How did you spend your Christmas?

[mpk]

I had a nice Christmas eve.

I was invited to a student's dad's place for am early dinner. I only knew 2 people there, my 14 year old student and his dad. It was a small group, 5 kids and 3 adults.

 

We had lovely burgers and coffee brewed in an Italian coffee machine from the 1950's. Lovely coffee. 

 

After dinner we were chatting around the table. The teenagers began discussing their musical tastes, mainly rap, and I was very interested to learn of their tastes. I asked how they find new music. Spotify and friends, was the answer.

 

Eventually I was asked about my musical tastes. As I don't care about styles, I told them I find music while searching the internet. Usually my answer is enough, but I was pressed for more information. 

 

After 45 minutes my speaking came to an end. I'd been surprised to see my audience hanging on my every word with questions interspersed from time to time.

 

I was able to show them how musical styles are interconnected. How the cross cultural/history is really one entity. Of course being a percussionist, I focused primarily on the movement of rhythm. Why The United States does not have a hand drumming tradition and the reason why. And how South America kept hand drums. Cuba and everywhere the trade did business. Indian music, ancient Greece and even bands playing at the Games in ancient Rome.

 

I was delighted to see teenagers so interested. The adults had many questions.

 

On Christmas day I worked on a Revell spitfire Mk.IIa. A present for the Dad of my student. He is a Brit and lives the Spitfire.

 

All in all a very satisfying and surprising Christmas. 

 

How about you?

 

I was told to start a podcast.

Edited December 25, 2020 by mpk

[BradG]

It was just mum, dad and I, so we fired up the BBQ, I cooked, mum made a few salads and we had a nice big lunch with some wine, Canadian clubs and beer. I promptly then fell into a food coma and awoke with two cats ontop of me doing the same then we watched a Deep Space 9 marathon....good times...now it's onto the cricket!

[LSP_K2]

We did something quite unusual on Christmas eve, a phone/video chat between my roommate, myself and his brother. This way, the brother got to see us unwrap our piles of gifts (my roommate made out like a bandit, as usual), and we got to see his stuff as well. Pretty cool; not as good as all being together, naturally, but nice nonetheless.

[Stokey Pete]

I’ve been on my own, my wife and daughter have gone to spend a couple of days with her mom, she’s suffering from Dementia and might not see another Christmas. I felt it prudent let them enjoy it as a family, in the current climate, I also felt it best I not participate, to minimise any potential risk of passing on any illness to her.

So, my day has been spent unconventionally, at the bench and watching my favourite movies. I’m not a very festive person generally. 

[Winnie]

Spent Christmas with my wife. I'm technically under quarantine from travel, and my province is under strict rules. We had a traditional Norwegian dinner, pork belly and veggies. Delish. A few good movies and phone calls with family. 

 

Even if restricted, still a wonderful Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Festivus people's!

[Out2gtcha]

Yep, Christmas with the wife and daughter and her BF yesterday, then a "2nd" Christmas with the wife, mother in law and my wifes sister. We kept the gatherings to 4 max this year, and I know my larger family was disappointed not to be able to be together, but its the smart thing to do. Next year! 

[Grant_T]

My wife and I and my elderly parents had lunch. And they brought the ham thief. Then I had some rums and played my drums without the mutes on. My poor neighbours.

 

[Rick Griewski]

My wife’s sister came for Christmas.  Just the three of us and our Border collie (our Covid pod”).   We zoom conferenced with her sons. Both have new children.  The virtual thing worked out very well.  Even opening gifts was OK.  I made my soon to be famous beef stroganoff with fillet cut meat.  All satisfying.  

Edited December 26, 2020 by Rick Griewski
Apellings

[nichenson]

As has been typical over the past 8 months, it was just my wife and my daughter.  Never really felt like Christmas as we never had a chance to even get in the spirit this year as the wife just got over Covid, and my daughter and myself had to stay away for almost two weeks.  Right after my wife was able to return to work, one of the nurses there passed away from Covid.  Horrible as they were allowed to get their vaccines this past week.  We just barely had enough time to get stuff for dinner and never really had time to even think of anything else.  Even though the last year has been so full of unmentionables and here recently the pandemic really hitting home, we did have somewhat of a celebration as our daughter is still with us.  Last year, we weren't expecting her to even make her first.

[LSP_K2]

3 hours ago, Grant_T said:

My wife and I and my elderly parents had lunch. And they brought the ham thief. Then I had some rums and played my drums without the mutes on. My poor neighbours.

 

Drums? Any photos of them? I loves me some drums.

[europapete]

Nice n quiet. (no reference to drums, like a good beat), just Darlene and I and her Dad. Chucking it down all day. Cooked a nice roast chicken on our new gas stove, came out awesome. Nice cuddle on the couch watching a movie. Perfect.

[monthebiff]

A quite day but lovely day at home with my wife, as a family we all decided to play it safe with parents in not the best of health and also not fair ro choose who we will and will not spend a little time with this Christmas, next years Christmas should be  so much different for the better all being well!!

 

19 hours ago, mpk said:

I had a nice Christmas eve.

I was invited to a student's dad's place for am early dinner. I only knew 2 people there, my 14 year old student and his dad. It was a small group, 5 kids and 3 adults.

 

We had lovely burgers and coffee brewed in an Italian coffee machine from the 1950's. Lovely coffee. 

 

After dinner we were chatting around the table. The teenagers began discussing their musical tastes, mainly rap, and I was very interested to learn of their tastes. I asked how they find new music. Spotify and friends, was the answer.

 

Eventually I was asked about my musical tastes. As I don't care about styles, I told them I find music while searching the internet. Usually my answer is enough, but I was pressed for more information. 

 

After 45 minutes my speaking came to an end. I'd been surprised to see my audience hanging on my every word with questions interspersed from time to time.

 

I was able to show them how musical styles are interconnected. How the cross cultural/history is really one entity. Of course being a percussionist, I focused primarily on the movement of rhythm. Why The United States does not have a hand drumming tradition and the reason why. And how South America kept hand drums. Cuba and everywhere the trade did business. Indian music, ancient Greece and even bands playing at the Games in ancient Rome.

 

I was delighted to see teenagers so interested. The adults had many questions.

 

On Christmas day I worked on a Revell spitfire Mk.IIa. A present for the Dad of my student. He is a Brit and lives the Spitfire.

 

All in all a very satisfying and surprising Christmas. 

 

How about you?

 

I was told to start a podcast.

 

My favourite way of finding new music is watching the support bands at all of the gigs my wife and I would normally go to in a normal year( managed 4 cracking gigs just before lockdown in March), We always make a point of turning up early to watch them and found many fantastic small bands over the years!!

 

Regards. Andy 

[DonH]

Went to the Jewel at Changi airport for lunch. Very nice. Evening video call with parents sharing their Christmas dinner time. Quiet but lovely.