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Post Xmas


anotherbanana
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Well, it is over, I think, the Xmas festival, though for all I was involved or even felt the so called Spirit of Xmas it might never have been. Somehow the study is cluttered with empty boxes, there is an atrocious little tree and one card.

Am I getting old, is it France, the dreaded Crowvid virus or some strange feeling that it is now all rather hollow? Even Carols from King‘s hardly lifted more than a groan from my perhaps withered soul whereas in past years they have lifted my eyes unto the works of Bobo and a strange growling sound has issued from my throat.

Or is it a feeling that the Karens have taken over the world and are no longer satisfied with anything that is from the old period, that there is no peace at all in it, just a rush to hollowness?

OK, time to retire with a good book, maybe Dickens. But oops, daughter and grandchild are arriving imminently.

No wonder they call me ‘Grumpy’.

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Christmas has always been naff in France. New years eve equally so. 

Since my first Christmas in France, I have always said 'Christmas is naff'. Not worth the hassle. Why bother ? There is no Christmas spirit in France. None what so ever.

I have never understood why.

But generally speaking, Christmas is a little bit 'has been' across the world.

I'm glad is has passed. I bet every parent feels the same.

It is time to let go of Christmas.

It has become the cr&ppiest day of the year.

 

 

Edited by alittlebitfrench
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Well what a couple of miseries!! ?  Since I first came to France, I appreciated the (relative) lack of commercialism, the fact that it didn't actually start in September as in UK, and the 'two for the price of one' reveillons a week apart.  D'accord, after a few years of the incessant publicité around food and drink, I started feeling like une oie après le gavage without even getting as far as Christmas, but even that turned out positive as I sat there with my green salad and Perrier ?  OK, not Perrier, champagne....

But it's all about the people you spend time with, isn't it?  Perhaps it's actually an advantage not to have to spend the festive season with family that you haven't chosen but with friends that you have?

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It is not you, Woolly!

Mrs Gluey has always adored the carols from King's; not this year however! She gave up after a bit since the old carols have been "Modernised". I am pretty amazed the revisionist, cancel culture woke mob even allowed the event in the first place!

Sadly, the one man who ruined Anglican church music was Ronald Jasper: he also did his best to ruin the prayer book and order of service. Try and find and read Quentin Lett's tour de force, "The 50 people who Bu******d up Britain"; tremendous but true analysis.

After all, they didn't want to offend those claiming to be adherents to the religion of peace...

Oxbridge now leads the charge for academic wokeness.

Circa 23 years ago, Mrs Gluey and I were still house hunting, but spent some time staying with friends who had purchased a lovely house outside a nice little town called Frevent. Not far from your demesne.

At Christmas there were red carpets outside the shops, Santas hanging from windows on ropes, Christmas trees with parcels in front gardens and it was all very lovely and festive.

In the UK, as we know, Christmas is now Xmas and simply now has become an orgy of excessive consumption, a time for gluttony and boozing; the central aspect and reason the festival is called Christ-Mass is all but forgotten.

Personally, I have more respect for the few who celebrate the pagan feast of Yuletide, than the commercialised feast of Mamon...

For me, the big difference between la belle France of 15 years ago (when compared to the UK) was the majority of people were much happier, polite and cheerful.

The Covid Pandemic has quite obviously impacted everyone's lives and work; on top of this, however, is the utterly appalling mess that has resulted from moronic politicians in most of Europe and the USA: socially, financially, structurally and intellectually. People are now wilting and struggling to find a little glimmer of hope, perhaps?

In any case, Christmas, for me, always was about the littlies: who still believed in Santa and were excited.

Mrs G and I spent Christmas Day with our son and his lovely partner. She is a very accomplished creative chef and our son is a really excellent cook and approaching chef level. They truly spoiled us with gourmet food; and thereafter we all enjoyed a special time talking, listening to decent music and relaxing. We had fun with their new Amazon Alexa voice recognition system; requesting an eclectic range of music from 60s rock to the 1812!

Now it is fortress Gluey; where we are closed in, the insane World is locked out and we are grazing on the remnants of festive food!

And I am mainly reading.

 

 

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We always enjoy les fêtes here, no need for pubs, we have family and friends.  We all share the load, everyone brings something to eat and drink. 

This year was a little different, we thought we had covid, so were obliged to isolate.  Christmas was a write off, but our tests were negative this morning, so bring on new year's eve, there will be feasting, singing and dancing. 

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20 minutes ago, alittlebitfrench said:

What ? ?

You mean like Boulevard Haussmann....Foie Gras.....and expensive cakes that break your teeth. 

 

Yeah right. ?

The commercialism was/is there if you seek it out, if you want it, but it was much easier to avoid it here if you didn't!

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19 minutes ago, anotherbanana said:

 My person is stuck on the other side of the Manche Anglaise, thanks to Mr. Macron!

I am sorry, WB.  Can only wish you a much happier one next year and that 'things' get sorted out asap so the travelling can be resumed ☺️

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34 minutes ago, alittlebitfrench said:

The problem in France is that there are no pubs. 

It is that simple. 

Why is that a problem? There are bars and restaurants for those that want to eat and drink outside the home.  And before you start on about French bars not being like UK pubs, trust me, in several parts of France, enterprising Brits have created atypical bars that would do justice to Thame or Woking.  But as you have a deep horror of  Brit enclaves, you wouldn't go there.....?

Just out of interest, what is your definition of 'the Christmas spirit'?

Edited by Noisette
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40 minutes ago, betise said:

We always enjoy les fêtes here, no need for pubs, we have family and friends.  We all share the load, everyone brings something to eat and drink. 

This year was a little different, we thought we had covid, so were obliged to isolate.  Christmas was a write off, but our tests were negative this morning, so bring on new year's eve, there will be feasting, singing and dancing. 

New years day is my birthday.

There will be no singing, dancing or fasting. 

 

Or presents.....?

 

Edited by alittlebitfrench
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36 minutes ago, Noisette said:

 enterprising Brits have created atypical bars that would do justice to Thame or Woking.  But as you have a deep horror of  Brit enclaves, you wouldn't go there.....?

No...I bloÖÖdy would not. Who would ?

I hate Brît pubs in France. I hate them.

Brits singing 'white cliffs of Dover' around a piano....in Eymey...or wherever. 

Irish/Scottish franchaise pubs in France that are not Irish or Scottish. That does my head in as well.

They are all full of wierdos that will kill you in you sleep. I tell ya. They will kill you in your sleep..

Proper pubs cannot be found in France. 

That is an ALBF fact. 

 

 

 

 

Edited by alittlebitfrench
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37 minutes ago, Noisette said:

 

Just out of interest, what is your definition of 'the Christmas spirit'?

I have lived in a devote Catholic French family for 25 years.

Still trying to work it out. ?

 

For me it is carol singers and snow. 

I remeber years ago leaving work in Paris on Chritsmas Eve and everybody in a car wanted to kill me. 

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English pubs?

Guide me to one!

Most are made-over shadows of their former self; flogging undrinkable wine, mass produced chemical beer; dominated by a huge TV screen for the brain dead devotees of Foot Ball. The bar staff are ignorant, rude and invariably covered in tattoos (and that's just the females!). Loud nasty noise comes from the over-loud sound system and the constant noise of one armed bandits dominates all. Perhaps that's why so many shout...

The sole purpose of the majority of customers seems to be to become P*****d as a fart asap, shout at the top of their voices and behave badly.

Lovely.

There are a very few old English hostelries left; real oak beams, a live fireplace and real live bitter sold direct from the barrel, however, these tend to be in rural areas, such as Norfolk, Wiltshire etc.

Towns tend now to have bars: which are a pastiche of a real pub.

And the prices!

Give me a decent French bar any day: particularly since increasing numbers are now also micro-breweries. Brasserie of course, means brewery.

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Sorry WB that you are feeling less 'festive' this Christmas.  It has been such a strange year for everyone.  I think it is totally within reason for any of us to feel out of sorts.

We enjoyed a quiet Christmas.  Daughter is here visiting, so that makes it nice. 

ALBF - I will be happy for you when you arrive in whatever 'happy' place you truly wish to be in.

For us, we are extremely happy NOT to be in the USA.  I'll be content not to ever set foot there again.  So, ALBF, I can - somewhat - relate to your emotions. 

 

 

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2 hours ago, anotherbanana said:

 My person is stuck on the other side of the Manche Anglaise, thanks to Mr. Macron!

Hold tight Anotherbanna.

Mr Macron's government had a speach last night to sort out the latest wave of covid.

They have banned eating on French TGV's.

That will stop covid in it's tracks. (Forgive the pun). 

I reckon everything will be back to normal in a couple of weeks after that latest brain wave. 

 

 

What about kids going back to school. The kids are spreading it

Naaa....let them spread it. 

Go back to school kids and give it to your parents. 

 

 

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1 hour ago, alittlebitfrench said:

New years day is my birthday.

There will be no singing, dancing or fasting. 

 

Or presents.....?

 

No Christmas past, or present, or future, what the Dickens? There's a tale!

 

Edited by betise
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2 hours ago, alittlebitfrench said:

Why on earth would you do that ?

You are either an alcoholic, have a gambling adiction, or looking for a new wife to beat up.

Which one ?

 

?

I know a few bars in the North which have no gaming and are delightful.

Nothing like a Leffe pression on a warm day before luncheon.

Well, perhaps a Bofferding pression in Luxembourg city.

 

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4 hours ago, alittlebitfrench said:

I have lived in a devote Catholic French family for 25 years.

Still trying to work it out. ?

 

For me it is carol singers and snow. 

I remeber years ago leaving work in Paris on Chritsmas Eve and everybody in a car wanted to kill me. 

That's easy to sort out ? A week in Eymet just before the big day will provide you with all the carol singers/services that you could wish for., as well as a couple of pubs that are probably more authentic than anything in UK.  Then spend the big day in the Pyrénées. I believe that they have snow there ?  As for your birthday, I do sympathise. I've had to organise everything myself for the last 40 years, if I wanted to mark the occasion. It's a straight choice, really. You either do organise it and enjoy yourself, or not ...and mope ?  Life's too short for moping!

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Well what a lot of miserable dumpties you all are (Noisette excpted).  I liked (and in fact preferred) the Kings service this year .. much improved now Stephen Cleobury has retired.  Having been unable to get into a car until a week before Christmas (and I still cannot drive), I decided that a quiet Christmas with just the two of us was best.  Most restaurants around here were shut anyway. Went to Christmas Day service in my anglophone Christian fellowship (chauffered to it) and sang my heart out (no, it's not in Eymet).  Got the meat I like best (fillet steak), cooked it perfectly (though I say so myself), opened a very good bottle of red, bought ready prepared veg, listened to the Queen's speech, and thorough enjoyed a peaceful and quiet time. 

Christmas is what YOU make of it.

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