Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Is anyone going to the Harry Christophers and The Sixteen concert at Exeter Cathedral on Saturday 22 July? Maybe a swift sherry before or after if you are? PM me, do!

This sounds like a date for RR's diary !

I would love to, but too far to go, unfortunately.

I used to see them quite a lot for a few years during the '90s as I worked for their then record label, Collins Classics.

I loved the "Music fom the Eton Choirbook" CDs which they produced at the time (and many others, as well).

One of their CDs devoted to Christmas music, "An Early English Christmas Collection" gets a good number of plays here each December.

Richard Ruck wrote:One of their CDs devoted to Christmas music, "An Early English Christmas Collection" gets a good number of plays here each December.

December? That's not an Early English Christmas by today's standards

OK, I'll start playing it after the August Bank Holiday, then!

We were shopping in Plymouth last weekend and the 'Back to School' ranges were already out and being advertised. The kids haven't even broken up yet!! But the worst offender I've seen (so far!) was in Exeter a few years ago, in the blazing heat of late August and passing the window of Dingles (or as it's more affectionately known in our family, Dangles), the Christmas decs were out and the window displays going up.

Dingles was always ridiculously early in its Christmas range...

one of the things i absolutely adored about austria is that there's no hint of christmas until at least the 1st of december.

anyone else think this should be legislation?

Definitely!

Yep
and no buying christmas presents until christmas eve.

Hendrik wrote:one of the things i absolutely adored about austria is that there's no hint of christmas until at least the 1st of december.

anyone else think this should be legislation?

Absolutely !

A couple of shops in Guildford start their preparations at the end of September.

The person sitting next to me at Creative Textiles (otherwise known as Stitch and Bitch) was starting to make her Christma cards

I get worn out trying to explain that Christmas begins on Christmas Day and finishes at Epiphany (6th Jan), as opposed to it beginning on 1st December and finishing after the Queens's Speech!! I once sent out the Christmas cards after Christmas Day to try and emphasise the point, rather ineffectively as it turned out, but it's one of my little bugbears. I also refuse to send cards to people we see on a day to day basis. Can't see the point in that at all. Got some very funny looks and remarks from some people the first year we applied it, but we saved a) loads of paper and b) loads of money! The trouble is that the children get sucked into it at school and end up sending cards to every single person in the class (or school if it's a small school) and it becomes a popularity contest of which I thoroughly disapprove. The whole thing has turned into a money making scheme and any spiritual emphasis has been squished under the weight of tinsel in September and suffocated.

Would it be fair to blame the Americans at this point?

midget wrote:Creative Textiles (otherwise known as Stitch and Bitch)

Love it!!

cj wrote:I get worn out trying to explain that Christmas begins on Christmas Day and finishes at Epiphany (6th Jan), as opposed to it beginning on 1st December and finishing after the Queens's Speech!! I once sent out the Christmas cards after Christmas Day to try and emphasise the point, rather ineffectively as it turned out, but it's one of my little bugbears. I also refuse to send cards to people we see on a day to day basis. Can't see the point in that at all. Got some very funny looks and remarks from some people the first year we applied it, but we saved a) loads of paper and b) loads of money! The trouble is that the children get sucked into it at school and end up sending cards to every single person in the class (or school if it's a small school) and it becomes a popularity contest of which I thoroughly disapprove. The whole thing has turned into a money making scheme and any spiritual emphasis has been squished under the weight of tinsel in September and suffocated.

Would it be fair to blame the Americans at this point?

Having been brought up in a Vicarage and CH I quite agree with you Cath. We still don't put up our decorations in the house until Christmas Eve.

As far as I know, the Americans don't start Christmas shopping etcetera until after Thanksgiving - so while still early, it is far later than many places this side of the pond!

The stars above actually said etcetera (abbreviated) until I find it difficult to understand what was provocative about that?

Katharine wrote: The stars above actually said etcetera (abbreviated) until I find it difficult to understand what was provocative about that?

Katharine, the last letter of etc. and the first three letters of until spell a very rude word indeed!

That seems to be how the anti-sweary software works sometimes - it sees rude bits where none are intended!