially when he's being a piss-ant, which is most of the time... There's probably some deep scarring psychological damage in there somewhere, but you know, it's family. :angel:
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: schimmy on 06 Nov 2011, 06:34: I did that, too! Man was I pissed when Santa got me a Barbie for Christmas.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 06 Nov 2011, 11:33: Quote from: Josefbugman on 04 Nov 2011, 05:47
Hopefully I'll be working at Tatton Park for much of the Christmas period, then the annual party at my friend Natalies house on the 23rd, then at home for Christmas on the 25th and having the whole family over from the 26th till about the 29th.

Then after that, New Years, which is always a ridiculous evening in my opinion.

The only problem with all of this is the fact that my mum and dad both have their birthdays in November and January. Which means 3 months of gifting.

Have that problem in terms of having my mother's birthday in September (also started last year of Uni so money was/is tight), brother's birthday in October, girlfriend turns 21 in November, I turn 21 in January, we have our 4 year anniversary on New Years Day. So its kind of a nice little (at least) 3 month intense shopping trip, or thinking of presents I want people to give me JUST after Christmas. I don't know if anyone's tried this, but I like to think we become slightly less materialistic with age and therefore after Christmas happens i'm good for another few months if not another year. But having to think of 21st birthday presents 2 weeks after Christmas is a bit of a difficult decision.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 06 Nov 2011, 12:44: I can't think of anything I want for Christmas. The only things that I want but don't consider essential enough to have to buy them myself are a Mason Cash mixing bowl (impractical thing to own when you're homeless), a gold cross (not something I can ask for from any of my non-religious family) and more special/limited edition copies of classic children's literature to add to my rather small collection (again impractical when homeless).

So I guess maybe what I want for Christmas is legitimately some nice warm socks?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 06 Nov 2011, 14:57: Maybe you should ask for some coinage?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 06 Nov 2011, 15:42: For some incomprehensible reason my family, or at least my immediate family, do not like giving me money as a gift if they know it will be spent on rent and food. Apparently those things are not really presents.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 06 Nov 2011, 20:56: I remember one time I had a discussion with my grandmother who wanted to spend fifty dollars on me for Christmas, but what I really needed was...fifty dollars. She was claiming you couldn't wrap money, but she instead could buy a Wal-mart gift card and wrap that instead. I thought about it and asked her for a new wallet - she could put the rest of the money in the wallet and wrap that, instead! She thought about this for a long moment before suddenly exclaiming, "I know! I could put the gift card in your wallet!"
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: schimmy on 07 Nov 2011, 01:30: Since starting uni, I can't decide whether I am in favour of receiving money as a gift any more. It just instantly goes on alleviating a little bit of the debt that I am in. This is, of course, extremely useful, but it feels like I'm not really getting a present, and I'm not even sure it helps all that much - when I'm a few hundred pounds into my overdraft, is it really worth not getting anything for Christmas just so I can have less debt?
On the other hand, I am goddamn awful at knowing what I want for Christmas. I feel like a chump asking for CDs or DVDs - these things are free normally, why would you pay for them?! But when you take out media consumption, my only real expenses turn out to be rent, food and utility bills, which brings us back to money as a present.

It doesn't really bother me much though. What I like about Christmas is that it's the only time of year that I get to spend any time at all with my family now that all my siblings are either at uni, or graduated and living in the Real World, far away from me.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 07 Nov 2011, 01:46: The gift side of christmas I find frankly impossible to handle. My mum's approach for the last few years has been to buy me something which I need at any time of the year, and designate it my Christmas present, which is much easier. This year I'm getting some walking boots which were on sale in about August. My dad buys me junk that has no function but is mildly amusing (cow-patterned stuff, mostly, as Jens could attest if he ever came here any more). My brother went through a phase of not buying anything at all, and then had a spending spurge and bought me a whole bunch of kitchen utensils this summer as my 17th-20th birthday presents and all the christmases in there. Much better. It's all the grandparents and aunts and uncles who are the issue because I can't just say to them "forget it, I don't want anything" or they'll be offended but I really don't! Especially not a fluffy light-up pink glitter pen. Take note, aunts.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Carl-E on 07 Nov 2011, 07:12: What, you're not 11 any more?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 07 Nov 2011, 07:16: Ironically the glittery pen was from an aunt who didn't even know me when I was 11 - we met when I was nearly 17. But this is the set of relatives who between them managed to give my mum two identical foot massage sets. If you'd met my mum you'd know she wasn't the foot massage type. They're well-meaning but totally deluded about what we'd like to receive!
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: TRVA123 on 08 Nov 2011, 01:13: One Christmas, when my mom was a kid, The family woke up to discover that all of her brothers presents had been replaced with coal. It was very mysterious.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Akima on 08 Nov 2011, 01:51: Christmas? Meh... I'm looking forward to 23rd January 2012 and the Year Of The Dragon! Chinese people have no difficulty wrapping money, and "Red Packets" (红包 hóng bāo) of cash are traditional festival gifts.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 08 Nov 2011, 02:14: Akima: Proving once again that Chinese people are way better than everyone else.

Not ripping on you, I legitimately prefer Chinese New Year celebrations to Christmas.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 08 Nov 2011, 04:08: I was in Paris for Chinese New Year last year and the parade was brilliant, I loved it. Much better than any new year celebrations in the UK, which seem to consist of drinking a year's worth of alcohol in one go and vomiting on things.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 08 Nov 2011, 16:23: But if I give you money, and you give me money, then we're just kind of even?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 08 Nov 2011, 17:13: Money seems weird and impersonal. I guess after 2 years of Uni I could've asked for money, but I'm a little materialistic and like to HAVE things. But this year I'm getting a Kindle I think, which will definitely save a lot of money from getting books (mostly classics) that I have to buy for my course. "Ulysses" etc will be free, so yeah. Money saved? And trees saved. Although I like to actually have a physical book too, but that is for the ebook discussion somewhere else.

I think I enjoy buying presents more than I like receiving them, contrary to what I just wrote. I mean since I've been back at studying, my xbox has turned into a dvd player, and the only thing i seem to be spending money on is clothes every once in a while and guitar strings. I like giving, especially when you can see the reaction of said family member when you get them something they didn't even ask for. Oh yeah, foresight.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 08 Nov 2011, 17:53: Quote from: Lupercal on 08 Nov 2011, 17:13
And trees saved.

I've been curious as to how much is saved by eBooks. You'd have to count the production of a book vs. the production of the Kindle, aka trees, water, the chemicals used for processing paper, shipping, and ink, versus all the plastics/metals/chips and whatnot that goes into a eBook reader. I should go look into this - at what point (how many books does it take) is there less environmental impact from buying an eBook reader as opposed to buying paper books?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: dr. nervioso on 08 Nov 2011, 19:45: I think that an ebook is really better for the environment. I mean sure, an ebook costs a decent amount of resources, but considering it can hold hundreds of books one would otherwise use paper for every single book.

So your choices are
Ebook: A single blow to the environment. Though larger, it spares resources that would be used for regular books.
Regular books: Multiple blows.

So it really depends on how much an individual reads. The more books they read, they more benefit they are giving to the environment.

Though, if producers take the fucking apple route and turn into dicks and release new ebooks once every freakin' six months, the benefit will kinda be cancelled out
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lines on 08 Nov 2011, 20:46: Quote from: Lupercal on 04 Nov 2011, 03:48
Theres a pizza joint up Bleecker St (Greenwich Village) that you HAVE to try (apparently simply called "Bleecker Street Pizza"). That area is home to Washington Square Park and Cafe Wha? too. Go to them all!

I wasn't impressed with Cafe Wha?. The only good thing was the band. Also their drink menu lied about their Guinness. It said Guinness. Not Guinness Extra Stout Foulness of the Earth. So I may be biased.

I have no idea what's going on for the holidays!
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 08 Nov 2011, 21:03: From what I can tell, if you switch solely to eBooks, and DON'T go for an upgrade every six months, it's a net benefit. But using eBooks as well as paper books is actually worse. Maybe as the industry switches to a predominantly digital format, it'll be better.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 09 Nov 2011, 04:28: Quote from: Zingoleb on 08 Nov 2011, 17:53
Quote from: Lupercal on 08 Nov 2011, 17:13
And trees saved.

I've been curious as to how much is saved by eBooks. You'd have to count the production of a book vs. the production of the Kindle, aka trees, water, the chemicals used for processing paper, shipping, and ink, versus all the plastics/metals/chips and whatnot that goes into a eBook reader. I should go look into this - at what point (how many books does it take) is there less environmental impact from buying an eBook reader as opposed to buying paper books?

There are numerous advantages for eBooks in terms of monetary cost - cheaper for the writer to just upload a file, commission is higher, no shipping costs, and they're on average 25% cheaper to purchase than the paperback equivalent. Plus I think the new Kindle lasts for something like a month without a charge (the older/bigger version is 2 months).

To be fair the books I buy most of the time tend to be second hand, so its not like I'm pressuring the market for more NEW books, I'm simply part of the circulation of books that have already been created. I mean my copy of The Real Cool Killers is from 1986, so I'm hoping that tree has regrown by now.

It would be interesting to look into beyond my own knowledge and LuLu.com, so yeah.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: The Seldom Killer on 12 Nov 2011, 00:52: I've long since opted out of protracted family Christmases. Not that my family aren't great, quite the opposite and I can have a lot of fun when arond them, but Christmas invariably involves doing a lot of things for kids and waiting around for other people and I usually found myself frustrated and bored a lot of the time. In the end I felt it better to be a bit selfish and Scroogeish and do things for me. I took up the London Christmas Day Bike Ride, which is a fabulous and inclusive event, particularly for those unable to do a family Christmas. A potter west along the Thames from Greenwich before heding up to Edgeware Road for dinner at a Lebanese restaurant (about five of them are open on Christmas Day. Groups then splintered off headed in a generally homewards direction and hoping to find one of the few pubs open on that day.

That's a little impractical now that I live in Yorkshire so I suspect that at about 6am I'll set off from home and head up into the Peak District to enjoy the sunrise and then heading on west towards Manchester (probably by way of Tatton Park) to meet the pretty much inlaws for lunch. Followed up with a walk out by Dunham Massey then proper Dinner, drinking, a few games and a film before bed. Save the presence of Turkey and hats its like most visits to see them and I can quietly ignore that we're making a mockery of a celebration of a god that none of us believe in. If that isn't going to happen then I'm pushing for a ride out to the beach and back. There's something wonderful about the seaside on a day when there is no profit saught.

Haven't done Christmas cards since I was about 20ish and not about to restart now. Present buying has been slowly underway for a month now.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 12 Nov 2011, 01:36: TSK, that does sound like a lovely day! It is a bit odd that people spend months planning what usually turns out to be a stressful and fraught day where people have arguments whilst wearing comical paper hats. My favourite bit of Christmas Day is going for a walk in the crisp winter air with the dog bounding along being excited by everything - it's rare we get the entire family out in one go.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: bainidhe_dub on 12 Nov 2011, 17:45: Aw, I like seeing everyone for Christmas. My mom's family has a big party a week or two before, they used to be at someone's house but now there's so many people that last year we started renting a hall instead. This year will be the 26th annual!
Christmas itself has gotten harder since we got married, what with the 3 mornings and 3 or 4 dinners to juggle. The first year, we exchanged presents on Christmas Eve, and then got up at 8am and spent all damn day driving to different people's houses. It was stupid and it sucked.
My favorite part is cooking, I think. I make cranberry-orange salad, and today I found & stocked up on the canned cherries we use for pie, that have been absurdly difficult to find a few years in a row.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jace on 13 Nov 2011, 08:17: This thanksgiving I will get to go to my girlfriend's family's home in her hometown and deal with her bigoted closeminded right wing family.
This christmas I will probably have to work until 3pm and so I will miss christmas with her family which I guess is sort of a thing since they do it in the morning.
Then her and I will fly to Phoenix, AZ (from Buffalo, NY) on the 28th to spend some time with my family out there and my friends who I haven't seen since I moved.
I'm mostly looking forward to going back to Phoenix for a bit.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lines on 18 Nov 2011, 10:55: Apparently my mom and I are going to be spending Thanksgiving with the family members that we spent it with last year, so hey, it should actually be fun again. And full of delicious food.

Also I think I found out what I'm going to be making for my friends for Christmas: sweet milk liqueur (http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/liquor/a-sweet-treat-homemade-milk-liqueur-138124) (the chai variation). My friends like both alcohol and chai, so why not have chai flavored alcohol? The chocolate lemon one also seems popular, so I might try to make that with a little mint and see how it turns out.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 18 Nov 2011, 14:57: Ahhh you can beat a good mulled wine. Except in my case. But everyone else seems to love the stuff, so when we have the inevitable "what have you been doing this year" meet up at my friend Nat's (always the week of Christmas, the food is always delicious) I will probably have to have some more of it again.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 18 Nov 2011, 16:31: England forumites: Is it true you can't buy eggnog over there? Someone told me this, and I refuse to believe it.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: pwhodges on 18 Nov 2011, 16:44: I'm not aware that we can buy it - it's a thing that we might make (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/eggnog_9370), though I never have. My mother liked to be given bottles of Advocaat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advocaat), though, which is easy to get; I think if you mix Advocaat and milk you essentially get eggnog.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 18 Nov 2011, 22:12: I like how your avatar makes it seem like you're really angry about eggnog.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: The Seldom Killer on 18 Nov 2011, 23:42: You can buy it in some places like deli's but it's never really taken off over here. From what I can tell, some of the bigger places like supermarkets have tried stocking it but given up because it doesn't sell. As winter/festive drinks go, we've got a few others so it may be that it's the loser in the market.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Josefbugman on 19 Nov 2011, 04:17: I have never seen it be explicetly sold or have the same cultural importance as it seems to have in the USA.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Barmymoo on 19 Nov 2011, 04:25: You can buy it! I was in an off licence in Brackley (London) this week and they were selling it in tins, like coca cola. It was the weirdest thing I'd ever seen.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: schimmy on 19 Nov 2011, 06:07: I've never seen it in my life. Why on earth would anyone want a Christmas drink that wasn't mulled wine (or at a stretch, mulled cider)?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Carl-E on 19 Nov 2011, 06:24: Because it's easily spiked, and covers up the flavor of cheap liquor.

It also makes for an amazingly disgusting vomit base. Which is why our christmas party is just church people, between services. We serve some wine, but mostly mulled cider and coffee...
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 19 Nov 2011, 13:41: Aw, hell, we get our eggs fresh here. I think I'm going to try and make my own egg nog this year.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: dr. nervioso on 19 Nov 2011, 20:57: I've never quite liked eggng. I will stick to my white hot chocolate thank youverymuch
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lines on 20 Nov 2011, 18:23: Eggnog is nasty. Cider and hot chocolate are infinitely better.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 21 Nov 2011, 07:49: Pretty sure the British Christmas drinking habits is something like Baileys, wine, mulled wine, Stella Artois, ale, and other beer.

I do quite like Advocaat, if you have one of those tiny whizzer things (electronic stirrer?) you can mix some of it with lemonade to make a "Snowball", which is fun.

Also, really weird, the Christmas market down in Canterbury sells Ostrich burgers as some sort of Christmas treat...it's opposite the Glühwein stall.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: schimmy on 21 Nov 2011, 08:04: Ostrich burgers are delicious! I've had them at the Christmas market in Chester. I guess something about Ostriches just screams "Christmas!" to the planners of these markets?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: The Seldom Killer on 21 Nov 2011, 12:00: I think that's probably the OsLincs lot. We used to get them a lot in Peterborough and Swindon. I had a chat with them once and the guy said that they found the online and outlet sales a bit slow but did really well out of markets so they just go to every single one that they can. Lovely meat though.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 24 Nov 2011, 02:25: Who knows, perhaps it will take up pride of place in a few decades as the nation's favourite Christmas meat? Sitting round the table to a lovely roasted Ostrich.

The sign said "the healthiest meat on earth!" which was also a bit strange. Like they were overcompensating for something....
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Radical AC on 10 Dec 2011, 16:13: Quote from: Jace on 13 Nov 2011, 08:17
This thanksgiving I will get to go to my girlfriend's family's home in her hometown and deal with her bigoted closeminded right wing family.

I met my girlfriends bigoted closeminded right wing mother and stepfather once when we first started dating and have avoided any interaction with them since. Her atheist rocket scientist father is awesome, but lives in socal so I've only met him twice when he came to visit. She is spending xmas with them and I'll be alone on xmas. I plan to go to my favorite punk bar with my best friend xmas night as has been tradition for the last three years. Doug Martsch from Built to Spill DJs there every xmas so it is really fun. I got my gf American Gods last year and she loved it. This year I want to get her something more expensive so I was thinking a 3DS and Pokemon. She isn't really expecting anything so I think it would be neat to spoil her a little when she gets back.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jace on 11 Dec 2011, 05:17: Turns out I didn't have to go because I was working!
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 15 Dec 2011, 19:28: I think this actually sums up Christmas for me, now that I think about it. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q)
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Carl-E on 15 Dec 2011, 19:41: Bought a tree. Knocked over a bunch of the Halloween decorations getting it onto the porch...

Gotta get my shit together!
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lines on 15 Dec 2011, 20:27: I only have a few more days and then I can strain my milk liqueur and see how it tastes! (I made a chocolate lemon mint blend, not the chai.) And I'm mostly done with the boy's items. And can start and finish a purse for a friend next week. And I think I know what I'm getting for my mom. I just have to mail a few things tomorrow/Saturday and then I'm good! So yay!
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Papersatan on 18 Dec 2011, 16:36: I just sent my niece a message from Santa from this :http://www.sendacallfromsanta.com/

I don't know why it brings me such glee to be a part of the perpetuation of lies to children. But I like it. I really like that song Jimmy linked too, it also sums up my feelings. I think I like the Santa thing because it is like, like the comfort of religion maybe? That the good will be rewarded, and the bad punished, but that we allow children to have the comfort and that excitement of belief, but to also grow out of it. That at some point they enter the adult world and let go of that crutch, but that the world is hard enough and maybe letting them believe for a little while is nice.

Maybe it is just deceitful lies to sell toys, whatever, I like it.

(I also like drinking, which might be why this rambles a little)
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Welu on 18 Dec 2011, 17:32: We put up two trees. One we named the Tacky one which is four foot and gets covered in red things. The other is the Elegant one which is five foot and gets covered in silver and blue. Usually I do the Tacky tree but we were paranoid Socks, our pup, would go after the trees and decorations. The dog is more interested in Mammy so she did the Tacky one since she doesn't mind as much if that one gets damaged.
I think I did a nice job with the tree considered half the silver bobbles are missing/broken so the tree got a lot of blue on it. Socks was interested when the trees were being put up but she quickly lost interest once we weren't giving all our attention to the trees any more.

Also we put up our tree today because my because my brother's birthday is December 17th and even though he doesn't live at home any more, it's our wee tradition the tree went up on/after his birthday so Christmas didn't overshine coming up to his birthday.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 18 Dec 2011, 21:10: Quote from: Welu on 18 Dec 2011, 17:32
Usually I do the Tacky tree but we were paranoid socks.

This is how I was reading that, and I thought 'paranoid socks' was an amazing phrase. Don't be so paranoid socks, Scooby.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 19 Dec 2011, 06:39: This year I shall be trialling a new Christmas greeting. Instead of Merry Christmas (which is not terribly inclusive of people who don't celebrate the holiday for cultural reasons), Happy Holidays (a bit more inclusive but doesn't really cover people who aren't into the concept) or Season's Greetings (what does that even mean? Also comes across as a little patronising for some reason...), try saying Yipee Ky Yay, Motherfucker!

Yipee Ky Yay, Motherfucker! has everything. It can be voiced in any number of ways that will allow you to express your emotions! Happy? Check. Bitterly resentful? Check. Sarcastic and annoyed? Check. Drunk and belligerent? Big Check. It's inclusive of all peoples, whether they like cowboys or want to mock the over-emphasised machismo of cowboy culture. It's a relevant cultural reference, having been uttered in a number of popular action films by every-man hero/protagonist John McClane (played by Bruce Willis! Remember him? Remember Bruce? He's like Chuck Norris only without a beard, bald, no martial arts training and apparently not as right-wing. Hilarious! Sure, some of his recent films haven't been as good but come on! Bruce Willis!!) It's gritty and edgy, just like the kids these days love. So next time someone wishes you a Merry Christmas or a Happy Kwanza, look them dead in the eye and say Yipee Ky Yay, Motherfucker!
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 20 Dec 2011, 00:35: That is pretty awesome, might have to send a Christmas card with that round. Well, either that or "It's a very exciting time!" ('in' joke with housemates)

Speaking of Die Hard, I'm trying to get a load of unintentional Christmas films together. I'm thinking Die Hard, Enemy of the State, Rent, Eyes Wide Shut - films that have Christmas in them but don't necessarily end with the happy American family sitting round the tree.

Because Home Alone is waaaaaay too mainsteam.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 20 Dec 2011, 01:09: I was dating a girl once who tried to show me Rent but we ended up distracted. Someone not long ago was yelling at me for not having actually watched it yet, and told me that I get my queer cred revoked because of the fact. I yelled back, "I'm sorry, I didn't watch Rent because I was having lesbian sex - who's got the queer cred now!?"
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Carl-E on 20 Dec 2011, 08:10: Definitely a +1 moment!
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 21 Dec 2011, 03:55: Well, I've never seen Rent, but I feel like if I do now I'll have to be getting up to something sexy because I will sure as hell be thinking "lesbian sex" the whole time.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Carl-E on 21 Dec 2011, 16:04: Eh, if you've ever seen La Boheme, you've seen Rent.

Except...
(click to show/hide)
Mimi doesn't die at the end of Rent. That really pissed me off... if you're gonne steal from a classic, do it right! It felt like I was emotionally mugged.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: celticgeek on 21 Dec 2011, 16:59: Bíodh ghrianstad an gheimhridh sona.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lines on 21 Dec 2011, 20:19: Rent, aka AIDS: The Musical, was kinda blah. I guess I'm not gay enough? Especially since it's never made me have lesbian sex in the middle of it. Actually I think it'd be a buzz kill for any sex, because, you know, AIDS.

But speaking of Christmas and capitalism, I am almost done with my Christmas gifts! I have to make two more things tomorrow and buy my mom's gift and then I'm doooone. Yuss.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 21 Dec 2011, 20:39: It's not like the musical itself caused it. I think all of four minutes were paid attention to it. Then cookies.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Carl-E on 22 Dec 2011, 01:43: AAAAUGH! Christmas!

I need to start shoping, dammit. This should go in the panic/stress thread...
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Welu on 22 Dec 2011, 04:32: Zingoleb, I had a similar but much more PG experience with V For Vendetta. However that was a rather uncomfortable experience since I didn't really like the guy so now I want to watch it properly and can't do it without getting a slimy feeling.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Zingoleb on 22 Dec 2011, 14:26: Awuhh! That is so sad for me, 'cause that is literally my favourite movie.

What the HELL spell-check? Why are you saying movie isn't a word?
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Lupercal on 23 Dec 2011, 02:30: Well, now you'll have to wait till November 5th 2012 to be able to watch Hugo in his full glory, I'm afraid. Thems the rules.
Title: Re: A Capitalist Christmas
Post by: Jace on 25 Dec 2011, 10:46: Quote from: Linds on 21 Dec 2011, 20:19
Rent, aka AIDS: The Musical, was kinda blah. I guess I'm not gay enough? Especially since it's never made me have lesbian sex in the middle of it. Actually I think it'd be a buzz kill for any sex, because, you know, AIDS.

My buddy lost his virginity immediately after watching the movie Kids.