OT - Xmas Shopping

I prefer any shop that has NO music. So long as it also has NO PA system assaulting our ears.

The local Rotary was collecting at a supermarket today. We almost left without getting out of the car. Volume (and taste) unbearable.

Hmm - I shall probably buy myself the latest Neal Stephenson book - Anathem. Or should I await the paperback next year... ?

Did you manage to find any humbugs?

mark

In the original Meet me in St Louis version the song goes Have yourself a merry little Christmas It may be your last Next year we may all be living in the past

and-- Faithful friends who were dear to us Will be near to us no more.

Makes you want to top yourself doesn't it? No wonder the lyrics were later changed.

I like my music to be uplifting. Most of the old Crosby stuff is dreary and has no relevance to younger people (I am 61).

How many times could you listen to "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" without wanting to escape the mall?

No but I bet he found the bah !

Derek

I prefer NO shop full stop.

I'm afraid Matt Rudd's article in todays Sunday Times struck a very large chord with me: See

Did you see Breakfast TV Thurs or Fri - at a pub in Essex there is a Bah Humbug club who believe Christmas is for Christmas Day and 'Reindeer' is on the menu before Christmas. They are not all negative however as they raise hundreds of pounds for childrens charities. Perhaps the organisation should go national?

Malcolm

Shoot a Christian for Jesus.

frankly Christmas is always something to be survived without actually topping yourself.

Dickens had it right, bah humbug!

Ideally, Christmas should be what you want it to be (for us a non-event) but I guess, being a Christian country (?) the great unwashed will continue to do what they are programmed to do.

For most of said unwashed I believe the Christmas thing has been lost and it's just some time they buy / get presents and get drunk (more) and eat too much (still).

As TNP says, it's also a time of extra stress / anguish / pain for many (especially for those who are actually trapped by / into the whole thing, primarily by commercial pressures).

The problem though is being strong enough to stand up to those who have eyes and do not see, tarred with the 'humbug / spoilsport' thing, simply because you don't bring a tree into your house or want to put £5 into some 'secret Santa collection for the privilege of getting some tat in return?

Ho ho hum ... ;-)

T i m

Don't forget that Xmas is optional. It's not a hurricane on its way. Chain the women up somewhere and it disappears into thin air. Notice I don't include the children who, IME don't give a toss about Xmas, but always get the blame

No. Bing was good. It is you.

Now that is grindingly appalling!

Buy both.

Bing.

Yes, it is horrible. It is enough to drive me out of the shop without buying anything.

I try to avoid watching commercial TV, especially at xmas time.

Some earplugs?

We've just got back from three weeks in Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore and it was being played indoors, outdoors, wherever.

Christmas in 30+°C heat! Seriously weird...

I wonder how many people now roast chestnuts on an open fire - or go Caroling.

How many shoppers today would recognise Bing Crosby.

Why is Xmas music in such a time warp? I guess the music is cheap to play (performing rights and all that)

I want to hear 'happy music'

I used to - until one exploded, shot off the coal shovel and caught me square in the nadgers.

Not since the incident with the chestnut, I can't reach the low notes anymore.

If I see a skeleton with a tribly and a pipe I'll be sure to get his autograph.

The music industry is trying to keep a low profile re. Crimbo in case Cliff Richard releases another single.

So not Morrissey then...

Regards,

What's the difference between Bing Crosby and Walt Disney?

(said with a Scottish accent)

Bing Crosby sings and Walt disney

Cheers

John

I missed the Scottish accent reference and didn't get that for some time...

But in a similar vein (what the hell, we're OT anyway):

Geordie to Dr: "A've fallen off a ladder like. I've really hort ma leeg" Dr: "Can you walk?" Geordie: "Work man? I canna hardly even wark".

- and -

Yorkshireman to jeweller: "Can tha mek a gold statue o' mi dog?" Jeweller: "Aye, reckon a can... does tha want it eighteen carat?" Yorkshireman: "Neigh, I want it chewin' a bone".

Badoom-tish.

Geordie to doctor "Dr my armpits smell like coconut" Doctor "Why man it's bounty"

John