I feel full of good tidings

[peter the postie]

Nowadays most of the old traditions and respect is disappearing from England.
So how brilliant tonight was... My wife called me to the front door, and there right outside under the streetlamp were some 30 or 40 adults singing christmas carols :clap:

They were people from the various local churches. To top it off one of them came over to us as we watched and handed us mince pies.

Christmas is well & truly alive :wink:

 

[KLS]

Pete i must admit to being a little jealous.....even though i've lived here for a few years now this is my first xmas in Turkey....and i feel a little lacking in Christmas spirit! We've got our tree up and i had some fab mince pies both from the xmas fayre in Antalya and from Jaydee's bakery in Ovacik....but that's about it....how i'd love to hear some carolers and see some deccies other than my own....

Karen

 

[madturkishcow]

Hi Karen :wink:
You can come and stare at mine if you want! Now the tree is up it looks quite christmassy. I also have three Cd's of christmas carols. Not quite the same as strange children ringing the bell and caterwailing to Jingle Bells which is usally pumped out of an enourmous Beat Box and the delightful children mime along :bash: sending the dog into a frenzy of barking. They cut back on everything these days.
We used to give em one carol and if they gave us any money they got a lovely chirpy version of 'We wish you a merry christmas'. Hey, that was an excellent source of income in the 70's. We even had the cheek to stand on the door steps that had little notices carefully screwed on saying 'No hawkers,No something or other was it Cobblers? and No religious maniacs'. :tongue: We were not hawking anything,not doing the other and we only got religion three weeks before christmas!..Aaaah memories. Shite...I hope my mother isn't reading this!

mtc

 

[KLS]

MTC i had to laugh....your post for some reason reminded me of my dad, when carolers knock (if they're kids) he bellows at them "which charity are you doing this for?" and if they can't answer in 3 seconds they get chased off down the path. Victor Meldrew eat your heart out.
How are your tree lights doing? So far we have bought 4 sets.....bought one, didnt like the constant twinkle with no option to set them constantly 'on', so bought another....great, but we need two sets....so bought another, didn't work....bought another, don't work.....so we're back to one good set and the original ones that won't stop twinkling and giving us both a headache. Grrr to Migros for the two duff sets.
Ahhhhh how do you mull wine anyway? :wink:

 

[madturkishcow]

Ahhhh Karen I had to ponder about that one.................. :lmao: Sorry your post just dragged me out of the miseries with me proclaiming to anyone on MSN who would listen 'I want to go Home...................'. To mull wine or rather to make it:-

Mulled Wine
Pinch of Nutmeg
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
Juice and rind of one Lemon or Orange
1 Cinnamon Stick
3 Cloves 1/2 pt Hot water
1 bottle of dry red wine.

Simmer all the ingrediants except wine together for 20 minutes, then add wine.Reheat but do not boil. Serve immediately in thick glasses! :lmao: I dont know if you wear glasses Karen, I don't.............Oh god I think I overdid the Brandy in the mincemeat.

Lights! do not mention lights to me. After shipping my old favourites out and finally unwrapping them ( it is my first christmas here as well) out of six sets none of them worked! :bash: Luckily the fancy gold flashing,dancing all singing tree lights did. I thought oooh I shall go to Fetters and buy some new lights. Actually there is a great shop (just up from the fish market) with huge six foot santas outside. In I ventured and wouldn't have the cheapo ones at 2.5 lira - catching fire and all that, so I opted for some flashing hearts (they also come in balls) which have a sequence and flash,dont flash etc which were 11.50 tl. I carefully arranged them around my window and sat there for a couple of evenings bathed in their glow. One night I noticed a dog crunching a plastic heart and decided to investigate. Oooh all the hearts have melted off and the actual bulbs are melted to me PVC window frame! :16: Apart from swearing and using a blunt knife to ease the bulbs off, I checked the box and it said made in CHİNA...... and no kite mark to be seen! They are still up only not switched on. I did however bring out five 2 foot dancing snowmen who are perched along the sideboard, turned off because when they sing Malteaser howls......I swear the locals think I am a nutter(or know it) and they all point and stare at my windows as they go pass. My fella who managed to produce a very nice lemon smelling tree was so overawed or confused by the decorations he spent the evening sending pictures on his fone.......amazing when Father Christmas was born up the road! Unfortunately he hates Turkey and Chicken and is working nights, so I am going for the full monty and have bought Pork Sausages for my stuffing. I expect the damm things will give me heartburn, but hey it is only one day. I just spoke to him on the phone and told him ( the following sentance offend someone so has been removed to the sex room thread)

P.S What are Jaydees sausage rolls like?

mtc

 

[Leigh]

Although we haven't reached the stage of having people singing Christmas carols here in Bodrum, festivities are under way: there was a Christmas Bazar at the Oasis Shopping Centre which started last Saturday and runs until today (with mulled wine etc) with the proceeds going to charity; the local moms & kids will be doing a Nativity play in Gumbet this Friday (proceeds also going to charity), numerous christmas parties are being held in bars in the area, christmas dinners are being offered at many restaurants etc. Its the first time I've made the effort to put up a tree (got it and all our decorations from Koctas - brilliant lights, decorations etc all from B&Q but sold at the shop, so no wonder!), so all in all, I'm impressed with the spirit in which things are being done here!

 

[Susan]

Nowadays most of the old traditions and respect is disappearing from England.
So how brilliant tonight was... My wife called me to the front door, and there right outside under the streetlamp were some 30 or 40 adults singing christmas carols :clap:

They were people from the various local churches. To top it off one of them came over to us as we watched and handed us mince pies.

Christmas is well & truly alive :wink:

Peter the Postie

That must have been lovely to see and hear, nice to hear of some nice things happening.

Happy Christmas

Susan

 

[Susan]

Although we haven't reached the stage of having people singing Christmas carols here in Bodrum, festivities are under way: there was a Christmas Bazar at the Oasis Shopping Centre which started last Saturday and runs until today (with mulled wine etc) with the proceeds going to charity; the local moms & kids will be doing a Nativity play in Gumbet this Friday (proceeds also going to charity), numerous christmas parties are being held in bars in the area, christmas dinners are being offered at many restaurants etc. Its the first time I've made the effort to put up a tree (got it and all our decorations from Koctas - brilliant lights, decorations etc all from B&Q but sold at the shop, so no wonder!), so all in all, I'm impressed with the spirit in which things are being done here!

Leigh,

That all sounds so nice, here in Doha Qatar, this year, all the shops are playing Christmas Carols, the bread shops have even got the bread wrappers printed with Santa's, Snowman and Christmas trees and snow.

Christmas trees decorated in the shopping malls and windows of the shops decorated with Christmas Scenes.

And all this in a strict Muslim country, I think it is so nice.

Everywhere you go everyone is wishing you A Merry Christmas, even the Muslim guy who comes to read my electric meter bought me a gift all wrapped up from him and his wife, and a little teddy bear for my little doggie.

Happy Christmas

Susan

 

[Saoirse]

Nowadays most of the old traditions and respect is disappearing from England.
So how brilliant tonight was... My wife called me to the front door, and there right outside under the streetlamp were some 30 or 40 adults singing christmas carols :clap:

They were people from the various local churches. To top it off one of them came over to us as we watched and handed us mince pies.

Christmas is well & truly alive :wink:

Sorry to hear about you being pestered like that. Couldnt you set the dog on them?

 

[Raysalaff]

Leigh,

That all sounds so nice, here in Doha Qatar, this year, all the shops are playing Christmas Carols, the bread shops have even got the bread wrappers printed with Santa's, Snowman and Christmas trees and snow.

Christmas trees decorated in the shopping malls and windows of the shops decorated with Christmas Scenes.

And all this in a strict Muslim country, I think it is so nice.

Everywhere you go everyone is wishing you A Merry Christmas, even the Muslim guy who comes to read my electric meter bought me a gift all wrapped up from him and his wife, and a little teddy bear for my little doggie.

Happy Christmas

Susan

Well Sue, There are obviously no PC Brigade out there saying "we must stop this it might upset someone", :3:

:50:

Merry Christmas

 

[Guz1]

'Tis the season to be jolly. Peace and gooldwill to all men AND WOMEN.


Maria.

 

[KLS]

:lmao: MTC i know i shouldn't but i did chuckle at the light fiasco. I shall complain about my twinklers no more. I saw some of those heart lights in Migros, can't believe they melted. We bought the ones that have the blubs wrapped up in little 'gift parcels' don't know if you've seen them. They're very pretty but sadly still only 1 out of 3 sets working.
I might just have a go at the mulled wine, though with the need for thick glasses i have a vision of me standing over the stove looking like Olive from 'On the Buses'. :wink:
We have hummed and hawwed about whether to go out or stay in xmas day, (i heard Daphne's does a good xmas dinner) think we'll stay in but can't say i'm looking forward to the cooking, i'm just not very good at it, think it will be more of a bog standard roast than xmas dinner with all the trimmings...it's all i can do to get veg & roast tatties ready at the same time. :wallbash:
Jaydee's sausage rolls are delicious....don't know where they get their sausage meat from but it is lovely, mince pies are pretty good too, and i'm still thinking about popping in for one of their xmas cakes, no-one ever eats it but when it's not there you wish you had one don't you....
Anyways off to the sex room to find out what's been offending folk :wink:

 

[Harem]

MTC I don't have any brown sugar for the mulled wine, will white sugar do?

 

[madturkishcow]

Hi Harem,
I am sure it would do but Gima and everywhere else sells brown sugar. It is called Esmer Toz Şeker. From what I recall of my school days white sugar burns easy and brown carmalises. If you shop in Gima the brown sugar is on the top shelf directly opposite the deli and meat counter. It is in a triangular shaped box, next to the milk.
KLS I too had visions of 'Olive' from on the buses which is why I thought I had put too much brandy in the mincemeat......The art to having everything ready at the same time is preperation and organisation. I have this down to a fine art although I admit that I havn't cooked a full Christmas dinner for about four years now. A microwave is also useful (not that I have one or ever have) but failing that hot water comes a close second. If you pm me with what you are likely to be eating on the day I can give you some tips and a timetable to work to.

mtc

 

[janeanneteacake]

Hey Peter the Postie, thats brilliant...I must admit Im jealous, cos Xmas is a non event here...however we are trying to make it an event by going up to the mountains and stay in a bungalow with a log fire...and hopefully see snow! However theres been a lack of rain (and consequently snow on the mountains) so far this winter, so thats looking unlikely :-((
All the best!

 

[Harem]

Hi, MTC
Yes, I have bought brown sugar before in Gima, but I didn't have any in the house and wanted to make the mulled wine - I just can't wait, you see. When they were handing out patience I was too impatient to wait for mine!! Thanks.

 

[Terry the Celt]

Leigh,

That all sounds so nice, here in Doha Qatar, this year, all the shops are playing Christmas Carols, the bread shops have even got the bread wrappers printed with Santa's, Snowman and Christmas trees and snow.

Christmas trees decorated in the shopping malls and windows of the shops decorated with Christmas Scenes.

And all this in a strict Muslim country, I think it is so nice.

Everywhere you go everyone is wishing you A Merry Christmas, even the Muslim guy who comes to read my electric meter bought me a gift all wrapped up from him and his wife, and a little teddy bear for my little doggie.

Happy Christmas

Susan

That was a great post Susan.
Nice to read about harmony
Merry Xmas everybody

 

[Guz1]

Three of the eight babies born into our family this year have been released from hospital this week.....one not out of the woods yet but at least he's home. Eight new reasons for us to celebrate this Christmas!
:24::yipee::clap:
Maria.

 

[Gail]

Three of the eight babies born into our family this year have been released from hospital this week.....one not out of the woods yet but at least he's home. Eight new reasons for us to celebrate this Christmas!
:24::yipee::clap:
Maria.

That is certainly a good reason to celebrate this Christmas, I hope you all have the best ever. x