Christmas Drinks ????

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I bought a battery case like that last year. However, I got mine from Amazon and it cost £14.99 with free P&P. It’s virtually identical and also has a battery tester. It’s well worth getting a battery case in my opinion. Certainly, in my case, keeping them in a plastic container meant a lot of them were duds by the time I got the battery tester and could check them. There’s been no problem with their keeping a charge since storing them “properly.”
 
Toril said:
I bought a battery case like that last year. However, I got mine from Amazon and it cost £14.99 with free P&P. It’s virtually identical and also has a battery tester. It’s well worth getting a battery case in my opinion. Certainly, in my case, keeping them in a plastic container meant a lot of them were duds by the time I got the battery tester and could check them. There’s been no problem with their keeping a charge since storing them “properly.”
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A few years ago my niece got me from her boys a Messy Cow set of round boxes for Christmas.. I put my batteries in the small boxes that fit inside a larger box. The boxes are round and so the batteries are all stood upright.
 
Don't go round to friends for drinks, since we moved we don't know people that well to go to their houses. We do go to the pub on Christmas Day though if it's open, just for an hour.

CC
 
Our street has a Christmas Lighting Up party on the 1st Sunday in Dec every year. We all put lights up on our houses etc and on that day we get together on the largest drive, set up a couple of pasting tables to hold food and drink which everyone brings along. At 5pm exactly, all the lights are switched on and we drink a toast. Father Christmas pops round on the local Round Table sleigh (no reindeer or elves). Church choir pops round for carols. We usually collect about £400 for the local hospice.

We then switch the lights on at 4pm and off at 11pm until 12th night. Our road looks a picture. People come from neighbouring streets just to have a look, and we’ve even been recommended on FaceBook !

Going back to the original question, no we don’t bring gifts for the hosts. Just a plate of Aldi mince pies, chicken sandwiches, twiglets or mulled wine from Marks.
 
When I was married to my late first husband we lived next door to my sister and on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing day we`d spend one evening at my house for drinks and a natter, another evening at my sister`s house for the same and the third evening at another neighbour`s house. We`d usually stay in each house from around 9pm to 11pm and we`d turn up with a bottle but no gifts or food stuffs.
As for buying clothes as gifts , well to me that`s a big no no. The nearest thing to clothes I`ve ever bought for someone else is a scarf or a wrap. I wouldn`t dream of buying jumpers or tops.
 
Lemonpop said:
A few years ago my niece got me from her boys a Messy Cow set of round boxes for Christmas.. I put my batteries in the small boxes that fit inside a larger box. The boxes are round and so the batteries are all stood upright.
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Not sure how I’d take being given something called Messy Cow?! 😉

Never heard of that brand but the boxes sound useful!
 
Growing up my parents hosted Christmas drinks which I loved!
It wasn’t anything hugely fancy, though people dressed up, and mum served lots of canapés and “picky bits” and I’d make mince pies and the rest and be waitress!
It was just really festive and fun.
Don’t remember anyone bringing gifts?!
Maybe a bottle of something or some food or flowers for mum but only close friends...

At uni I had some mega posh friends and went to several drinks parties but again I didn’t bring much fancy - think I used to make fudge or baked goods to take!

Happy days 😁
 
Vienna said:
When I was married to my late first husband we lived next door to my sister and on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing day we`d spend one evening at my house for drinks and a natter, another evening at my sister`s house for the same and the third evening at another neighbour`s house. We`d usually stay in each house from around 9pm to 11pm and we`d turn up with a bottle but no gifts or food stuffs.
As for buying clothes as gifts , well to me that`s a big no no. The nearest thing to clothes I`ve ever bought for someone else is a scarf or a wrap. I wouldn`t dream of buying jumpers or tops.
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Ah that sounds nice - I like traditions like that... We were best friends with our neighbours - still are but we’re no longed neighbours!
And we always had them round for drink and nibbles on Christmas Day morning - and then the other one would do New Years...

I have given clothes to my mum and a couple of close friends whose size and style etc I know.

But I did buy my sister in law some really pretty Lepel nightwear and she didn’t say a word about it!
I knew her size but know she wanted to lose weight so maybe she didn’t like being that size or something?!
I was so upset and cross bc I thought it was so rude. It wasn’t cheap and was beautifully boxed etc. 😡

I’ve received lots of PJ’s - bc of my illness and situation - and a couple of jumpers or tops which I’ve loved.
It can definitely be a minefield, mind you, and I wouldn’t dream of giving a top to someone hosting drinks or anyone I didn’t know extremely well!
 
Totally Loopy Lou said:
Growing up my parents hosted Christmas drinks which I loved!
It wasn’t anything hugely fancy, though people dressed up, and mum served lots of canapés and “picky bits” and I’d make mince pies and the rest and be waitress!
It was just really festive and fun.
Don’t remember anyone bringing gifts?!
Maybe a bottle of something or some food or flowers for mum but only close friends...

At uni I had some mega posh friends and went to several drinks parties but again I didn’t bring much fancy - think I used to make fudge or baked goods to take!

Happy days 😁
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I could have written this Lou. I grew up in the 60s & early 70s with parents who had lots of friends & a business that meant a fair amount of entertaining so drinks parties happened quite a lot & wine or flowers were the only things given as gifts. A you say Happy Days.
 
An area of Hull called The Avenues (google it - old Edwardian merchant terrace houses and other big houses) has a well-organised Advent event every year. You have to sign up with a co-ordinator what you're planning to decorate your windows with (it has to be on a theme, any theme, eg nativity, sleigh and reindeer, Winnie the Pooh at Christmas, Christmas carols etc), then you're given an Advent day to light up your window or windows so new ones appear daily. On Christmas day the area is a picture and it's lovely to wander round till they're all taken down.
 
ERICS MUM said:
Our street has a Christmas Lighting Up party on the 1st Sunday in Dec every year. We all put lights up on our houses etc and on that day we get together on the largest drive, set up a couple of pasting tables to hold food and drink which everyone brings along. At 5pm exactly, all the lights are switched on and we drink a toast. Father Christmas pops round on the local Round Table sleigh (no reindeer or elves). Church choir pops round for carols. We usually collect about £400 for the local hospice.

We then switch the lights on at 4pm and off at 11pm until 12th night. Our road looks a picture. People come from neighbouring streets just to have a look, and we’ve even been recommended on FaceBook !

Going back to the original question, no we don’t bring gifts for the hosts. Just a plate of Aldi mince pies, chicken sandwiches, twiglets or mulled wine from Marks.
Click to expand...
That's a wonderful tradition; there's a road about a mile away from us that had an annual display of lights & decorations but the event got taken over by outsiders with burger vans etc so the residents pulled the plug, literally. Your Christmas Lighting up party sounds perfect.
 
I think the Advent bit is relatively recent. You can tell hubby that the Avenues are well looked after. Apparently the Committee - whoever they are - are fiercely protective of their area and if you try to chop down a tree in your garden that's over a couple of feet tall, they'll be round! They also have open garden days showing their gorgeous, huge old gardens where they serve cream teas and do raffles etc for charity. The whole of the Avenues can join in and people are very proud of their area.
 
crystal said:
An area of Hull called The Avenues (google it - old Edwardian merchant terrace houses and other big houses) has a well-organised Advent event every year. You have to sign up with a co-ordinator what you're planning to decorate your windows with (it has to be on a theme, any theme, eg nativity, sleigh and reindeer, Winnie the Pooh at Christmas, Christmas carols etc), then you're given an Advent day to light up your window or windows so new ones appear daily. On Christmas day the area is a picture and it's lovely to wander round till they're all taken down.
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What a nice place to live, the houses are gorgeous. I'm on my own this afternoon so will indulge in one of my favourite activities - being nosey & looking at houses.
 
crystal said:
An area of Hull called The Avenues (google it - old Edwardian merchant terrace houses and other big houses) has a well-organised Advent event every year. You have to sign up with a co-ordinator what you're planning to decorate your windows with (it has to be on a theme, any theme, eg nativity, sleigh and reindeer, Winnie the Pooh at Christmas, Christmas carols etc), then you're given an Advent day to light up your window or windows so new ones appear daily. On Christmas day the area is a picture and it's lovely to wander round till they're all taken down.
Click to expand...
Ah that sounds magical!

Last year for the first time, someone in our village organised an advent event.
You were allocated a date as you say, and on that you had to decorate your window with a scene made of black card and tissue paper.
Then on your day and every day afterwards for the whole month, you had to make sure you had a light on...

My mum is very “crafty” and artistic so she volunteered both hers and my house and made beautiful window scenes for both.

There was a map so people could walk and see the whole trail of windows, and someone photographed each one to post on Facebook on that day too.

It was such a nice thing especially as Christmas was so odd last year and it meant all could be involved regardless!

Sorry very long-winded story!
 

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