Morning all.
Twas the night before Christmas…
I used to love Christmas Eve as a kid. After weeks of being banned from the dining room in our house, the door was unlocked and behind it was a big tin of Roses or Quality Street, savoury snacks and lots of fruit too. No presents though as they’d been wrapped and placed under the monster size Christmas Tree in the living room, other than the year my brother and I were given a bicycle as they’d been hidden in the garage loft. Our tree once had little chocolate decorations hanging from it but by Christmas Eve, they were long gone. It was a day when Christmas carols were played, along with other festive songs as my parents dragged out yet another Christmas album. It became a tradition that the joint of ham, which had been simmering away on the stove for a few hours, was cut and we all had sandwich before going to bed. Mince pies, a carrot and a glass of milk was left for Father Christmas and Rudolf. No sherry though, probably because my parents feared one of their children creeping downstairs and drinking it. Me probably.
Things change though as we age. We learn that Father Christmas doesn’t really exist, sorry if you didn’t realise, and we start to choose what we’d like for Christmas instead of being surprised. My Christmas Eve became a trip to my local pub before going to the late night carol service, but certainly no ham sandwich when I got home.
I still love the run up to Christmas though and the day itself because everywhere I go, Christmas music is being played and with each carol or song, there’s often a happy memory from my childhood or a reminder of something naughty I did which even today, makes me chuckle. Or cringe, and there’s a few of those.
The festive period is great for football fans too as fixtures come fast and furious. As said yesterday though, it’s not so good for the players because they don’t really get a break. I can’t imagine Mikel Arteta will get through today, or tomorrow, without a thought of our Boxing Day trip to Norwich. As we might have an extra mince pie with cream, or open yet another bottle of fizzy stuff because the last three have somehow evaporated, I suspect not a drop of alcohol or cream for that matter, will pass the players lips. I imagine it’ll be an early start for them tomorrow morning with a training session before spending the rest of the day with their families.
Then it’s early to bed before hopping on the team coach the next day, the one with seats I mean, and heading off to Norwich.
Anyway, after my little ramble about Christmas Eve past, I hope you all enjoy your Christmas Eve present. Whatever you get up to, have a lovely time and stay safe.
See you in the comments.
Ah I see Rico, it’s the Hornets who are tom & dick, ah well we need to focus fully on Norwich, get the win there and move on.
5 subs would be a great help but we’ve known that all along.
That was a great post Rico and yeah, your Christmas’s as a child were always the best, mine were truly magical.
Arsenal’s EPL game with Liverpool on Feb 26th will be cancelled as hopefully Arsenal will be playing in the League Cup final the following day.
Morning Kev, all. Thanks.
Five subs should have stayed in place, the rest of Europe kept it.
It’ll be cancelled either way Kev. Liverpool might be in the final. 😆
Really lovely message there Rico, you reminded me of my early years being excited about Christmas and trying to listen at the window for the Sleigh Bells and Santa. My mum said if we saw Santa we would lose the magic so we tried hard to sleep 💤 which we did. Lovely times waking up with a stocking on our beds. Have a wonderful Christmas Rico and all !!!
Afternoon Rico and all
As long as there are presents under the tree for me I will always believe.
We are expecting a fine and sunny day and 26 degrees.
What I would give for just one white Christmas
Rico we may not have agreed a lot this year but Thank you for your site, it’s helped a lot more than you and everyone else know.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to everyone
from Aussie Geoff and family
Thanks Mig. It’s lovely looking back and remembering special times as this time of year.
You have a lovely Christmas too.
Hi Geoff, we have mild temperatures and rain. Nothing white falling here sadly.
I thought we often agreed. 😆
You and your family have a lovely Christmas too.
I remember my first bike I got for Christmas, I was six years old it was a purple / black coloured 3 speed dragster.
My dad told me that the little wheels on the side would stop me from falling over and all I had to do was just peddle, the faster you peddle the faster the bike goes. So I went flat out down hill, when I got to the bottom I realised that my dad didn’t tell me how to stop. Lucky for me there was a neighbours front fence at the bottom that stopped me no helmets or padding back then not even a decent bell.
Morning all. I wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas. It’s been a weird year but we’re getting used to those.
Yea, those childhood Christmas memories are certainly precious and help keeping us in touch with ourselves perhaps.
Best to all.
😂 Geoff.
You too Adam, Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Stories linking Renato Sanches to Arsenal are gathering pace…
Good morning all and thanks Rico for a festive post.
I vividly remember a Christmas from when I was about ten years old. At that time we lived in a flat in Paddington consisting of one bedroom, a sitting room and a kitchen with an outside toilet on a sort of rear balcony. My two older brothers and I shared the bedroom, my parents slept on a put-you-up couch in the sitting room. Our Christmas presents were laid out on the kitchen table. That night my eldest brother stayed awake until he heard our parents go to bed, waited a while for them to go to sleep and then woke me and my other brother and we all crept down the hall to the kitchen, the three of us started to rip open our presents, but mum and dad weren’t asleep they came in and chased us back to bed and warned us not to get up until it was light outside. I think we got up about seven in the morning mum and dad were in the kitchen and we were allowed to open our presents before breakfast. With two know-it-all older brothers I never believed in Santa Clause.
Apparently, Barcelona are interested in a loan move for Aubameyang or a swap deal offering either of Ouseman Dembele or Phillipe Coutinho.
Dembele has weight and fitness problems as well as disciplinary issues, Coutinho has been hawked around Europe for several seasons and failed to find a new club willing to pay his extortionate wages. So, no thanks Barca cash only please.
Never heard of Renato Sanches so just google him but from what I read I don’t think he has anything to offer us.
Cicero I agree if Barcelona want Auba cash only
Santa Claus is a lovely story which binds our childhood to adulthood and is passed from generation to generation.
As I watch your children or grandkids open their presents it takes you back to your own time but you know that eventually the dream gets shattered but you never quite know when it happened.
Are they playing along and do they really still believe or do they just enjoy the whole thing . The calenders with treats leading up to it , the family traditions of leaving a mince pie and a glass of milk and getting up to see whether Rudolph enjoyed his carrot . And the reading of a night before christmas before bedtime. It’s a charade that we all enjoy and long may we do so.
Rumours abound about players of all clubs , we notice the Arsenal ones because they get prominence in the media as they continue their Arsenal are in trouble narrative. I doubt that following our recent transfer business which has concentrated on young players that we are likely to go for old has beens that other teams want to shift for the same reasons as we do.
The recent comments about Auba suggest that he ain’t going nowhere perhaps only his easychair.
( Byrds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkiZ1nQQwGk )
Hi Cicero, another great Christmas past reflection. Love it.
Thanks rico for a lovely post, it brings back so many happy memories, also the sadness that parents who made it special are no longer with us.
Merry Christmas everyone, a red and white one!
A report from Sport Witness claims Arsenal want to wreak havoc on Tottenham’s move for Mattias Svanberg.
He is a dynamic midfielder currently starring for Bologna and the Swedish national team. Tottenham are hoping to make the ace their first signing of the Antonio Conte era. But Arsenal are ready to battle them for his services.
It will reportedly cost €15m-20m to land Svanberg. He also wants wages of around €1m per season, which Bologna are unable to match. However, Arsenal and Spurs can meet that fee relatively easily.
Hi Andrew, I agree entirely, White with the turkey and red with the Stilton. 😉
Thanks Andrew, well said re our folks. They were always the special ones, especially at Christmas.
I’m like the queen, my Christmas message comes tomorrow. 😂
Another fixture postponed, Everton v Burnley
Yeah that was on the cards Rico, Benitez has been bleating about that for a couple of days.
He has been Cicero, most managers are moaning. Understandable really.
Another fixture postponed, Everton v Burnley
As I said yesterday , Points on the board trump games in hand .
Just got to get them.
Postponed games have to be played sometime. Fixture congestion will only get worse and, if the doomsters get their way, those games will be played in empty stadiums leading to lost revenues.
Agree, much rather we have points in the board. As you say, the fixture pileup could help us.
Us winning is the important thing.
Wishing you all and special to Arsenal fans, a sparkling Christmas & Best Wishes for 2022!
Come on Arsenal!
Feliz Natal e prospero Anno Novo JM.
Right back at you and your family Jm.
Rico, really, your 10.12…
I knew that about Liverpool but I just didn’t wanna mention it… 🤐
I knew you knew Kev. 😀
Evening Rico and the House.
Thanks for a lovely post Rico
A post that just like others today made me remember some
wonderfull Christmas’s from the past.
I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new Year and may we all enjoy a more settled and less eventful 2022.
And may we all have some more great posts from the Lady of the House
Evening Rick, thank you.
Wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas too and I hope 2022 is better for you…
New post up now