--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've not really had a bad Christmas…" description: "\"I've not really had a bad Christmas. Apart from serious things, like when my father died. He rather spoiled the party and I've never forgiven him for f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/john-nettles-19485_christmas_i-ve-not-really-had-a-bad-christmas-apar_2249429.jpg" --- # I've not really had a bad Christmas. Apart from serious… ![“I've not really had a bad Christmas. Apart from serious things, like when my father died. He rather spoiled the party and I've never forgiven him for falling off the twig on Christmas Day.” quote by John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/john-nettles-19485_christmas_i-ve-not-really-had-a-bad-christmas-apar_2249429.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/john-nettles-19485_christmas_i-ve-not-really-had-a-bad-christmas-apar_2249429.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/john-nettles-19485_christmas_i-ve-not-really-had-a-bad-christmas-apar_2249429.jpg) > “I've not really had a bad Christmas. Apart from serious things, like when my father died. He rather spoiled the party and I've never forgiven him for falling off the twig on Christmas Day.” [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on a Christmas that was mostly fine except for personal tragedies and a painful memory involving his father. **In simple terms:** A mostly good holiday marred by loss and a painful incident with his father. Key Takeaway Acknowledge both joy and grief during holidays. Themes family grief memory holiday forgiveness Mood reflective somber Type personal emotional narrative When to use this quote - holiday gatherings - family reunions - grieving processes - personal reflection Key Concepts loss parental relationships emotional resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance remembering joy and pain? - What helps you forgive past hurts? A Different Perspective The quote mixes humor with deep sorrow, which may downplay the seriousness of the loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-christmas-2910099/) [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Christmas Apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-apart-5131681/) [Christmas day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-day/) [Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Falling off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-off/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-died/) [Forgiven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiven/) [My father died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-father-died/) [Never forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-forgive/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Serious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-things/) [Spoiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoiled/) [Spoiled Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoiled-party-5131683/) [Twig Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twig-christmas-5131682/) [Twigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twigs/) ## Related quotes > [Is it bad that I have Christmas songs in my phone all year round just because I love Christmas too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/is-it-bad-that-i-have-christmas-songs-in-my-phone-all-year-round-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Respect is a serious thing in him who feels it, and the height of honor for him who inspires the feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/respect-is-a-serious-thing-in-him-who-feels-it-and-the-height-of/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [ If Boris \[Johnson\] backtracks on serious things there'll be another bloody revolt. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/if-boris-johnson-backtracks-on-serious-things-there-ll-be-another/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [And that works for me. So that if this is it, you better take it at its right proportion. That there are serious things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/and-that-works-for-me-so-that-if-this-is-it-you-better-take-it-at-its/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I get some very fierce anonymous letters about the Athanasian Creed, which would amuse you, if they were not so sad as to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-parry-liddon/i-get-some-very-fierce-anonymous-letters-about-the-athanasian-creed/) [Henry Parry Liddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-parry-liddon/) > [That's the Irish all over -- they treat a joke as a serious thing and a serious thing as a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/that-s-the-irish-all-over-they-treat-a-joke-as-a-serious-thing-and-a/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) > [Collaborating with the musical genius of our time in some ways with Prince himself - late, great Gerald Levert,all these are forms of singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/collaborating-with-the-musical-genius-of-our-time-in-some-ways-with/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Great use they have, when in the hands Of one like me, who understands, Who understands the time and place, The person, manner, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/great-use-they-have-when-in-the-hands-of-one-like-me-who-understands/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [Pythagoras asks that we not let a friend go lightly, for whatever reason. Instead, we should stay with a friend as long as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/pythagoras-asks-that-we-not-let-a-friend-go-lightly-for-whatever/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [Yet compared with the serious things of life, fishing is after all rather trivial. The thoughtful angler must frankly confess this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-russell/yet-compared-with-the-serious-things-of-life-fishing-is-after-all/) [Harold Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-russell/) > [There's something about comedy, funny things, that people want to pass them along. Serious things and personal things are much more privately enjoyed. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coulton/there-s-something-about-comedy-funny-things-that-people-want-to-pass/) [Jonathan Coulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coulton/) > [You sharpen your ideas by reducing yourself to the level of the people you are with and a sense of humour and a complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-sharpen-your-ideas-by-reducing-yourself-to-the-level-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I love acting, and that's my passion. So I would love to do more movies and some serious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena/i-love-acting-and-that-s-my-passion-so-i-would-love-to-do-more-movies/) [Selena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena/) > [When you come to America, it's a very serious thing. It's not like you arrive and they say, 'Hey, come on! Do movies!' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-q/when-you-come-to-america-it-s-a-very-serious-thing-it-s-not-like-you/) [Maggie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-q/) > [One must speak about serious things seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/one-must-speak-about-serious-things-seriously/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) ## More by John Nettles > [Actors have become much more savvy about the nature of television celebrity these days. We were not. The kind of celebrity culture that exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/actors-have-become-much-more-savvy-about-the-nature-of-television/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [My nearest and dearest have always been very careful. I've never had to send Christmas present back yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/my-nearest-and-dearest-have-always-been-very-careful-i-ve-never-had/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [I have just written a book on the occupation of the Channel Islands, which is being published in Germany. Pursuing the Second World War…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/i-have-just-written-a-book-on-the-occupation-of-the-channel-islands/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [I remember Tom Baker once said to me many years ago: never go back, particularly with TV shows. This is because the track record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/i-remember-tom-baker-once-said-to-me-many-years-ago-never-go-back/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [Midsomer' is a throwback to the old detective tradition, in which everything happens in the head of one man. Everything depends on his intuition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/midsomer-is-a-throwback-to-the-old-detective-tradition-in-which/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [The whole of Cornwall has become antiseptic. When I was growing up in St. Austell, the county was wonderfully rough and workish. These days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/the-whole-of-cornwall-has-become-antiseptic-when-i-was-growing-up-in/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [Domestic violence is often ignored as it usually happens behind closed doors and it can seem easier not to get involved. Yet, domestic violence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/domestic-violence-is-often-ignored-as-it-usually-happens-behind/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [I don't think anyone takes the deaths in Midsomer as seriously as in say Wire In The Blood or Silent Witness. We're part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/i-don-t-think-anyone-takes-the-deaths-in-midsomer-as-seriously-as-in/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [Football is my guilty pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/football-is-my-guilty-pleasure/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [I get a lot of letters from French lady admirers - and gentlemen. 'Midsomer' is a huge hit in France, and it's all down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/i-get-a-lot-of-letters-from-french-lady-admirers-and-gentlemen/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [You need someone to ground you because if you start believing that your public persona is your only and real persona, then you're looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/you-need-someone-to-ground-you-because-if-you-start-believing-that/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [I'll have been doing 'Midsomer Murders' for 14 years by the time 'Barnaby' leaves. I've formed familial ties with the people involved in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/i-ll-have-been-doing-midsomer-murders-for-14-years-by-the-time/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [I'm always impressed with the way the writers find new and creative ways of killing people. But my favourite has to be the hat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/i-m-always-impressed-with-the-way-the-writers-find-new-and-creative/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [I've done so much drama on television that it's very hard to sit down and watch other actors work. I find my interest is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/i-ve-done-so-much-drama-on-television-that-it-s-very-hard-to-sit-down/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [We were on a fairway shooting a scene in 'The Dogleg Murders' when I was asked by the cameraman if it was safe to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/we-were-on-a-fairway-shooting-a-scene-in-the-dogleg-murders-when-i/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) [Explore all 32 John Nettles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) ## More Christmas quotes > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/) [Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/) > [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) [Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've not really had a bad Christmas. Apart from serious things, like when my father died. 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