When do your Christmas decs go up?

Is there anyone here who is old enough to remember Christmas 1984, when Bob Goldoff put together some of the world's best musicians to form the band "Band Aid" to record the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" That was to raise funds for that horrific famine in Ethiopia. Does anyone remember that? I turned 21 that year and I saw that song and the subsequent Live Aid concerts of 1985 shake the foundations of the world! That's a Christmas I will never forget.

Remember it well, I was 21 that year too 😊. Worked for BT pending my move to London and volunteered on the 'phones on the day for people donating. It was non stop all day, a humbling experience.

Gosh @StarryEyed, really had to rack my brain there. I was actually 22 as it was the summer of 1985 on the day of 'Live Aid' itself. BT worked with the BBC to provide the infrastructure/capacity, for hundreds of 'phone lines. I'm sure the calls received were only a tenth of what were made and think it was hundreds of calls a second that were made. There was limited technology then - no mobiles or emails - I'm sure the whole system went into a bit of a meltdown. I can recall how we were shocked to see all of the calls waiting, continually. I don't remember there being any frivolity, as such, but it was a very exciting atmosphere.

I remember getting to Portland Street in Manchester at a 'decent' time, c 10am and left for home late evening. I don't recall watching it as the day was going on, it may have been broadcast in the centre but I really can't remember seeing it. I don't remember taking callers money either, I think it was all 'Pledges' which, of course, were honoured as it was said to have raised over £150million worldwide. I wish I could remember if I saw it on the day but I don't think I did, catching it on the news etc later.

I went to see 'Queen' who played at Knebworth Park the year after, going with my younger sister the month before I moved to London in '86. I think that ended up being their last concert. Heady days ha ha. Lovely memories, well, what I can remember of it!

Awww, I love your little tree and houses and Angel, she's very sweet. I think my sister bought the little tree for my mum and I kept it after she passed away.

My little bells I got in Bethlehem in c the early '90's when we went to Israel from Cyprus. They cost just a few shekels, I think around a pound or two. They're very special to me. When we divorced I took very little from our house but said I want the wooden bells 🫠😊.

I get excited about Christmas as it draws nearer do you? I love Christmas Eve especially but without family here, find it all a bit of an ordeal by Christmas Day afternoon and breath a sigh of relief by Boxing Day.

I hope you are ok and send my very warmest wishes to you xx

Hi @Santosha12

What an exciting reply! Thank you for sharing your window into that historical Live Aid event. It's especially remarkable as you describe the technology of the time. I never thought of that.

I turned 22 too in 1985 - the year of the concerts. I meant I turned 21 the Christmas of 1984 when the Band Aid single came out.

I was a huge Queen fan, especially Freddie Mercury. He fascinated me and still does. I don't mean lose my mind fascinating, but still. Never saw them, though. I saw the movie Bohemian Rhapsody three times in the movie theatre. The only other time I did that was in my teens for Grease 😂 I think I saw that five times!

What a beautiful connection with our trees. The symbolism of a glass tree with a mirrored base is interesting.

I too have a thing for bells, ever since I was a kid and found an antique bell buried in the ground. Similar to you..... When I moved to Spain I only brought four suitcases, so I was very limited in what I brought, but I brought my bells. Mine aren't worth a lot either, but they have an important place in my heart.

I actually like the whole Christmas season, including after Christmas, because my birthday is on December 27th, and I adooooore my birthday. Triple love it! I haven't been big on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day most years since my late 30s. But as you may know here in Spain they have Kings' Day on January 6th. So now I'm celebrating longer than ever. I never even heard of it until I moved here. And it's a huge event. It's like our Christmas, in that that's the day of the presents. They even have a parade for that - Not for Christmas. So my Christmas season now seems to last forever and I'm thrilled about it. I have Spanish family here that I do the 25th with, and a little here and there over the season. The last 3 years my sister came from Canada, but not this year.

Yes, I checked, and Paloma Blanca was indeed an international hit! 😁. I never saw the video until I posted it here, and now I can't get enough of it either! LOL! It seems soooo very sweet and gentle and innocent.

In all likelihood other members and colleagues on the forum will also be thinking of Albus and his friends and family when they see the Christmas peace doves. What a beautiful connection.

I think there is fairy dust on the forum. It's a magical place for connecting. Just magical.

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I staunchly don’t celebrate Christmas, I haven’t watched a Christmas film in 3 years. It is supposed to remind you of family, however I don’t want to think of my Mum, Dad, Sister, Dad’s Brother, Wife and there 3 Daughters. Not seen or spoken to them in 10 years. Ironically it’s my old man’s 70th today.
My Ex Wife was all about Christmas and would put bills to one side and go all out, me on the other hand I preferred working it as a Support Worker and treated it like a normal day which led to endless arguments.

To me it is rammed down your throat for four months of the year, endless adverts targeted at parents with buying things on credit.

Valentines, Easter, Halloween and Bonfire Night are the same garbage.

I just started putting up my Chrimbo tree a few nights ago, I've not finished decorating it yet. I did recently receive some bubble lights for the tree, they have an American plug on them but that's okay as I have a power transformer. They'll only look okay in the middle of the tree as there's only 7 lights, but this means the power cable wont reach the floor, so I either need to get more sets of lights so I can daisy chain them all, and obviously because there's a lot they'll be spread out all over the tree including the bottom, this means I can then plug in the plug from the lowest lights as it'll reach, or I could just stick with the 7 lights and get an extension cable.

Hi @Zippy1983 I have some very serious Christmas monsters too that come in many forms, some of which, like with you, are traumatic family memories. Some years they get the better of me. I'm sorry you struggle. I am sorry for that part of me too. Sometimes the celebration to me is allowing myself to fall apart and honour my monsters. Every year there are monsters in the midst. It's just a matter of monster percentage. But they never really go away. And in the future new ones will probably be born. So to me, Christmas includes honouring my monsters. I too hate when people ran their effing joy down my throat - whatever that joy may be. And I'm sorry if I'm coming across that way. That's not my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable. That's what they call toxic positivity. That's not my way of being in any way.

I love Nordic Christmas things, I have a cat but he doesn't bother with the tree. I have cat decorations from temu