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Getting into the true spirit of Christmas


Neil
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OK, I know that November has only just started and Christmas seems a long way off. This year I'm trying not to do everything at the last minute and so I've just ordered my Christmas cards. For the last few years I've been sending friends and family cards produced and sold by the Railway Children charity. They do excellent work both in the UK and overseas with vulnerable street children and it pleases me that I can send railway themed greetings to my friends while supporting a good cause. If you'd like to do similar then their on line card shop can be found here; if you'd like to find out some more about the work they do to protect children from life on the streets then here's the place to start.

 

Whilst discussing this with Andy Y he suggested that this topic be opened up for other suggestions  of charitable initiatives where we can spread good cheer and benefit those less fortunate than ourselves. Please feel free to add to this.

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Mrs BoD often buys Christmas cards in January but then some from the local hospice. Always a good cause, wherever your local one is.

 

Not spreading good cheer as such but I tend to buy mine, whilst on holiday,  at the local Lifeboat Station shop.  They are undoubtedly one of the emergency services but run by volunteers and financed through donations.  The Christmas cards are very good too.

Edited by BoD
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I like to get my cards out early too.  This came about because around 40 years ago I had my wisdom teeth out and was off work for a week and a half with little else to do.  Having the cards ready for despatch by the beginning of December gets the task out of the way and is good discipline.  In recent years I have followed what some consider the deplorable practice of enclosing a round robin with the cards.  It has to be written and taken to the copy bureau in good time.  Last year I had a certain amount of explaining to do and that was a good way of doing it.  The cards come from many sources but another of my quirks is that each and every one has a robin on it.  Call it a trade mark!

 

Chris

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Always was a great believer in Christmas and all that it entails we still enjoy it and make merry each year.  I'm all for giving to deserving causes but sometimes these days these same deserving causes send so may letters begging for money or whatever, that our post box is sometimes full with letters and catalogues and has to be emptied most days.  This started before Guy Fawkes day and will continue through TG, until it eventually runs out of steam just before Christmas.  The ones we have selected have all been responded to, but what I find galling is that their requests keep coming which means they're crossed off the list for next year!  The world seems to be divided between those who 'enjoy' all the over commercialised hustle and bustle and those who would rather remember the way it was in simpler times.:mellow:

     Brian.

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10 hours ago, brianusa said:

The ones we have selected have all been responded to, but what I find galling is that their requests keep coming which means they're crossed off the list for next year! 

 

What's even worse is the fact that they're now using your money to send these requests to you....

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I like sending out my cards in June or July:- Sometimes August, if it's really warm. I can imagine people getting an anonymous card through the post, and thinking... "What's that idiot up to now?" There's a bit of Spike Milligan about this, like sending a gas cooker to someone you might not like.

 

Back to topic..... Christmas is indeed just around the corner, Slade, Cliff Richard, and Wizzard (plus others) will be revving up their royalty payments. "Do they know it's Christmas?" Yes, I bl**dy know it's Christmas........

 

S.C. Rooge.

 

Still, the sun is shining, and I do hope Santa delivers what you desire.

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We always get our Christmas cards from charity shops - we try to use a different one each year. I don't like sending cards as I consider it a waste to send something that'll only end up in the bin a couple of weeks later, but various extended family etc still expect to receive them, so we figure that if we must send them, at least we can make sure that charities benefit instead of corporations.

 

We don't get many of the begging letters, but get a lot of the bags asking to be filled with clothing & left out - but if we leave the empty bags out on the specified day, they never get collected, and just rot - so we've started using them as bin bags. (any old clothing that's still usable goes to the local hospice shop anyway, and worn-out stuff gets re-used as cleaning cloths)

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I should point out that many animal charities use old clothes directly for the animals in their care. Duvets, blankets, etc, are just some of the examples that people like Dogs Trust use, and really welcome those donations. Strangely enough, even old armchairs! The last time I went to their Harefield branch, all of the pooches were resting on some pretty good upholstery. I remarked to Mrs. Smith:- "Christ, can we move in with them?"

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An option for those with a little more money to spare would be to find a charity that does gifts for underprivileged kids and provide an age appropriate train related gift - whether a traditional train set or even train related Lego, etc.

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6 hours ago, tomparryharry said:

I like sending out my cards in June or July:- Sometimes August, if it's really warm. I can imagine people getting an anonymous card through the post, and thinking... "What's that idiot up to now?" There's a bit of Spike Milligan about this, like sending a gas cooker to someone you might not like.

 

Back to topic..... Christmas is indeed just around the corner, Slade, Cliff Richard, and Wizzard (plus others) will be revving up their royalty payments. "Do they know it's Christmas?" Yes, I bl**dy know it's Christmas........

 

S.C. Rooge.

 

Still, the sun is shining, and I do hope Santa delivers what you desire.

 

I've seen Slade play Merry Xmas Everybody in August!

 

 

 

Jason

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6 hours ago, mdvle said:

An option for those with a little more money to spare

 

Do many have much money to spare these days?  Sure, we have a budget with money in the bank with enough for discriminatory spending but it always seems to be used; higher electricity and gas bills, sudden visitors, car needs and most noticeable of all, higher grocery prices, all which means an adjustment of the budget.  Father Christmas is out already ringing his Salvation Army bell so a few dollars here and a few dollars there might mean there isn't that much left.  A lot of those herein are no longer wage earners but on fixed incomes which rarely get replenished except on the whims of government and our pension providers.  Therefore we give from what is available to give each year.

     Brian.

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8 hours ago, tomparryharry said:

I should point out that many animal charities use old clothes directly for the animals in their care. Duvets, blankets, etc, are just some of the examples that people like Dogs Trust use, and really welcome those donations. Strangely enough, even old armchairs! The last time I went to their Harefield branch, all of the pooches were resting on some pretty good upholstery. I remarked to Mrs. Smith:- "Christ, can we move in with them?"

Christ did move in with them, if you believe in the Nativity story.

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Just now, phil_sutters said:

Christ did move in with them, if you believe in the Nativity story.

 The pooches were draped across various easy chairs, and looked very relaxed.

 

"I say, boy! Fetch me another cool bone from the fridge, and be quick about it!"

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I love Christmas. It’s always been a big deal in my family. But working in retail means that Xmas normally starts for me in mid October so it’s kind of hard to get into they spirits of things. Although right now people are starting to ask me what I want for Xmas so might just put the rails/Dapol D class on the list and hope for the best. (I doubt anyone will give me the money for it. But it’s worth a try.)

 

Big James 

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I can take it or leave it to be honest.

 

However I also work in retail and funnily enough in a charity shop. But I don't mind Christmas as I don't tend to have much selling to do as the things like cards, diaries and calendars sell themselves. It's a time of year where I can just let the volunteers get on with it. So I'm mostly hiding in the back doing paper work unless needed.

 

It's after Xmas that I get busy, when all the unwanted presents such as celebrity books turn up. Whatever vapid celebrity has a book out then I guarantee I'll end up with about 50 copies. :lol:

 

Unfortunately you never get the interesting books.

 

 

 

Jason

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19 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

I can take it or leave it to be honest.

 

Unfortunately you never get the interesting books.

 

 

Me too.  Unfortunately most of my family are now departed, so chrimbo has somewhat lost it's appeal for me :(

 

Books?  I've yet to find a Wild Swan modelling book in a Charity shop, or an unstarted etched brass kit.  Or a Portescap.

Or maybe a lot of the Volunteers are railways modellers and beat me to it.....

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The only model railway stuff that I've ever seen come in was a pair of Triang Big BIg Train coaches (no Hymek unfortunately). I took pity on them and they went to a good home...

 

You do occasionally get railway and transport books in but they are usually more coffee table books that someone has bought for grandad rather than anything specialist. I also keep an eye out for military or local history books. But we never get many of those either.

 

I spend loads in other charity shops as well. Especially now everyone seems to be getting rid of CD and DVDs. Better than giving it to Amazon or whoever.

 

 

 

Jason

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I've not had a book for Christmas, since I got married 32 years ago. Mrs Smith very quickly told the extended family that 'pretty' books aren't my forte, I've got just about every book I need, such as RCTS, etc.

 

My dearly departed MiL asked; " what do you want for Christmas?  Socks, Mother, black, cotton, size 11". "Wouldn't you like anything 'special?  Yes Mother, a second pair of socks, black, cotton, size 11".  Next year, the same question, and the same answer.  And so it went on down the years.  Every year, black socks, cotton, size 11. Mostly MiL presented me with  socks, and I received them with gratitude.  She understood that I use them, entirely practical, and as she was a practical person herself,  fully understood  my choice . She did knit me some Val Doonican Christmas jumpers, which I still have, and being as winter is coming on, I always wear them. 

 

Christmas has lost its name in our house, it's now  Sockfest'. 

 

Happy festival greetings to one & all! 

 

 

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