Christmas – A time for laughing and sharing

Christmas will soon be upon us. Amidst the festive build up and associated stresses and financial concerns, I thought I’d share with you some amusing experiences and things that make me laugh.  I love Christmas. For me, it’s all about being with family and friends; it’s a time to forget (for a short period) the problems our world is facing and to simply enjoy being alive.  I will reflect upon past Christmases: happy times spent with my parents (now deceased), the beaming smiles on my children’s faces following Santa’s visit, and will look forward to the different kind of magic that Christmas brings now.
 
 

 
To get you into the Christmas spirit, here is a video that made me laugh.
 
 
Three Amusing Catering Experiences 
1. I used to own a catering staff agency in the south east of England.  On one occasion I was asked to send waiting staff to a caterer who was providing a Wedding Breakfast. My staff were some of the best you are likely to find and very loyal.  The caterer was short staffed in the Kitchen and my waitresses agreed to do the washing up between the first two courses.  When they noticed that the plug to the Kitchen sink was missing they informed the caterer who, at the time, was assisting the chef to cook noisettes of lamb for the main course.  To the waitresses’ horror she placed one of the noisettes of lamb into the plug hole.  Worse was to come!  The top table was short of a meal. The caterer retrieved the lamb noisette from the sink and told one of my waitresses to serve it to the customer. When she refused the caterer served it to the guest herself!
 
2.  On another occasion I was asked to provide waiting staff to a prestigious establishment that was catering for 120 guests.  The event was being held in a marquee but was some distance from the main building, and could only be serviced by foot across fields. When the main course had been cleared my staff were instructed to load the desserts onto the back of a waiting muck-cart to deliver to the marquee!
 
Needless to say, I didn’t provide staff to these caterers again.
 
3.  My sister-in-law used to be a catering manager. She often recounts the time she asked a catering assistant to wash the lettuce. Yes, you’ve got it – she did just that. She filled the sink with water, added the detergent and proceeded to wash each leaf.
 
Christmas TV
I must confess that I don’t watch TV on Christmas Day.  We are fortunate today in that we can either record what we want to watch or use the catch-up services. I just want to enjoy every moment of Christmas without being distracted by TV.  These classic clips always make me laugh.
 
 
 
Christmas Adverts
 I have to include these Christmas ads – they always bring tears to my eyes.
 
 
 
On a more serious note – 
The pressure to have a ‘perfect’ Christmas can add to the problems that a lot of people already have. We all want everything to run smoothly and for everyone to be happy.  But sometimes the high demands we set for ourselves cannot be met.  Sometimes it is outside our control.  Financial worries tend to intensify over the festive period. And for those suffering with mental illness or homelessness or loneliness, it must be a very difficult time of year to cope with. Remember, the Samaritans are available 24/7. I’ve never forgotten the advert in 2015 when a lonely man faked his death in order to see his family.
 
 
Just do your best – that’s all any of us can do, and spread a bit of kindness
 
Christmas treeI wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

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