You Realise Christmas Is Approaching When …

[Trenchfriend]

Anyone here, who still hates this ugly, disgusting E.T., too?
Bad enough, that it's a Steven Spielberg-movie. But what was the idea behind creating this piece of disgustingness??

Children's trauma? Nope.
Until circa 8/9y, I watched it several times without any problem, but then I started to hate it, for whatever reason.

Nah, better gimme LV426!

 

[LizzieMaine]

I went to see "ET" when it first came out, in the company of a young man who sat with his arms folded and a sneer on his face thruout the picture. When they showed ET all wizzled up in the ditch, he applauded. I didn't censure him.

 

[Harp]

Cold front approaching northern Illinois, breaking out the commando wooly pullies
to wear beneath my sole remaining Gloverall duffle coat, but due to attendant circumstances
staying inside as much as possible. My nephew honorably discharged the Army yesterday,
a Christmas out present for the whole clan.

 

[Zombie_61]

I saw E.T. with friends the night it opened back in 1982. We all walked out of the theater thinking it was a better movie than it should have been; a little on the goofy side, but entertaining enough with a few laughs. Then I went to see it the following weekend with a different group of friends, and sat through the whole movie start to finish spotting every little trick Mr. Spielberg used to manipulate the audience. Haven't seen it since.

 

[Tiki Tom]

E.T. Was one of my first dates with my now wife. I can’t complain. It seems to have worked. Thumbs up.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Bah humbug. As some of you know, this year I moved from the epicenter of Christmas markets, roast chestnuts, snow, gluhwein, winter coats, candles, roast goose and Christmas trees to Hawaii. I am still going through the culture shock of moving from Austria to O’ahu. I am finding it impossible to get into the Christmas spirit. Christmas lights wrapped around palm trees don’t cut it. Nor do endless depictions of Santa Claus in an Aloha Shirt with a surfboard under his arm. Not to mention the endless blaring commercialism of it all.
My wife kicks me and says the spirit of peace and love are universal; not to mention “the reason for the season”.
Grumble, grumble. Bah humbug. No, I don’t want eggnog in my Mai Tai.

 

[belfastboy]

Bah humbug. As some of you know, this year I moved from the epicenter of Christmas markets, roast chestnuts, snow, gluhwein, winter coats, candles, roast goose and Christmas trees to Hawaii. I am still going through the culture shock of moving from Austria to O’ahu. I am finding it impossible to get into the Christmas spirit. Christmas lights wrapped around palm trees don’t cut it. Nor do endless depictions of Santa Claus in an Aloha Shirt with a surfboard under his arm. Not to mention the endless blaring commercialism of it all.
My wife kicks me and says the spirit of peace and love are universal; not to mention “the reason for the season”.
Grumble, grumble. Bah humbug. No, I don’t want eggnog in my Mai Tai.

 

[belfastboy]

For me it my annual throwing of the radio off the balcony the first time I hear Brenda Lee and "Jingle Bell Rock". Then my frustration when I hear Maria Carey sing any Christmas song and I have nothing left to throw.

 

[Fifty150]

Then my frustration when I hear Maria Carey sing any Christmas song and I have nothing left to throw.

You can throw the nearest person off the balcony. I'm not asking you to do it. Just pointing out the obvious option.

 

[Fifty150]

Nor do endless depictions of Santa Claus in an Aloha Shirt with a surfboard under his arm

When I was a kid, Santa was shirtless.

 

[belfastboy]

You can throw the nearest person off the balcony. I'm not asking you to do it. Just pointing out the obvious option.

The downside is that the closest person is my wife.....and she offers great utility AND she hates Maria Carie songs as much as I.

 

[Fifty150]

Yes. Throwing your wife off the balcony is not an option. It would create problems. Maybe if you can find Mariah Carey, you can throw her off a balcony.

Why is that music even being played in your house? Change the channel. Change the station. Cancel your cable subscription. Turn off anything that plays music. Cut the cord.

 

[Fifty150]

And stay away from McDonald's.

 

[belfastboy]

Yes. Throwing your wife off the balcony is not an option. It would create problems. Maybe if you can find Mariah Carey, you can throw her off a balcony.

Why is that music even being played in your house? Change the channel. Change the station. Cancel your cable subscription. Turn off anything that plays music. Cut the cord.

As much as I would like to have some say in what commercial radio plays but the stations all throw in ersatz Christmas music this time of the year.....it just is. And I use my clock radio to get me out of bed in the morning....shitty music does have utility.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

As much as I would like to have some say in what commercial radio plays but the stations all throw in ersatz Christmas music this time of the year.....it just is. And I use my clock radio to get me out of bed in the morning....shitty music does have utility.

Pandora....Christmas Rock

 

[Zombie_61]

When I was a kid, Santa was shirtless.

When I was a kid, Santa was pantsless. My sister claims she went to Hawaii where she bought me a Santa doll/figure that looked like those "troll" dolls that were so popular in the 1960s. And, like those dolls, the figure wore no pants. As best as I can remember, it looked something like this...

...except the hair and beard were curly.

 

[Tiki Tom]

^^^ That’s a Menehune.

 

[Zombie_61]

^^^ That’s a Menehune.

You could be right, but in a Santa suit? Oh, right, The Boys From Marketing. The one in the photo was "labeled" as a Troll doll from the 1980s, but the whole "troll doll" thing could have somehow been based on the Menehune despite the "official" story of how they came to be.

Also...well, sis has had a serious substance abuse problem since she was very young (her friends used to pat her down on their way to grade school to make sure she didn't have anything on her that they might get in trouble for) so we give it 50/50 odds whether or not she's actually ever been to Hawaii.

 

[Turnip]

…that wonderful scent of caramelized almonds, mulled claret and vomit waves through the old town alleys again, soundtracked by the inevitable panpipes band.

 

[Zombie_61]

…that wonderful scent of caramelized almonds, mulled claret and vomit waves through the old town alleys again, soundtracked by the inevitable panpipes band.

Around here that means the Renaissance Faire is back in town.