Christmas or New Year

btaylo24 · Post by **btaylo24** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:47 am

I always struggle with if I prefer new years eve to xmas eve

I like the wait for santa and the pressies at xmas eve, but love going out to celebrate on new years eve!

I like putting out the carrots and the mince pie, but also love going to the chinese for a number 43 at midnight new years eve.

I am getting old and still cant decide what I like the best?
What do u prefer, new year's eve or xmas eve??? and why?

Help!

Barry

Post by **Skylace** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 4:45 am

I love them both really. Christmas Eve is such a nice cozy time with family. I love watching the kids roast marshmallows and open a few presents. And then curling up with some hot cocoa. Then of course New Years Eve we're with our friends, partying, white elephanting and general fun stuff. They both have wonderful qualities that makes me so glad they are both so near!

btaylo24 · Post by **btaylo24** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 4:57 am

white elephanting?

Eh?

Never heard of that, what is it?

Cheers
Barry

Post by **Skylace** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 5:21 am

btaylo24 wrote:white elephanting?

Eh?

Never heard of that, what is it?

Cheers
Barry

It's something we do here in the States. I got the rules off wiki because I think they do a much better job of explaining it.

There are many versions of the game, but the basic rules tend to be fairly consistent. Rule variations typically involve limiting how many times a single gift can be stolen throughout the game or during a particular turn, and/or limiting how many steals can happen during a turn. Other variations include the suggested monetary value of the gifts, as well as a suggested theme for the gifts.

What follows is the most common variant of the rules:
The gifts
1. The value of the gifts to be purchased should not exceed $10.00.
2. The gift should be wrapped or sealed in a gift bag before arriving to the party. If a gift bag is used, the gift should be wrapped inside if possible. This ensures each player has something to unwrap or open.
3. Gift cards/certificates are not acceptable.
4. As guests arrive to the party, the gifts should be placed in an area where few people can see who brought which gift. All efforts should be made to hide who brought which gift.

White Elephant Rules

Items needed

1. Each participant will provide a wrapped gift..... 'value not to exceed $10.00.
2. Upon arriving to the party, you will place your gift in the designated gift area.
3. You will put your name on a slip of paper, and put the slip of paper in a hat.

How to Play

1. First turn: The party host draws a guest's name from the hat. That guest chooses a gift from the gift pile, opens the gift, and sits with the "live" gift for everyone to see.
2. Second turn: The host draws another guest's name from the hat. That guest has two choices: steal a gift from a previous gift-opener or choose a wrapped gift from the gift pile. If they choose to steal someone's opened gift, then that someone can in turn have two choices: steal a gift from a previous gift-opener or choose from the pile. If there is no previous person to steal a gift from, they must choose from the pile.
3. A gift can only be stolen once during a turn.
4. A gift is considered "dead" once it has been stolen 3 times, and, once "dead", it cannot be stolen again. Therefore, whomever has a "dead" gift is the final keeper of the gift.
5. A dead gift must be kept out of sight.
6. Guests in possession of "live" gifts must keep them visible.
7. Turns repeat until all names have been drawn from the hat.

We do silly and "adult" gifts and have loads of fun. I've left with some pretty weird stuff and some...erm...useful stuff

IRiSHMaFIA · Post by **IRiSHMaFIA** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 5:25 am

I'm with Barry. What in hell is white elephanting?

The only time I've heard that term was when a man pulls out both pockets and whips out his boy

You don't all stand around doing that now do ye? LOL jk!

I really love Christmas Eve and Christmas morning but for reasons most would find completely boring. I love Christmas eve mass because it seems to have a mystical feeling about it. We also go to mass Christmas morning as well being good ole Irish mics lol

*Edit*

We were posting at the same time. I see what that means now

btaylo24 · Post by **btaylo24** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:22 am

IrishMafia

I thought the same as u and thought it was some sort of "find the one eye snake" game

Mass on xmas eve. Now that's nice.. Used to do that after the pub on xmas eve. I think it was the only time I ever used to go to church...I was alot younger and more foolish

Have to try that game at xmas....Seems cool

Whats the number one xmas carol?
I am partial to a bit of "little donkey" and "We three kings"

Barry

Griffo · Post by **Griffo** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:01 am

Christmas..i love Christmas dinner

Post by **faceless** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:54 am

Definitely Hogmanay for me. Christmas is good enough, but it's all a bit nice for my liking.

btaylo24 · Post by **btaylo24** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 12:24 pm

Faceless

Is Hogmanay new years eve?
I had a friend from the bitter north and he used to go around to friends houses with a piece of coal on new years eve??

It' were a bit strange lad...

Barry

Post by **faceless** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 12:29 pm

haha, well there are quite a few traditions for New Year's Eve up here, yeah. That one with the coal is about bringing a bit of warmth on a cold night or something.

I like to follow the ancient custom of visiting as many parties as possible with a bottle of malt whisky and sharing nips with other people who have different brands.

btaylo24 · Post by **btaylo24** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 12:35 pm

Well this year I am going to do the piece of coal thing..
See how long I last before some big ozzie lifesaver dude punches my lights out when I knock on his door(with a nice piece of ancient rainforest in my hand)

Barry

Post by **Skylace** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 4:00 pm

IRiSHMaFIA wrote:
*Edit*

We were posting at the same time. I see what that means now

Gotta laugh when that happens.

Post by **eefanincan** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 5:13 am

Personally I prefer Christmas to New Years..... but basically ,I like the one that I don't have to work. As a general rule, nurses work either Christmas or New Years but not both. Most places will alternate what you work from year to year --- this year I'm stuck working Christmas.

Post by **Skylace** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 5:26 am

eefanincan wrote:Personally I prefer Christmas to New Years..... but basically ,I like the one that I don't have to work. As a general rule, nurses work either Christmas or New Years but not both. Most places will alternate what you work from year to year --- this year I'm stuck working Christmas.

I'm sorry eefan. That doesn't sound like any fun at all.

btaylo24 · Post by **btaylo24** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:23 pm

That's bad working xmas or new year, but what can you do.
I will have a little drink to ya on xmas!

Barry