By Exploristics’ EDI Team
Christmas is a widely celebrated holiday around the world with over 2 billion people in more than 160 countries seeing it a key date in their annual calendar. Although not universally celebrated, it is estimated that 88% of people in the UK mark it in some way. For many, the run up to Christmas offers an opportunity to rejoice, reflect and get to know people better. In this spirit, we pulled up a chair for a cosy chat with Head of Product Management & Development; Jason Leigh, and some of the wise men and women in his team, Colin Rooney, Matthew Cohen, Emily Cunningham and David Rea who design, build and test Exploristics’ flagship software KerusCloud. We asked them 12 festive questions to find out more about how they celebrate Christmas and what it means to them.
Do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
Jason, Matthew, Emily and David – Yes.
Colin – For sure! Growing up it was a double celebration in our house, as my mother’s birthday is also Christmas Day (true). I can’t think of a worse day to have your birthday, but she did get a nice, Christmassy name – ‘Hollie Sparkletree’ (not true).
In some parts of the world, Christmas Eve is as important as Christmas Day. Do you do anything special on Christmas Eve?
Jason – We go out for a relaxed meal with our son and daughter-in-law; they normally opt to go for Chinese!
Matthew – We always get a takeaway with my cousins and watch Christmas movies.
Emily – We watch “The Muppet’s Christmas Carol” as a family.
David – We go out for a meal with family and when we are home, we all open a present early.
Colin – It always seems that my last-minute shopping takes up the entire day on Christmas Eve, so after all the running round is finally done, its feet up, cold drink in one hand, Radio Times Christmas double issue in the other – time for Christmas to begin.
What do you usually do on Christmas Day?
Jason – I have a relaxed morning opening some gifts, in front of the fire, followed by a walk with the dogs before heading out to spend the day with family. This year we will be at my brothers-in-law’s, for the day; Christmas dinner late afternoon, gifts and games with the children, and a late supper around the log burner to round up the day.
Matthew – I share and open Christmas gifts in the morning with my family and have a big Christmas dinner in the afternoon with my family and cousin’s family.
Emily – I spend time with family, open presents, play board games and of course eat Christmas dinner!
David – I go and visit family; open presents play games and have Christmas dinner with extended family
Colin – Drunk by 11, turkey burnt to a cinder by 1, fallen out with everyone by 3, fast asleep by 4, awake again by 8 to watch the rerun of Only Fools & Horses Christmas special…a very kind of 80’s Christmas every year.
Does your family have any unique Christmas traditions?
Jason – New PJs all round on Christmas Eve; must dress your best for Santa!
Matthew – We always play a board game like Charades or Pictionary.
Emily – My mum always recreates my Granny’s Sherry Trifle for dessert, with “hundreds and thousands” sprinkles on top.
David – We go to the pantomime each year on Boxing Day, have done since we were born
What is the best Christmas present you have ever received?
Jason – The best present must be the first “home computer”, a Commodore VIC-20, way back in 1984 that’s 40 years ago! A modern calculator is more powerful, but at the time it was amazing – I spent the next few days writing my first programs and learning the basics of making it do things I wanted it to do… now I’ve grown up I prefer getting Lego!!
Colin – If I got anything from Star Wars, Action Man or a Scalextric set, I was the happiest wee boy in town!
It seems like people start getting ready for Christmas earlier each year. In your opinion, is there a right time to put up/take down the Christmas decorations?
Jason – Mid-December is early enough, otherwise by Christmas day they don’t feel as special. I like to take them down before we go away for the New Year.
Matthew – Early December to put Christmas decorations up and before New Year to take them down.
Emily – As early and late as possible!
David – December 1st and as late as possible
Colin – A week before to a week after. We tend not to go for the traditional tree and baubles (or tinsel), instead we aim for a post-modern, Scandinavian ice-bar type vibe with lots of twinkly lights. Christmas songs are encouraged for the entire month.
Who cooks the Christmas meal in your house?
Jason – The main meal is normally a joint effort at whichever family home is hosting, in the past I’ve made soups, desserts, veggie mains, or sweet treats for the evening time.
David – My dad and brother will cook it. Mum and I will play games.
Which is better to eat at Christmas, turkey/ham/other?
Jason – As a veggie it is “other”; I look what festive offerings the shops have for a special treat on the day.
Matthew – I’d say ham is better to eat first than turkey, but I do love both.
Colin – Turkey & ham please, like love and marriage, you can’t have one without the other, tasty on Christmas Day, but even better in sandwiches on Boxing Day.
What is your first memory of Christmas as a child, and did you ever write a letter to Santa?
Colin – When I was about five or six, my mother had brought us to see Santa. After our visit, I remember telling her “That wasn’t the real Santa, Mummy, the real Santa has black boots, that Santa had brown boots” – you can’t kid a five-year-old.
Jason – My gran insisted that we write to Santa, every year, and took it to the special North Pole post-box in the main department store in the city centre.
David – Yes, I also wrote one and we took it to the North Pole post-box too!
What is the one Christmas present you remember really wanting as a child?
Jason – Easy! A Raleigh Ultra Burner MK1, in black and gold. All my mates had or were getting BMX bikes, and this one was my dream!
Colin – I really wanted a Millenium Falcon, but I guess it was too big for Santa to get down our chimney, I’ve just about resisted the urge to buy myself one every year since, but some year I will cave in.
What’s your favourite Christmas movie and why?
Jason – Die Hard – who doesn’t love a good action movie with Christmas songs!!
Matthew – Elf – A funny movie with a lot of memorable moments.
Colin – Watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation every year has become a tradition. It still makes us laugh, especially the ‘squirrel scene’.
What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?
Matthew – Getting the whole family together to have a dinner, a laugh and share gifts.
Emily – Slowing down, spending time with family and making memories.
Jason – The potential to get more Lego of course!
David – Getting to spend time with Family
Colin – Time off work (sorry, my lovely colleagues!), lazy days of festive TV, movies and football, venturing out of the house occasionally to re-stock on mince pies and vino!
Thanks very much Jason, Emily, David, Matthew and Colin for giving us a window into your Christmas experiences. Family, tradition and childhood memories seem to be key to many of these.
Whether reflecting over the festive period is faith-driven or not, being mindful of other people’s situations is important at any time of year but is also essential at Christmas. Giving back to the community through chosen charities plays a prominent role at Exploristics. Each year our teams fundraise for two selected charities. Over the past year, these have been Save the Children and MindWise. In the run up to Christmas, we shall continue to raise money for these worthy causes. Further donations can be made using the links below.
Merry Christmas from all the Exploristics teams!