Something of a co-incidence as Lisa, Lulu, Lightning and I watched the new Christmas movie "This is Christmas" last night. A train of regular commuters from the fictitious town of "Langton" into Liverpool Street start off in the late Autumn not knowing each other and an incident with the Train Manager and one who has picked up the wrong coat and left his season ticket behind brings a first chink of visible humanity. Hey - it's a "Rom-Com" though one which goes far deeper into people, and people in the lead up to Christmas, so all ends up well in the end. But trust and mis-trust, key characters finding that they are no longer the right ones for their established (but not yet married) partners and re-pairing, and people who are finding Christmas hard because of people lost in th year just gone all find new friendships.
From
Find that locationThis Is Christmas was filmed in Wapping, Hemel Hempstead, Ongar, London’s Liverpool Street Station and Pierrepont Market in Islington. The locations cover plausible workplace destinations in London, and the commuter towns of Ongar and Hemel Hempstead. Though in reality, a Hertfordshire commuter wouldn’t get far catching the Essex railway line!
An early comment on the votes in this thread. Substantially AOK Christmas for most of you, though only one has gone as far as saying a "marvellous" day. But around a quarter of us are less than positive about it (and sadly that includes us personally) with more than one vote suggesting that Christmas Day was a significant change.
A major reason for using a poll to ask members how their 25th went was to allow people to vote in secret and un-biased in what they say, without risk of personal kick-back. I will admit to selecting a none-positive option; for sure, there were wonderful elements to ou Christmas day but the overriding memory some 48 hours later is of cultural differences and misunderstandings that have tested us - but not (in our cases) beyond the limit and things are settling again.
Like the film, members here have become over the years much more than the person sitting in the next seat in the train. They have become friends, some of whom we have come to know well where others remain here, but not in the limelight. To that significant proportion who found Christmas difficult, welcome "back" here - though we never closed - and please feel able to read, post (and use "And Also" none-public area) or send personal messages - or email, or phone or set up a Zoom session.
Onwards, and upwards for 2023! Probably another post. Looking to longer days, better weather and a chance for a trip out - wondering about going to The Beach on Saturday 15th April, and perhaps trying out Porkway Partway if it's open by then ...
Click on the map to explore geographics
Poll
