# What I did on Christmas day **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 28, 2019, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499 "2019-12-28T05:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/1 "2019-12-28T05:38:38Z")
Board was down, so Merry Christmas to all So on to the festivities, and what I was doing. Bingeing on the Sharpe series and so far into season four. One of the things that bothered me about the series, is the artillery. You see the cannon fire, and then a big explosion down range, like a high explosive round in modern arty. When in fact what I should be seeing is basically a bowling ball take out a section of troop. But with enough crown royale, its no longer that much of a bother ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/2 "2019-12-28T15:25:35Z")
The high point of my Christmas Day was when I was walking to work and stopped at the 7-eleven for a coffee refill. The customer in front of me had two young daughters with her, and the store manager offered both of them a free Hannakuh decorated sugar cookie. I gave him a sad puppy dog look and said in a very sad tone “What about me? Don’t I get a cookie too?” He picked out one that had a snowman head with a big smile on it. I laughed and smiled wider than the snowman. I ate the cookie and drank the coffee while finishing my walk, where I cashiered for seven hours and got the bus home. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/3 "2019-12-28T17:09:55Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > Bingeing on the Sharpe series and so far into season four. One of the things that bothered me about the series, is the artillery. You see the cannon fire, and then a big explosion down range, like a high explosive round in modern arty. When in fact what I should be seeing is basically a bowling ball take out a section of troop. They did have explosive shells, which were invented by Henry Shrapnel in the 1780s. Those are “the bombs bursting in air” in the song. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/4 "2019-12-28T17:14:17Z")
Yes, but they were fired by mortars, in indirect fire, not by cannon. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/5 "2019-12-28T17:24:24Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Yes, but they were fired by mortars, in indirect fire, not by cannon. They were available for cannons too. It’s not like it’s going to hurt someone to fire bombs directly at their enemies or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/6 "2019-12-28T19:12:43Z")
Bombs were for mortars. Those are the ones that “burst in the air” - indirect fire. They broke open and the explosion caused the damage. Shrapnel invented an explosive form of case shot, called “spherical case shot”, which could be fired from cannon. It was an improvement on the existing case shot, containers full of shot which broke open before hitting the target. Case shot was an anti-personnel weapon. Shrapnel’s Invention was to add a charge to the case shot. The purpose of the charge wasn’t to cause damage from the explosion. It was to break open the casing to release the shot inside, continuing in the direction of the target, rather than to explode in all directions. It was more akin to a shotgun cartridge than an exploding bomb. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/7 "2019-12-28T19:49:10Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Shrapnel’s Invention was to add a charge to the case shot. The purpose of the charge wasn’t to cause damage from the explosion. It was to break open the casing to release the shot inside, continuing in the direction of the target, rather than to explode in all directions. It was more akin to a shotgun cartridge than an exploding bomb. More like an air-borne claymore mine, judging by the schematics I’ve seen. Anyway, I don’t think explosions care all that much about _why_ they explode, and black powder explosions are fairly spectacular. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/8 "2019-12-28T19:51:46Z")
My Christmas Day was spent driving up into the mountains. It was a beautiful sunshiny day, little traffic, and the mountains were dusted with snow, and looked beautiful. Then, back home to a nice dinner. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/9 "2019-12-28T20:18:45Z")
We did not fire shrapnel on Xmas Eve or Xmas Day so the reindeer survived. **Xmas Eve:** Worked at home. **Xmas Day:** Drove 3 hours to the kids’ place. Played with grandkids. Feasted greatly - my SIL is a CIA ex-celeb chef. Told old and new stories. Slept well. **Boxing Day:** Awoke to NO MORE XMAS MUSIC! Hallelujah! Went out for fabulous brunch. Drove 3 hours home. Snacked. Slept well. Eggnog was involved. That’s all I dare confess. Have a good year, everyone! (It’s gotta be better…) ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/10 "2019-12-28T21:03:33Z")
We also drove into the mountains. We went to a nearby state park which contains numerous stands of redwoods. We call this “looking at real Christmas trees”. It was a cold and blustery day, which was perfect Christmas weather. Then we returned home to roast rack of lamb and some homemade apple tart. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/11 "2019-12-28T22:54:51Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > We did not fire shrapnel on Xmas Eve or Xmas Day so the reindeer survived. But you have to admit, firing off a Napoleonic-era mortar with exploding bombs or a cannon with spherical case shot would be a kickass new Christmas Day tradition! > [@](#): > > Awoke to NO MORE XMAS MUSIC! Eh? We’re just on the Fourth Day of Christmas! Plenty time for Christmas music ! > [@](#): > > Hallelujah! . _Messiah_ is usually performed in the Advent season, but what you will. > [@](#): > > Eggnog was involved. That’s all I dare confess. Have a good year, everyone! (It’s gotta be better…) And to you, and all my fellow Dopers! ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/12 "2019-12-29T00:24:20Z")
> [@Telperion](#): > > They did have explosive shells, which were invented by Henry Shrapnel in the 1780s. Those are “the bombs bursting in air” in the song. So since this is the holidays and nothing better to do Did the French have an equivalent of this. My historical recollection says that everyone at that time would have had solid and grape shot, and the cannon ordinance that you mention was a naval ordinance rather than army. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/13 "2019-12-29T01:39:16Z")
According to the wiki article on the Shrapnel shell, Wellington’s army was using the shell in the Peninsula in 1804. > **[Shrapnel shell | British artillery adoption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrapnel_shell#British_artillery_adoption)** > > It took until 1803 for the British artillery to adopt (albeit with great enthusiasm) the shrapnel shell (as "spherical case"). Henry Shrapnel was promoted to major in the same year. The first recorded use of shrapnel by the British was in 1804 against the Dutch at Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam in Suriname. The Duke of Wellington's armies used it from 1808 in the Peninsular War and at the Battle of Waterloo, and he wrote admiringly of its effectiveness. > The design was improved by Captain E. M. Boxer of th... ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/14 "2019-12-29T07:15:41Z")
I worked a moderately quiet shift in the ER. No major trauma, no drunken family violence, nobody died, one psych meltdown. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/15 "2019-12-29T07:17:22Z")
DP ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/16 "2019-12-29T16:38:28Z")
Christmas? Opened up presents, moved a few things around to make room for new things - for example, moved my 21" TV from my computer room into the garage, then moved my 30" from my bedroom into the computer room, then moved my 43" from my living room into the bedroom, then installed my new 50" 4K in the living room, and each one with its own Blu-Ray player that had to be moved/installed as well - then drove south about 40 miles to have dinner with my oldest brother and his family (roast beef and mashed potatoes), then returned home for one of my Christmas traditions; watching an “old school” wrestling PPV. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/17 "2019-12-29T16:50:08Z")
Our Christmas was pretty tame. After the Opening of the Presents, the Cub did a lot of Lego and I retired to bed because of a major head cold. Mrs Piper was also knocked out by a cold. We deferred the turkey to Boxing Day. Mrs Piper did a great job with it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/18 "2019-12-29T18:31:00Z")
Prepared for our guests (granddaughter and husband) by making butternut soup, and made scalloped potatoes to go with the Honey Baked Ham I bought, which required no preparation. Other than that, nothing. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/19 "2019-12-29T19:06:59Z")
I went to the barn and tended to my horse in the morning. Came home, made flank steak pinwheel with blue cheese, an artichoke, and a baked tatie. Then watched something on teevee and went to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499/20 "2019-12-30T01:57:35Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > But you have to admit, firing off a Napoleonic-era mortar with exploding bombs or a cannon with spherical case shot would be a kickass new Christmas Day tradition! > > Eh? We’re just on the Fourth Day of Christmas! Plenty time for Christmas music But firing off a Napoleonic-ear mortar with exploding bombs or a cannon with sperical case shot at someone who still wants to hear Christmas music would be far, far, better. :dubious: As for us, got up at dark:30 to go see the beginning of the new day from [The End](https://www.dropbox.com/s/car7awvlkqynl68/DSC_7390.JPG), stopped for brekie on the way home (found an open place). Got home about 6 hrs after leaving, napped, then got up showered & went to see Star Wars. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-did-on-christmas-day/845499.md?page=2)