Hopefully this can be a virtual holiday celebration thread ( for all the holidays that fall this time of year) for those on the forum who are not able to be with family and friends at this time, who are stuck and stressed out doing PhD work, or who just want to have a virtual celebration in addition to everything else! The good points---no expensive presents to mess about with, no fighting the hoards at the shops, nothing to clean up, but all the joy of sharing company and friendship this time of year!

I will start the celebration by inviting everyone into the virtual Celebration Room--it needs a bit of decoration, what do people think? There is plenty of sunshine pouring into the room and lots of space on the walls for anything we need to add. I think this small picture of a tree and snow that my niece crayoned would go well----HERE.

And this when I so wish we had the technolgoies to flick a wand and actually insert decorations on this page. But alas, the world of technology on this forum and the world of the Hogwarts school shan't meet!

Thanks Olivia, even though i may well be the only person checking in here :) Yes, much as my own PhD work relates with, the offline and the online must merge and this just proves all of what dreary theoreticians have ben droning on about in boring journal articles!

Happy holidays to everyone (and selfishly, most of all, ME, may I tide over 4 weeks pretty soon!)

Your PhD research sounds utterly fascinating, PhDbug! Can you give some more information on what you are looking at? I think that the online world is a fascinating one.....the creation of virtual communities, etc, etc, and how people interact in those virtual spaces!

Hi, hehe that isnt my topic but its one of the many things people in my field worked with many years ago...my research is with Facebook :)

To those who think its just not the holidays without trout......( and because I haven't posted trout recipes in ever so long!!! :$:$:$)
here is a small recipe to get the party started.


http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/515752

Watercress and Orange Salad with Smoked Trout

Sorry to be totally anti-american but can't stand 'happy holidays', so......Happy Christmaaaaaaas (slade stylee)

(and other various religious holidays including Pagan Yule).

Olivia, thanks for the trout thing! Tried it out minus the oranges :) but plus some yummy fruit sauce! DELICIOUS!

a real tree please ! with gold and red tinsel. and a light up fairy at the top. and musical lights on the tree. can someone put some decoration on please? theres a fireplace in the room. im going to light it. iv got the wood in. theres a big pile in the basket. iv put some paper down, some kindling and some coal and some firelighters. its soo beautiful. iv just lit it. and placed some logs on. wow! its roaring. gosh! u should be in this celebration room. the fire is roaring so brightly and so warm. im gonna stay here a while. im curling up in front of the fire. this room is so beautiful. thank you olivia xxx

Hello lovelies!

Merry Christmas to one and all! How are we doing my tinsel bedecked scholars?
I think we should have a roaring fire and a great big crate of champagne and a load of selection boxes, plus lots of beanbags.
Does anyone else think the ability to stop time and continue about in your own capacity would be more than helpful. Think about it gang, stopping time around 11am doing your work and all the reading you have been piling up then starting it back up when ydone. And you havent missed a second of the day! Hurrah.
Is this just my delusional fantasy. God I wish I was a wizard like Harry.

liminalplace....nice champagne (up) Mmmm.....! fire still going. lovely xmas day.... merry christmas xxxx