What is the highlight of Christmas for you

[gorbee natcase]

For me the food and decsent TV and snow and warm fire places with loads of parties and drink, did I mention food.
How much do you expect to spend at christmas. it costs me a fortune all the veins in my head contract and stop me thinking straight. I think thats tv telling me what to buy 

[thalbergmad]

For me, the highlight is simply the time off work.

Sitting around a tree opening presents has not interested me for several years. I already know what i have got:

1. A new set of banjo strings
2. Marks and spencers underpants.
3. A box of cadbury's cream eggs.
4. A bottle of Brut 33.

Thal

[asyncopated]

I'm not going  back to be with family!!! yeh!!!

I get to say in college and get the steinway all to myself!!!
Eat, drink, wake up late, play some games, play the piano, do some physics.

Luxury at it's best.

[ahinton]

For me, the highlight is simply the time off work.

Sitting around a tree opening presents has not interested me for several years. I already know what i have got:

1. A new set of banjo strings
2. Marks and spencers underpants.
3. A box of cadbury's cream eggs.
4. A bottle of Brut 33.

Thal

You know, Thal - you're not at all hard to please, are you?! Is that really all you'd want? Not even a bottle of Whisky - or a nice seared Pepper - or something?

Best,

Alistair

[elspeth]

Three days off work having not had a day off in the preceeding five weeks... I mean to spend it resting! Nothing more strenuous than reading or piano. What I could really do with is someone to bring me breakfast in bed...

[mephisto]

Staying together with my familly. Hopefully listening to some Sorabji while I am at it.

[ahinton]

Three days off work having not had a day off in the preceeding five weeks... I mean to spend it resting! Nothing more strenuous than reading

Enjoy! It sounds as though you really deserve it!

or piano.

That's not strenuous?

What I could really do with is someone to bring me breakfast in bed...

Thal? Are you receiving me? Over (to you...)

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

Staying together with my familly. Hopefully listening to some Sorabji while I am at it.

Enjoy both! And I hope that your family will either enjoy the Sorabji or give you space to do so yourself...

Best,

Alistair

[mephisto]

Enjoy both! And I hope that your family will either enjoy the Sorabji or give you space to do so yourself...

Best,

Alistair

Actually I asked my mother to listen to some Sorabji and tell me if she liked it. And she really did. When I told her that many people didn't like the music, she said that they were probably not musicians. After I told her they were pianists she was shocked. And my mother is not even a musician of any kind.

In the meantime please help me out on this thread:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,22305.0.html

[thalbergmad]

You know, Thal - you're not at all hard to please, are you?! Is that really all you'd want? Not even a bottle of Whisky - or a nice seared Pepper - or something?

Best,

Alistair

Easy to please am I.

The Whisky i keep back for medicinal purposes.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

What I could really do with is someone to bring me breakfast in bed...

Regretfully, i cannot cook, so i have asked mental martin to fill in for me, coz he is excellent cook.

Thal

[pianistimo]

in pennsylvania, the children look for santa to come on a fire truck.  i know.  strange!  he just came today.  the siren was wacked.  all the children think he's a more modern version than in the pictures.  a sort of firemansanta.  it gives them pause to think about all the electrical things that can go wrong - and perhaps give santa a chance to come back twice if they set the house on fire.

[elspeth]

That's not strenuous?

Depends what you're playing!

Regretfully, i cannot cook, so i have asked mental martin to fill in for me, coz he is excellent cook.

Hurrah, that's my Christmas sorted then! Although, Thal, I wasn't expecting anything difficult... tea and toast would do fine...

[pianowolfi]

Piano Playing all day until the keys smoke.

[ahinton]

Depends what you're playing!

It doesn't depend (on) what I'm playing - because I am not a pianist!

Have festive fun in Le Fin des Graves avec Thal, though; tea and toast may not quite be adequate Christmas fare, but it might constitute a viable post-festive antidote to all the smoked salmon / Sancerre, goose / Chambolle Musigny, panettone / whatever-takes-your fancy, etc., etc. Do ask him what happened to his LITTLE YOONIE while you are there, though; I'm quite certain that the entire forum membership will be agog to know...

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

Piano Playing all day until the keys smoke.

...until they smoke what?...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

I can't wait to open my jar of large Gherkins.

Yummy

[ahinton]

I can't wait to open my jar of large Gherkins.

Yummy

What have gherkins to do with the course of this thread up to now (even if they are nevertheless "the highlight of Christmas" for you)?

The only Gherkins to which I would refer here are those who I have already mentioned two or three times in these various God-not-forsaken threads, i.e. George and Ira, whose song containing the words
"The things that you're li'ble
To read in the Bible
It ain't necepianistimo"
was at the centre thereof.

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

Yummy

Don't you mean "YOONIE"?

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

My little yoonie has not been online for a while.

She said i was lovely English gentleman.

Thal

[ahinton]

My little yoonie has not been online for a while.

She said i was lovely English gentleman.

Thal

Which I am quite sure you are at times - so why not tell us more (or tell me more in a private e if you prefer)?

Best,

Alistair

[johnnyb]

One of the highlights of Christmas is the Betjeman poem, "Christmas" which sums up the wonder of Christmas for me. I'll just quote one verse and hopefully some folks will be encouraged to look it up and read the rest of it.

"And is it true, and is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A baby in an ox's stall?
The maker of the stars and sea,
Become a child on earth for me."

Let me know what you think.

John

[pianistimo]

i love it!  i think, from all i read in the bible, that Christ was conceived on or around x-mas and born in the fall.  he was brought into the world in the darkest time of year - and brought light of the ressurrection in the spring. 

[thalbergmad]

Bible infestation of thread detected.

Number 490

[pianistimo]

christ - mass         - that is what it means, thal.  christmas is about christ - or supposed to be.  if you worship christ in 'spirit and truth' you don't have to shop for anything. the truth is FREE.

[thalbergmad]

oh, i take it you have bought no presents then.

Ignorance is FREE.

Well done

[pianistimo]

i take it you bought a load of presents and think that you will survive the month eating beans.  well, actually - i applaud you because at least you are giving.  does santa really know if you've been bad or good.  (only yes or no answer)

ps i try to give people presents on holidays that they expect them.  my grandma expects presents on x-mas.  i went and bought my grandma an outfit.  i even wrapped it in x-mas looking wrap with teddy bears and candy canes. 

my family is half and half - so i sent some of them presents early.  if they choose to save them and put them under a tree - that is their problem.  they could open them anytime they want.  i think presents are great.  it's just that if christmas is commercial - where's christ?  people have to see what's behind it.  to do something ALL YEAR for the poor and the hungry and the homeless.  and, of course, giving children presents any time of year is ok with them.

[thalbergmad]

no

[thalbergmad]

As you can see, i can give one word answers.

Unfortunately, you cannot

[pianistimo]

yes

[thalbergmad]

Not to the questions i raised in another thread.

I got 100 words of schizo babble

[pianistimo]

i can

schizo babble is in your signature.

thal, i love you.  now will you get the heck out of here.  i have things to do. 

[thalbergmad]

Do it then and stop ranting

[pianistimo]

you mean laundry, cleaning, cooking?  that is something i've been doing all day.  what have you been doing?

[thalbergmad]

i can

schizo babble is in your signature.

thal, i love you.  now will you get the heck out of here.  i have things to do. 

Again you go back and add onto old posts.

What have you got to do?

Bible readings for your kids?

[pianistimo]

my kids run away at the sight of a bible.  no doubt you will joke about this. 

[thalbergmad]

you mean laundry, cleaning, cooking?  that is something i've been doing all day.  what have you been doing?

Answering the trash you come out with

[thalbergmad]

my kids run away at the sight of a bible.  no doubt you will joke about this. 

I would not joke about something about that.

If you have been shovelling that nonsense down their throats all their life, it is perfectly understandable why they run.

[pianistimo]

thal, do you know what christmas spirit is?  or is supposed to be?  cheer.  be of good cheer.  i have overcome the world (not me, but Christ).

[thalbergmad]

You have overcome me with boredom

[ahinton]

Mon Dieu! (can I even write that without having it taken apart here?!) - the sheer speed at which Thal and Pianistimo exchange here is coming to rival Marc-André Hamelin playing Alkan's Op. 76 No. 3!

Thal - PLEASE go and do some piano practice - you'll feel better for it than you do now. There's just no point in haranguing Pianistimo like this - it's as unkind and abrasive as her obsessive biblically oriented posts are - er - obsessively bibilically oriented. I've tried to take apart certain things that she writes too, you know - and I think that I've attempted to do this using many more words - and far fewer unkind ones - than you have done in most instances, yet I appear to have achieved nothing by so doing. It already seems eminently clear that if I don't "accept Christ" in precisely the way that she "accepts Christ" I'm for the chop soon - maybe you are, too - so "gather ye rosebuds while ye may", say I (or, as in my case, write a few more pieces before the grim reaper takes me to my new eternal rôle as chief stoker of the inferno)...

Best,

Alistair

[pianowelsh]

Forgoodness sake!!! Noone has a problem with posts revelling in the delights of obsessive piano practice, excessive drinking or Sex or anything else. Is it SO hard to believe that some people in the world do actually enjoy remembering the coming of Light into the world at Christmas.  Emmanuel is God with us... for some of us on the forum that isnt an idea or theology its a reality - some respect of that might go alongway. Youo asked a question of everyone on the forum 'what is the highlight of Christmas for you' It can hardly come as a surprise to you that for some people remembering and dwelling upon for us what is the truth of Christ coming into this messed up world to redeem it and rescue us from the weight of Evil (see other thread) is actually something which is  a highlight not just of Christmas but indeed every day of the year for a follower of Jesus Christ.     merry Christmas - and I hope you get over your hang over before you takle Alkans concerto for solo piano on Boxing day!

[ahinton]

Forgoodness sake!!! Noone has a problem with posts revelling in the delights of obsessive piano practice, excessive drinking or Sex or anything else. Is it SO hard to believe that some people in the world do actually enjoy remembering the coming of Light into the world at Christmas.  Emmanuel is God with us... for some of us on the forum that isnt an idea or theology its a reality - some respect of that might go alongway. Youo asked a question of everyone on the forum 'what is the highlight of Christmas for you' It can hardly come as a surprise to you that for some people remembering and dwelling upon for us what is the truth of Christ coming into this messed up world to redeem it and rescue us from the weight of Evil (see other thread) is actually something which is  a highlight not just of Christmas but indeed every day of the year for a follower of Jesus Christ.

Christmas is whatever it may be to each individual; to some it may be as it is for you and to others it may be something different or just nothing at all.

merry Christmas - and I hope you get over your hang over before you takle Alkans concerto for solo piano on Boxing day!

Merry Christmas to you, too - but, just out of curiosity, to whom is this hope addressed?! Not me, that's for sure, since I am not a pianist...

Best,

Alistair

[wishful thinker]

since I am not a pianist...

Best,

Alistair

Then what are you doing in Pianostreet?  Are you lost? 

BTW, Merry Christmas to you, Mrs Hinton (should there be one) and the nameless pussies 

[pianowelsh]

The merry Christmas is to y'all! the alcohol reference it to whoever wears it.  Im familiar with the Arguement mr Hinton!! I presented it on another thread - as i believe you may be aware I fully what I expressed re Christmas highlight is for me. My argument is that rather than letting everyone express what was their highlight some felt it necessary to start pulling down other peoples views instead of just getting on with expressing their own hopes for Christmas - completely unnecessary (Thal) - i'll name you because it was subversive tack you took today. If you dont want religious debate then dont debate just let someone state what they believe and leave it as you did in your original post. because as you know if you pick a debate - I WILL engage!

[ahinton]

Then what are you doing in Pianostreet?  Are you lost? 

I am unaware - and indeed have been so ever since joining this forum - that one had to be a pianist in order to qualify as one of its members. As you may know, I am founder and curator of an archive dedicated to -  and also literary executor of - the late Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (1892-1988), who contributed more to the piano repertoire than most composers did; furthemore, the piano features quite prominently in my own music. These facts are presumably indicative of a greater interest in the piano than is perhaps the case with certain other composers. For the record, the grerat luminaries of the piano are of immense importance to me; indeed, my very first musical experience was listening to a broadcast of the F minor Ballade of Chopin...

BTW, Merry Christmas to you, Mrs Hinton (should there be one) and the nameless pussies 

Thank you very much for your kind Christmas wishes, dear Wishful Farmer - and the same to you, of course! If you look carefully enough, however, you may find that the identities of those Sorabji Archive felines are not quite as undeclared as you might appear still to assume...(!!)

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

The merry Christmas is to y'all! the alcohol reference it to whoever wears it.

How can anyone "wear" "alcohol" - or even a "reference"?


Best,

Alistair

[soliloquy]

Mistletoe

[opus10no2]

Mon Dieu! (can I even write that without having it taken apart here?!) - the sheer speed at which Thal and Pianistimo exchange here is coming to rival Marc-André Hamelin playing Alkan's Op. 76 No. 3!

Haha , love that recording.

Mistletoe

Cameltoe 

[alwaystheangel]

Sorry, don't have time to read the thread:
My favourite part or Christmas is when everyone that is at my house for Christmas Eve leaves and it's just my family.  My brother goes downstairs and plays with whateve early present he gets, my dad starts washing dishes (cause my mom cooked everything) and my mom and I play and sing christmas carols.  It's really quiet and I love having that her and me time.  I don't get that much anymore.