Do the jingle bells always hang on the wall or only at Christmas?
The wrong and ( too) early Christmas exitement thread
Those are always up, part of a display of horse brass, etc:
The brass and the bells came from somewhere in England, I think the slate etching from Wales, and the cowbell came from Austria. The two tankards aren't part of the theme, they used to sell those for all the air bases in the U.K., as mementos. One is from RAF Upper Heyford and the other from RAF Alconbury.
Those bells sound magnificent, BTW. Nothing like the stuff sold in the holiday section of the department store.
Lullabelle
Midlands, England
It won't feel like Christmas until I have seen the famous grouse advert.
I look forward to the John Lewis one each year, but this year's is crap.
I've officially completed buying Christmas gifts for MrsT (not counting the incidentals that go in the "stockings hung by the TV with care."
Lullabelle
Midlands, England
Haven't seen it, what is the theme this year?
ElizabethB
Legendary Member
Our family is huge. Gift giving became a burden. For years the siblings drew names and gifted the nieces and nephew. Now the Nieces and their Spouses have asked to be included in the name drawing. A gift in the range of $50 for your secret recipient. We do small gifts, maybe ornaments from Hobby Lobby at 50% off or, in my case, food - brownies or cookies or mini holiday bread loaves. We spoil the great nieces and nephews outrageously. They get sooo much STUFF. I give them money. My youngest Niece and my eldest Great Nephew are 16. I give them money to use at their discretion. The younger Great Nieces and Nephews are given money for their education account. My eldest Great Niece is 9 so she may get money to spend at her discretion. The things these children like or want are all tech stuff that is beyond my budget.
"Give A Little Love," and it's about random acts of kindness, or paying it forward, I suppose.
It's visually unsettling, as it starts as live action, then cycles through multiple visual styles. The kid with the weird hairdo, I don't know why, but it almost makes me nauseous. I can't explain it. It's like I'm seeing something unnatural, I guess.
Once all the nieces and nephews arrived and it was obvious the childbearing was over, my wife's family moved to that model, but it lasted just a few years.
One family member kind of put herself in charge of the whole thing, and began changing the rules and dictating terms, then other family members decided to buck that, and it just sort of fell apart.
I can't remember exactly, but I think someone wanted to move to a "just buy gifts for the 'kids'," even though the "kids" were 25-35 years old, and someone else (quite likely me) ended up balking at that. It wasn't that I wanted a gift for myself, but I do get a little churlish when someone tells me Christmas is "mainly just for the kids," so it's very possible I was the one who finally excused himself, causing the whole pyramid to crumble, but I'm not exactly sure. Sounds like me, though.
rascal
Forum GOD!
Havnt heard Xmas songs in my supermarket as yet! I know it's coming though. Saw an ad the other day about Easter, wtf?
Russ
Russ
ElizabethB
Legendary Member
I think the just for the kids thing got out of hand when the kids became adults and felt obligated to return the favor. They asked to be included in the name draw.
Burt Blank
Legendary Member
It seems to have been very well received by JL/W customer base and the partners. The only complaints have been about the 222 bus, it does not run through that area. For those that don't know John Lewis/ Waitrose their Partners (employees) have the best "employers" in UK retail. My wife remembers the Halcyon year when in March each year she would receive her partner dividend. Her best year was 15% of her annual gross salary tax free. This year the partners expected nothing but they still got 2%. Next year the dividend is canceled with full support of the partners who want the firm to survive. Partners claim for obvious reasons that this years advert cost 10% of previous years.
This year, John Lewis and Waitrose are aiming to raise £4million for FareShare, which helps those facing food poverty and Home-Start, which works with parents who need support.
Taster mate this is the vid that runs after the Christmas Vid. My wife is very proud to have been a Waitrose partner.
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Its nauseating. The soundtrack alone is dreadful.
... I should add that I appreciate the motives (in terms of matching donations) and also supporting the media industries. The different styles were chosen to enable more people across the industry to be employed. I just hate the sentimental tone.