Bond christmas/holiday traditions

walther p99

Was curious if fellow 007 fans had any Bond tradition during the holiday/Christmas season, example being watching the Christmas-related OHMSS or something of that nature. for me, i watch TNDs, for some reason that film always had a Christmas season-vibe to it even though theres nothing Christmas-y in it, i think it has to do with i first listened to the score and got the DVD of it one Christmas so whenever the film comes to mind the joy of the Christmas season does too.

Barry Nelson

I do try to watch OHMSS, perhaps I should watch TWINE since Bond has Christmas in it.

walther p99

Barry Nelson wrote:

I do try to watch OHMSS, perhaps I should watch TWINE since Bond has Christmas in it.

)

DanielCraig007

I thought Christmas only comes once a year... )

thesecretagent

I put Goldfinger on one year and kept the sound low. Everybody commented things like "you pay your tv licence and sky subscriptions and all they do is stick a forty year old film on for christmas..."

jimmybondi

We usually put on the BBC series 'Planet Earth' for Christmas, but in the late evenings it's Martini and 007 time...

Pendragon

my parents usually get me something Bond related as a gift...trivia books, special editions of the movies, the novels, etc...gotta move on to the posters now. I've got a DAD and a (misprinted) GF one...would love the others.

and like many of you, I usually watch the marathons on TV, even though I own all the films already :P

James Suzuki

I usually just watch all the Bond films i have at christmas.:):):):):):):):)

pizgloria69

I always try to watch OHMSS on or around Christmas day.
It's got that real Christmasy feeling hasn't it!

I'm hoping to get the soundtrack as a gift this year. -{


piz

mrbain007

pizgloria69 wrote:

I always try to watch OHMSS on or around Christmas day.
It's got that real Christmasy feeling hasn't it!



piz

That might have something to do with it being set in the snowy mountains or that Doris Day esq song ("Do you know how Christmas trees are grown?") )

pizgloria69

mrbain007 wrote:

That might have something to do with it being set in the snowy mountains or that Doris Day esq song ("Do you know how Christmas trees are grown?") )

Ha, yes... and the fact it's set at Christmas!

It's just that most 'Christmas' films these days don't make you feel festive, but this always does!



piz

PPK 7.65mm

For me its usally getting a Bond related item or two as presents. During Christmas of 1995, I got the Corgi gold plated Aston Martin DB5, the novels of From Russia With Love and You Only Live Twice, a Bond t shirt, and the video two of James Bond yesterday and today, and the compliation of the old film traliers. Also after I purchased the soundtrack to OHMSS, I often play the track Do you know how Christmas trees are grown?" every year around this time.

CmdrAtticus

Back in the 70's I was stationed in the military in Europe. I took the Christmas week off and went to Switzerland for the sole purpose of visiting the OHMSS sites during the holiday. Arrived in a wet foggy Zurich by train on the 23rd, stayed overnight, took the train on the 24th through the alps to the Jungfraujoch area (went through a looong tunnel and came out the other side into a winter wonderland in the snow). Did some skiing and paid a ridiculous amount of money to ride that damned Cresta! Went to St. Mortiz, stayed overnight in Pontresina (took the sleight from the station to the town , minus Erma Bunt). Had wonderful dinner Christmas Eve in the candlelit hotel ballroom. Christmas Day went to see the Eiger, then went up to Piz Gloria. It was all fogged in at the top! Could not see more than a quarter mile, so much for the view! It was still thrilling of course. I wish I had not been alone at times, but other moments I could image what it would be like as Bond. Once in a lifetime experience. Hope to do it again one day.

Napoleon Plural

It starts off promisingly, CmdrAtticus, but by the end of that post one is calling out for a bit of female company. I can imagine sat you all by yourself in your military uniform on Christmas day in some near empty hotel, the waiter offering a complimentary eggnog...

The same for me this year, an empty hotel room, a revolver and a bottle of vodka. Usually I stretch to a Mayfair prostitute, but times are hard and that's all that will be I imagine.

EDIT: Oh, sorry, you wanted a Bond theme... well I make 'em dress up as Bond girls, been doing this for 22 years now... last few Christmas's have been a bit rough, scaly backs don't do it for me.

thesecretagent

CmdrAtticus wrote:

Back in the 70's I was stationed in the military in Europe. I took the Christmas week off and went to Switzerland for the sole purpose of visiting the OHMSS sites during the holiday. Arrived in a wet foggy Zurich by train on the 23rd, stayed overnight, took the train on the 24th through the alps to the Jungfraujoch area (went through a looong tunnel and came out the other side into a winter wonderland in the snow). Did some skiing and paid a ridiculous amount of money to ride that damned Cresta! Went to St. Mortiz, stayed overnight in Pontresina (took the sleight from the station to the town , minus Erma Bunt). Had wonderful dinner Christmas Eve in the candlelit hotel ballroom. Christmas Day went to see the Eiger, then went up to Piz Gloria. It was all fogged in at the top! Could not see more than a quarter mile, so much for the view! It was still thrilling of course. I wish I had not been alone at times, but other moments I could image what it would be like as Bond. Once in a lifetime experience. Hope to do it again one day.

Sounds great. If you had just lied about being alone, it would have been perfect. )

I spent five years in various security contracts after the forces and liked being alone and pleasing myself (watch NP jump on that one!) all over the world, but it really sucks (..NP) at Christmas.

thesecretagent

Napoleon Plural wrote:

It starts off promisingly, CmdrAtticus, but by the end of that post one is calling out for a bit of female company. I can imagine sat you all by yourself in your military uniform on Christmas day in some near empty hotel, the waiter offering a complimentary eggnog...

The same for me this year, an empty hotel room, a revolver and a bottle of vodka. Usually I stretch to a Mayfair prostitute, but times are hard and that's all that will be I imagine.

EDIT: Oh, sorry, you wanted a Bond theme... well I make 'em dress up as Bond girls, been doing this for 22 years now... last few Christmas's have been a bit rough, scaly backs don't do it for me.

Spent a few like that - minus the Mayfair prostitute - I'm too cheap, prefered to keep the lights low and the fee lower still...

Bleuville

Barry Nelson wrote:

I do try to watch OHMSS, perhaps I should watch TWINE since Bond has Christmas in it.

Yes OHMSS is the best film of the book, best music soundtrack too. (Play it in the car regularly.)

I went to Piz Gloria in sunny August way back in 1986.
Got the pennants and pewter plate souvenirs. Anything newer lately?
The Shot On Ice docu films are good also.

Bleuville. "Are you here for Christmas Sir Hilary?" (Joanna Lumley in OHMSS.)

CmdrAtticus

My Swiss Christmas was indeed lonely at times - particularly when one sees couples everywhere in such resorts at that time of year. Being in the service it was not my first Christmas alone but one never gets used to it (at least I did not). Still, those moments were short, and I was usually in good company - most people are in pretty good spirits at that time (and in those places, many of the tourists were obviously well off and are having first class fun - no wonder Fleming had Bond doing his sleuthing there). Also, I was only there a week and was busy gawking the whole time. I did not wear my uniform, but I fitted myself with the proper gear - except my damn shoes! I didn't want to look like a college student there for the weekend. I had wool clothes but wore dress shoes - not exactly great for walking through snow and slush covered streets in 30 degree weather - even in glossy places like St. Moritz. It's alright when your like Bond or the jet set crowd being driven everywhere and only have to make it from a sleigh or auto into a hotel or restaurant door, but when you have a budget and have to hoof it, loafers don't cut it! Even though I wore pull on rubbers over my shoes - they don't keep your feet and ankles warm! I ended up coughing up some cash I could have used for trains on a pair of black hiking boots in a shop on the Via Maistra in St. Moritz. You can image the shoe stores in a place like that..only high end of course. Then my feet were warm but I had to break the things in and needless to say my feet were pretty battered by bedtime!
As far as eggnog - don't like it personally (too sweet), but I did have great beer and wine - especially the gluhwein, which is a popular mulled wine. For those of you ever planning on taking such a trip - a few tips. Save up a lot! It costs a bundle to travel and stay in any of the posh places there - you can never have enough "guineas". Want to ride the Cresta? You don't buy a ticket - you "join" there club at a jaw dropping price that allows you five runs down the ice shute. I enjoyed my trip but was a pauper after New Years!
As far as doing a Bond Christmas - I like to watch OHMSS and listen to the soundtrack as well (while drinking some Christmas cheer of course) and it's double fun having actually been in the spots I see in the film - really gives one another perspective. My wife and I plan to make that trip someday (she'd been to Austria but missed Switzerland). I also would like to hear from any one who had been to Piz Gloria in the very recent past. It really is a magical place at Christmas, but god is it COLD!

Lexi

CmdrAtticus wrote:

Back in the 70's I was stationed in the military in Europe. I took the Christmas week off and went to Switzerland for the sole purpose of visiting the OHMSS sites during the holiday. Arrived in a wet foggy Zurich by train on the 23rd, stayed overnight, took the train on the 24th through the alps to the Jungfraujoch area (went through a looong tunnel and came out the other side into a winter wonderland in the snow). Did some skiing and paid a ridiculous amount of money to ride that damned Cresta! Went to St. Mortiz, stayed overnight in Pontresina (took the sleight from the station to the town , minus Erma Bunt). Had wonderful dinner Christmas Eve in the candlelit hotel ballroom. Christmas Day went to see the Eiger, then went up to Piz Gloria. It was all fogged in at the top! Could not see more than a quarter mile, so much for the view! It was still thrilling of course. I wish I had not been alone at times, but other moments I could image what it would be like as Bond. Once in a lifetime experience. Hope to do it again one day.

Wow, what an amazing experience - and how fitting you are able to share that on a Bond fan site... to be able to do something like that, just for yourself.... and to enjoy the experience, without a significant other - well, good for you -{

Now the romantic in me is willing you to take your wife back there - and experience it with her - it will not be the same.... it never is, BUT you can share the memory, and enjoy the experience in a totally different way - with someone to share it with :x

Napoleon Plural

Something about Atticus' post put me in mind of Steve Martin's conman in uniform in his fake wheelchair at a gambling table in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. )

You wore rubbers over your shoes! No wonder you couldn't pick up any women. What were you practising, safe socks? )

I visited Piz Gloria, but it wasn't recent, it was summer of 1988. Got a cable car to the top, hiked all the way down (mostly) to Murren, got a lift on a bale of hay truck for last bit. Brilliant stuff.

Napoleon Plural

Talking of which, maybe the guy who wrote that much praised book OHMSS the Making Of could pester Piz Gloria to sell it there, I'm sure it would be a big hit!

Napoleon Plural

I'm about to re-read OHMSS, my copy has a cover like this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ian-Fleming-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-HB-DJ-963-/390271456543?pt=Fiction&hash=item5addfdd51f#ht_822wt_934

Er, not as ripped. I couldn't find it on google images.

Yesterday I watched Thunderball, sublime stuff with lovely cinematography that's moved on from GF. Real class and the bomber scenes hold up very well, no CGI! That said, I could really nitpick it and have done in the past - the 'shut the door behind you!' scene when Largo enters the Spectre meeting room (he's last to attend, mirrored perhaps by Bond being the last to attend his meeting with the 00's), 'didn't I have a hat when I came in?', 'Sorry Felix, you were about to say 007!' right over the goon who's been caught spying on them. But then again, why would it be a secret that he's 007 - he's just introduced himself as James Bond to a Spectre agent, they know who he is, dating back to Dr No! (Of course, this is a result of messing about with the novels; in the book this is the first time Spectre appears so they don't know who Bond is, whereas in the films he's already tangled with them because they were inserted into Dr No and FRWL.)

I did stop at the junkanoo festival and watched little more, the film does get bogged down around that point, a very talky film, loads of exposition and false urgency. 'Millions of people will die if you don't reveal...' he tells Domino. No they won't they've agreed to pay up!

Anyway, terrific eye candy and interesting to compare with the book. I can see why they had the airman have a double, it's hard to buy that someone in that position would be bought by Spectre and NSNA didn't make it very clear. Still just a little unclear why Largo would be tied up with Domino, is it just a coincidence? Nods to Dr No: 'I'm a nervous passenger', the suicide by cyanide capsule.

It's snow in London now so TB is more exotic than OHMSS! Though I intend to watch that.

jimmybondi

CmdrAtticus wrote:

...I also would like to hear from any one who had been to Piz Gloria in the very recent past. It really is a magical place at Christmas, but god is it COLD!

I have been up there this June during my Alps tour in the Esprit. What do you want to know?



And yes, it was cold, we had snow there in June!

thesecretagent

I'm watching OHMSS tonight - it's the only Bond that's christmasy.

pizgloria69

jimmybondi wrote:

CmdrAtticus wrote:

...I also would like to hear from any one who had been to Piz Gloria in the very recent past. It really is a magical place at Christmas, but god is it COLD!

I have been up there this June during my Alps tour in the Esprit. What do you want to know?



And yes, it was cold, we had snow there in June!

'Alps tour in the Esprit' - sounds great!

Is that Blofeld sneaking away on the right of that pic? )



-{ piz

CmdrAtticus

There was snow there in June?! That's amazing. The air was thinner but I had not problems breathing - did anyone else? Did anyone look at your Esprit and shout "Look - its James Bond's car!" ? Did you have the meal there? They did not have the restaurant installed when I visited. As far as my "shoe rubbers" - it's the only way to protect your good leather loafers in the slush - and I wasn't looking to "pick up" any women while there, so whether or not any would have been put off by my foot gear was moot. Besides, in the 70's. wearing these was very common then (I saw many men in them - and they were with female companions) - especially when they were professional men dressed for business. How long did it take to hike down to Murren? Sorry - never saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (though I've seen most of Martin's and Caine's films) - so your point is lost on me (though I'm certain it's a good one).

jimmybondi

Hi folks.

We (3 guys one gal) drove to Lauterbrunnen and took the funicular railway and the Bergbahn to Murren.


We stayed overnight, having lovely local food and some drinks. On the next morning we took the cable car to the Schilthorn just after breakfast.

Yes, we went to the revolving restaurant for some coffee and cake - but no meal, as we had a lot of miles to cover


IIRC they have offered a 'OHMSS' meal and the souvenir shop up there is really worth a visit.




Here is some footage of the drive on the Sustenpass on the same day. As you can see, the pass was (almost) cleared and it was a sunny day. My mates even got some sunburn in their Elises, although they just have opened the pass 2 days ago!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZTd5UcRks0&feature=youtube_gdata

Thunderpussy

I once spent a week as a Prisoner in North-korea. Hellish place ,crap food and constant interogations still It got me away from the family for chtismas. ) I'm going again This Year.

jimmybondi

Thunderpussy wrote:

I once spent a week as a Prisoner in North-korea. Hellish place ,crap food and constant interogations still It got me away from the family for chtismas. ) I'm going again This Year.

) If you can spend the last days in Hong Kong in the Rubyeon Royale - I think this is still acceptable...

Thunderpussy

Could Be worse jimmybondi,a friend of Mine Liked Water skiing and Snow Boarding and Tried to combine the two. Yea! Waterboarding It isn't as Much fun as it Sounds. )