Here’s my annual jottings for Christmas week, 2025… After what seemed a manic period taking us up to this week, we somehow managed to get ourselves really well-organised this year, where in the week before this one, it all seemed very relaxed – just what retirement should be about (but it seemed to have eluded …
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Category:Christmas
Salvation Army Carol Concert (2025)
For reasons that I can’t recall, we haven’t been to the annual Carol Concert here at The Citadel, Kettering for the past couple of years – and it was good to be back! 👍 It’s not that we haven’t been at all, as we saw their excellent performance of The Messiah back here in April. …
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Pantomime (Cinderella) 2025
Oh, yes it is, it’s Panto Season! This year we joined Jo, Janet, Helen and Carol for Cinderella! Closer to home too, as we headed to The Lighthouse Theatre right here in Kettering, rather than the usual trip to MK! 😀. Keeping it local meant we could pay a visit to the quaint ‘Blitz Tea …
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First Carol Service of 2025
Usually, our first Carol Concert would be either The Salvation Army‘s (this Saturday at the Citadel), the Service at St Botolph’s in the nearby village of Barton Seagrave or, more recently, in the ‘other’ village – Warkton . Not this year! 🤔 Instead, Ann had spotted some Christmas promotional material for the Church of St …
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“Your Crackers, M’Lord!”
The ‘Christmas Spirit’ continues (Turkey for lunch too!) as we headed to nearby Corby, and the Savoy Cinema to see the two-act Ballet and festive favourite: The Nutcracker. At this time of year, understandably, it was a popular performance, making it impossible for all five of us (Diane, Val, Sue, Ann and me) to sit …
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Christmas TV Listings (2025)
We’ve all got different ‘triggers’ for when ‘Christmas’ officially begins. For many, it’s probably when the Supermarkets start displaying their Christmas lines! But that’s obscenely early isn’t it these days? So how about… …that first Christmas meal? (this year, my first one was about three weeks ago! 😋😃) …or when the John Lewis Christmas TV …
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Christmas Nutters – 2025
Yes, it’s that time of year! Time for the Northants Nutters to get together for Christmas. This year, we’re one down on our complement – Richard – had double-booked himself, so that left: Nicki, Geoff & Rhonda, Paul & Sue and us two. With sit-down planned for 12.30, Nicki arrived well ahead of the Nutter …
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Trish & John’s Festive Meal 2025
With Australia calling (or at least whispering) this might be the LAST of Trish & John’s legendary annual Christmas Meal get-togethers. We’ve been going to these for what seems like, forever – and we’re sure to miss this annual gathering of our neighbours & friends for what is usually a mega-festive-feast with a Christmas Quiz …
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The Countryman (Again!)
Here I am at The Countryman in Staverton Village. The Pub is becoming a semi-regular haunt for our three-monthly catch-ups with Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags since discovering it with old work mucker, John ‘Mez’ Merrell, exactly 17 years ago today, back in 2008! 🙄👍. Sadly, Mrs P wasn’t able to make the …
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Up to Uppingham
We took the short drive to nearby Uppingham today for lunch with Nick & Celina for a pre-Christmas catch-up. Ultimately, we were to end up with our first visit to ‘No 23’, a rather upmarket Bistro (where they even had a dress code on a Sunday!). Bet you can’t guess the address!!! 😉 But, before …
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Christmas Prep
Today was all about Christmas preparations! With all the cards written, we turned to even bigger tasks! I think we’re even earlier than usual with all this – it’s still November! 🤔 First job? Put up the Christmas Tree! An hour later, mission accomplished! Next: Christmas Wreath up! Then it was setting the table for …
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First Christmas Meal!
I’m not sure whether this is a record or not for us? It certainly feels like it – it’s our first official Christmas meal of 2025 – and it’s not even December yet! 😮. Last year, I had to wait until December 7th for my first festive nibble (but c’mon, we had only just returned …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2025)
Yes, it’s that time of year again! The John Lewis Christmas Advert launched at 8am this morning! As many of you know, I normally post about their annual offering. This year’s has no words and is a real tear-jerker. It was launched 10 days earlier than 2024’s (I nearly missed it!) and created once again …
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Christmas 2024
Merry Christmas! After last year’s aborted efforts to celebrate due to me seriously lacerating my left hand on the Friday before Christmas (and subsequent operation on Christmas Day, 2023) we’re looking forward to this Christmas, even more so than usual! 👍😀 As the week leading up to Cbig day began (Christmas Day was on a …
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Doctor Who Christmas Special (2024): Joy to the World
It’s Christmas Day and there’s a Doctor Who Special on TV again this year. Written by ex-Showrunner, Steven Moffat, we’re promised a proper festive-themed episode. The Christmas Day Special was revived last year when Russell T Davies took over from Chris Chibnall as Showrunner (who always preferred New Year’s Day to showcase the latest episode). …
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Carol Concert 2024
Merry Christmas! This year, we had a bit of a dilemma for our annual Christmas Carol Concert! 🤔 Usually, we go to TWO with Jo & Janet – the local Church and the Salvation Army’s in town. But this year, it was one OR the other, simply because they were both on the same day …
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Doctor Who – Something special for Christmas!
Doctor Who fans get an extra gift from Santa this year! …and I’m not talking about the forthcoming 2024 Christmas Special starring the current Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa! If Patrick Troughton was your Doctor (he was mine!) this was to be pure nostalgia combined with TV technology at its best! 👍 In 1969, the BBC showed …
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Nutters Reunited for Christmas!
It had been a busy day already – and it was only 7am! Ralph & Karen had slept over after helping us celebrate our Anniversary, yesterday. After a rather hurried breakfast at 9.30 and having said goodbye to them both, it was straight into final prep for today’s gathering! Paul & Sue, Geoff & Rhonda, …
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Christmas TV Listings (2024)
We’ve all got different ‘triggers’ for when ‘Christmas’ officially begins. For many, it’s probably when the Supermarkets start displaying their Christmas lines! But that’s obscenely early isn’t it? So how about… …that first Christmas meal? (this year, our first one was last Saturday 😋😃) …or when the John Lewis Christmas TV Ad first appears? (an …
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First Christmas Meal of 2024!
We’re already in December, and very unusually, we’ve not had a single Christmas meal yet! That’s so unusual for us, but we only arrived back from New Zealand last Sunday! At this point in 2023, we were on our third! It’s a tough life, ehh?? 😀 We picked up Paul & Karen in time for …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2024)
Yes, it’s that time of year again! It’s Friday, 14th November and right on cue, John Lewis has launched its Christmas TV advert. In past years, the offering was guaranteed to also boost the sales of Kleenex, but in more recent times, they’ve been a bit ‘lack-lustre’ and haven’t tugged the heartstrings quite so strongly! …
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Doctor Who Christmas Special (2023): The Church on Ruby Road
Given my recent (typing) hand injury on the Friday before Christmas, I think I’m probably the last Whovian to watch this episode and then review it. It’s Saturday, the 30th – almost a week later, and I’ve managed to avoid any Reviews, anywhere. Phew! 😕. Forgive the odd typo – this took about four hours …
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Salvation Army Carol Concert (2023)
Off into town this evening to enjoy this year’s Salvation Army Carol Concert at the Salvation Army Citadel. Jo, Janet & Helen together with David & Valerie were there, as usual, and we also saw Derek & Lydia. We’ve been coming to these for quite a few years now as it represents another ‘sign’ that …
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Christmas TV Listings (2023)
We’ve all got different ‘triggers’ for when ‘Christmas’ officially begins. For many, it’s probably when the Supermarkets start displaying their Christmas lines! But that’s obscenely early isn’t it? So how about… …that first Christmas meal? (this year, I was up to FOUR, two weeks before the big day! 😋😃) …or when the John Lewis Christmas …
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Christmas Catchup – Steve and Helen
Unbelievable! It’s only the 10th of December and this is already our FOURTH Christmas meal! Tough life, ehh?!? 😁 At this rate, I’m sure there must be a real danger that we’ll both turn into Turkeys before the 25th! Gobble, gobble! 🦃🍗 Today’s venue of choice? The very popular (and very nicely appointed) The George …
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Our Third Christmas Meal of 2023
We headed round to John and Trish’s tonight for their legendary Christmas Meal. It’s usually our first of the festive period, but this year, we’d had the Northants Nutters round at ours last Sunday for an early Christmas get-together, and then met up with Dennis & Sandra on Thursday for more festive fare – so …
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Christmas Catchup – Ralph & Karen
Here we are at the Quorndon Fox in Loughborough. We were last here on New Year’s day in 2021 with Jo, Janet and Carol. Today, more of the same – ‘a get together with mates’ – with a long overdue catchup with Ralph and Karen. Getting there was another frustrating experience, where the M1 came …
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Nut Roast?
Not quite, this is a Nutters’ Roast! Good to see our fellow Nutters again – Geoff & Rhonda, Rich & Nicki and Paul & Sue – all together again in one place. The last time was on our Cruise back in August. Today was also our first official festive lunch of 2023 – and what …
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John Lewis Christmas Advert (2023)
In spite of me being a bit of a fan of these, I nearly missed this one when it was launched today at 7.30am UK time. Good job my friend Geoff was on the ball and let me know (and he was in Cyprus!) 👍😁. Cheers, Geoff! This year, John Lewis has gone more light-hearted …
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The Late, Late Christmas Dinner!
We don’t need much of an excuse to catch up with friends (as many of these Posts here will confirm!). “The Late, Late Christmas Dinner!” put a convenient label on today’s proceedings, brought about because we weren’t able to see Nicki over Christmas last year. Jo, Janet and Carol joined us, making it six for …
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