church on the hill...........

well this is my second attempt a typing this blog but it kind of sums up the fed up feeling i have just now. can't seem to getinto the big festive spirit at all.

maybe it's all the signs up (and more people using) with "xmas" on them. i am not religious by any means, in fact i couldn't be further from it but it's christmas people, not xmas. for any of you that are futurama watchers then you will know the christmas episode in the year 3000 where the actual celebration had become known as xmas. i think it's a sad vision of things to come but probably quite accurate.
i know it's an old argument but it has become focused on the commercial aspect rather than on any feeling of goodwill towards others.

i think most of all i'm missing being around my family. i mean i will be with the outlaws down here but they don't do christmas in the same way. not even close.
i do miss the nonsense and fuss that gets made back home. and of course the sitting getting slowly (well normally very quickly) pissed and noising up members of the family. ah well guess they are safe from my banter for another year. i have to admit i have cut it pretty close on occassion but they know it's all good natured and i love them all.

one good thing at least is getting to put out stuff for santa and rudolph (why do the other reindeer always get the shaft?), for the first time with my daughter. she has been to young to understand before but not this year. so the carrot is ready as is santa's dram (he told daddy personally that he would like that more than milk).

i do miss the fact that instead of typing this just now, i should be sitting in the starbank getting into the christmas spirit (and drinking a few spirits too) surrounded by old friends. that little tradition started when we were all back at school and even the few of us that have moved away still know that if you are in edinburgh on christmas eve then you should "head doon the starry" and you are guaranteed to meet up with someone from back in the day. of course in the good old dys we would head up to the watchnight service and for once go to church willingly. i know i said i'm not religious but there is something warm and comforting in being with your mates (albeit a tad drunk) and belting out carols for all you are worth. this used to be coupled with the odd fire incident (i'm talking to you here tumshie), well what do they expect with naked flames and drunk teenagers/20somethings?). or when you make it through the service only to see your mate go running out the church to avoid throwing up inside but still manages to puke all down the front wall of it. bless my mum for running paul home that night. still once the pub stayed open later noone could move themselves out of it intime to get up there and the watchnight visits soon stopped. shame really but then again maybe not. churches always make me uncomfortable and i am forever waiting on that bolt of lightning.

well i have rambled on long enough and i better go and try and remember where i stashed all the presents that went off to santa earlier today when the bairn wasn't looking.

i hope you all have a pleasant christmas eve and a fun (non-stressful) christmas morning. speak to you all tomorrow.