Category: Christmas Thoughts - Roaming Brit

From a new life in spain, to an old life in britain, 'roaming brit' documents uncertain times!

On 31st January 2016, my partner and I left Southampton to start a new life as Expats in Gran Alacant, on the Costa Blanca. This blog will document our journey, as we navigate the Spanish system, travelling a path untried and untested. With Brexit looming, political turmoil in Europe and an unpredictable future, harsh decisions have to be made. Illness, family bonds and a Change of heart all make for challenging times in a life of a 'Roaming Brit!'

My Perfect Christmas Day — Alex Albescu!

6/12/2021

My perfect Christmas day would be 12 years old — something as simple as my mum and older sisters cooking up a feast from morning. Pottering in and out from time to time to check on me and my brother, for their benefit more than ours, we watched the rocky movies. Half-heartedly, we offered a hand in the kitchen, knowing full well we would get laughed at. All the while, classic Christmas music is playing in the background, then hours later the shout would come from mum ''dinner's ready'' and we'd all meet up and chow down… The last family Christmas!

Alex

My Perfect Christmas Day — Lesley Ings!

2/12/2021

My perfect Christmas — When my husband was a little boy, he used to eat all the chocolate as soon as he opened his presents from Father Christmas. Consequently, he would not be able to eat his Turkey Christmas dinner. So his Mother thought of a way around this dilemma without spoiling the happiness of her son.

The family tradition became, that we just had the Christmas stocking to open in the morning; have our lovely roast dinner with family chatter and funny hats; listen to our dear Queen’s speech and then open our presents. We did this by age, with the youngest starting first and everybody watching and enjoying the shouts of glee and wonderment, that Santa knew just what they always wished for.

By the time everyone had opened their presents, it would be several hours later and tea time. As the grandchildren arrived, it took even longer! Now they are grown up, so tea is now late supper after watching baby videos of when they were little, taking us back to the love, hilarity, and cuteness of little children.

Then a whisky or two and silly games until we’re all crying with laughter. A family Christmas with love, memories and encompassing the birth of our Lord, alongside the mystical magic of Father Christmas, the pleasure of giving and receiving gifts.

Our thanks to my Mother in Law who set our tradition of a perfect Christmas.

Lesley

My Perfect Christmas Day — Sherry Johnson!

29/11/2021

My thoughts on Christmas day has changed so many times over the years. As a child, it was about family, community unity and goodwill. Christmas presents were usually small but meaningful. The tree always glistening with its pretty fairy lights represented for me, mankind and the hope for all to be kind and benevolent to each other. Now I see Christmas ruined by mass consumerism and greed. People have forgotten the meaning of it all. How many children know the wonder of Midnight Mass, then High Mass on Christmas day; Very few indeed. For me, this is a very sad occurrence in mankind's future. I find the loss of our spiritual pathway so very upsetting.

Sherry

My Perfect Christmas Day — Deborah Brown!

22/11/2021

My favourite memory of Christmas, was believing — best feeling ever. We never had much money, but when Christmas came, it felt like we won the lottery. Mum and Dad always made sure we had about 9 or 10 presents to open. They weren't 100s of pounds, but they felt like it. Always had a real Christmas tree when we were kids. And we were allowed one snowball on Christmas day. Lovely memories I will cherish xx

Deborah

My Perfect Christmas Day — Gemma Wooldridge!

18/11/2021

Everything else just has to stop for a while! It's when this event throws you together, to spend quality 'in the moment' time together. Sometimes it feels like you want to chuck family members out the window, but either way, the day means everything else can stop for a while.

Gemma

My Perfect Christmas Day — Anne Hinks!

16/11/2021

My perfect Christmas - being with the kids and making memory's with them.

We go to Butlins on the 27th every year, until the 2nd of January and spend Christmas day and Boxing Day with my dad!

Anne

My Perfect Christmas Day — Julie Crawford!

11/11/2021

It’s my birthday on Christmas Day, so I tend to celebrate this more than Christmas. I don’t spend it with family as I like to do my own thing, although I do cook a roast dinner, with beef, as I don’t eat turkey. I open my presents (birthday) in the morning and go back to bed after dinner to watch telly. My favourites are Corrie, Emmerdale and anything with Wallace and Gromit in. It might not sound like much of a celebration, but I like my own company, and it’s perfectly fine with me.

Julie

My Perfect Christmas Day — John Hibberd!

9/11/2021

For me it will be the perfect Christmas Dinner, watching the queen's speech at 3 and having a few drinks after dinner. As you know, I have no contact with my remaining family, but I've only just really started making Christmas day a special day. When my mum died it made the day a very difficult day for me, but last year I did a proper Christmas Dinner and that's where I'm at right now xxxx

John

My Perfect Christmas Day — Caroline Machin!

6/11/2021

My perfect day would be from when I was small. All the aunts, uncles, and grandparents would turn up at our house. The men carrying chairs for extra seating at the table, which consisted of 3 paste tables covered in tablecloths, and my nan bringing her homemade Xmas puds with sixpences in! Then all the men went to the local pub at lunchtime, while all the woman peeled veg and chatted away in the kitchen; drinking Martini and lemonade, this all culminated in a very tasty and filling Christmas dinner around about half past 3. All the uncles and grandads would fall asleep in armchairs with the gas fire glowing away warmly and the women clearing and washing up. Me as the only littleun would be playing with my new toys surrounded by snoring and occasional farting men. Would give anything to have that again, just for one day. Loved ones sadly gone and still missed .

Caroline

My Perfect Christmas Day — Michele Stokes!

4/11/2021

Well Christmas to me is all about Family. Unfortunately my mother doesn't celebrate Christmas, there is nothing Christmassy about the house, a few cards may adorn the place, but it's just another day to get through. Our Daughter Nia is away in Canada and I would dearly love her to be with us over the festive season and hopefully include my mother. That's what I would wish for this year. Merry Christmas to one and all xx

Michele