SPECIAL DAYS IN NOVEMBER

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Memories like those are nice to tremember Karl, and they say that time heals, i'm just hoping so.

[karl]

L&H the hurt feeling has gone, yes time does heal to a certain extent but it doesn't take much depending on the way we feel - a song can bring memories flooding back and of course although Christmas is meant to be a happy time - it isn't always. Although we have the rest of our family, it's not the same as mum or dad isn't there. However I believe they are always watching over us.

[john]

Thinking of you today Lena and Harry. Losing your mother is something you never quite get over, we were only talking about it yesterday on the phone Lena, Christmas is never the same without them either.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Thank you John, yes we were talking about this yesterday, and we know also how you feel after losing your parents, but at least we still have someone to share Christmas with.
People who dislike and don't enjoy Christmas are often scorned upon and thought of as being simply miserable, but you are right Karl, Christmas can be a sad and lonely time for many people.

[Marian]

Yes very true Lena. I have a friend in her eighties, who lost her husband about three years ago, I know she doesn't look forward to Christmas time. Even though she has family, she feels she is a nuisance to them now.

[karl]

That's sad for her to think that Marian and I hope it isn't true. I have only spent one Christmas alone and that was about two years ago, the weather was so bad nobody was travelling. However I had resigned myself to the fact Xmas wasn't going to happen and I ended up enjoying myself, there was no point in moping!

[Eman]

Yep, I have to agree with everyone that without a loved one Christmas wouldn't be the same. I haven't crossed that bridge yet that many of you have but I can just imagine how you all feel.

[mariana44]

I find it easier to forget about Christmas as much as I can-it is the only way I can get through it !!

[karl]

I don't do that Marian as I know the people I am missing would not want that. Infact when mum passed away in 2006 her funeral was early Novermber and I told the family we are having Christmas, we're not letting the kids down - it's what she would have wanted.

We had a really nice day and we spoke about mum in general conversation.

So Mrs. Marian don't you be getting yourself upset, George would not want that - would he?

[Eman]

I agree with Karl, though probably the lonliness creeps in. However I know when the time comes my Mum and Dad would want Christmas to go on as they are so big on it, especially my Mum. Today she's having Dad take down the decorations and she will be starting with the little things. I believe the 2nd week of December which will be the 8th, she will drag Dad and I to buy the tree. Usually it's a 6ft Noble Fir. My Mum's tradition before she starts finishing the tree, is to have each of her kids and grandkids that are living near by place an ornament on the tree after the lights have been put on. Here's something, when we were younger she use to make us kids make an ornament each year. She still has some of them, some got lost. However the ones from my late teen years (16 -18), she tossed. Said they were too weird.

[karl]

Mum's can be SO cruel at times Eamon!!!

I love real Christmas trees they smell great but you are still vacuming up needles in June.

I expect I will be putting my tree up within the next few weeks and all the Christmas ornaments etc I've collected over the years.

[mariana44]

I do not get upset over Christmas---it is just easier to ignore it--even some of my friends with families say that they cannot wait for it to be over.

[Eman]

Karl, not if you're my Mum, she goes bananas with the vacum cleaner after the tree is taken down!
Mariana, yeah some of my friends say that also. The reality of the thing is that people tend to over spend on lavish gifts, and are up to their ears in debt. Me, I just keep within my budget, as it's the thought that counts. Yet in this crazy world, that's a thing of the past.

[mariana44]

My best Christmases ever were when I went to Birmingham every year -sometime in December--met up with my 3 best friends and a whole gang of other good friends--having a Mathis Christmas weekend--we had so much fun, and I was still able to spend Christmas at home with George. I have some really special Christmas memories.

[Christine Hampshire]

Yes Christmas won't be the same this year for us,because we lost our oldest daughter and her unborn child in January it's not going to be good this year.
And also her son Logan had his 8th birthday on the 26th of November his first
with out his Mum, bless him, we'll be glad when it's over.