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The hat and gloves of murdered prison officer David Black rests on his coffin Peter Morrison/AP/Press Association Images

Two men arrested over David Black death released

The PSNI said the two men had been released unconditionally.

POLICE SAID THIS evening that two men arrested as part of the investigation into the death of David Black have been released.

The PSNI said that the two males, aged 34 and 42, who were arrested in the Coalisland area have been released unconditionally

The suspects had been questioned at Antrim Police Station. Their arrests brought to six the number of people arrested since the fatal shooting of David Black on 1 November.

The 52-year-old prison officer was shot as he drove to work at Maghaberry jail on the M1. It is understood a car with Dublin registration places pulled up alongside his vehicle and opened fire.

A group calling themselves ‘The IRA’ has claimed responsibility for the murder.

Read: Two more arrests in David Black murder investigation>

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A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

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5 Comments
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    Mute I LOVE MY COUNTY
    Favourite I LOVE MY COUNTY
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:00 AM

    Half way there…
    Took it down from attic…… That was enough hassle for one day.

    692
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    Mute J
    Favourite J
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:11 AM

    That’s the easy bit. Even distribution of baubles is the real test.

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    Mute Goggles McGlasses
    Favourite Goggles McGlasses
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:46 AM

    Ah no J the hard part is the lights, the godforsaken things will be in one giant knot, then when you finally get them untangled and on the tree one of the bulbs will fuse causing the whole strand to break. Its usually at this point I go buy another set promising to take care when taking them down this year…

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    Mute Djr
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    Dec 5th 2014, 10:56 AM

    Who are the two douchebags that red thumbed Goggles comment?

    46
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    Mute Robert Morgan
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    Dec 5th 2014, 12:16 PM

    I use a Christmas tree decoration spacing template to achieve an even distribution if baubles, snow flakes and stars. You should try it – it’s a blast.

    68
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    Mute Mary Lyons
    Favourite Mary Lyons
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    Dec 5th 2014, 1:18 PM

    Buy the led lights
    Much easier!

    33
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
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    Dec 5th 2014, 5:16 PM

    They’ve obviously never tried to put up the lights from the year before. I learned from bitter experience to budget for a new set of lights each year!

    11
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    Mute Rhiannon Smith
    Favourite Rhiannon Smith
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    Dec 5th 2014, 6:57 PM

    A tip for putting them away. Roll them up around the tube left from the wrapping paper. No more untangling :) :)

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    Mute Catherine Sims
    Favourite Catherine Sims
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:17 AM

    My tree went up the 1st of December . I’d have put it up earlier if I had help moving the furniture around. I love the Tree. It’s the most important part of the build up to Christmas. I’m not in the least apologetic about putting it up early either. While long ago I dreamed of the perfectly tastefully decorated tree it’s never happened. It fast became the kids domain and I loved it . Now my youngest us 15 and the rest grown and gone and there us still no way I will have the designer tree. My tree now is a history of all our oast Christmases. It has little scraps of paper with glitter on cut made over 25 years ago. It’s has things with bits of cotton wool and red paint stuck on it and I love them all. I loved when excited little hands brought them home from school and trembled with utter pride putting them on the tree. There’s broken decorations on their too that are two well lived to throw away and there’s been the additions down through the years . Not only that but last year my dad gave me some of the ornaments I loved from the tree I had as a child ( sorry sis got there before you) so our tree us a history of over 45 years. Also in pride of place is my new bridge silver angel ornament my sister bought me years ago. So there’s a lot of me on that tree too. While it’s a sentimental day dressing the tree( what I wouldn’t give to help those little trembling hands or kiss those exited faces today ) it’s fantatic too. It opens up a vault if memories that had been packed away all year.my mother lost her father on Christmas Day and I’m sure it was a very sad day for her but she never ever let it interfere with our Chrustmas day growing up. I still enjoy every minute of Chrustmas now even though she us gone because that’s what she always wanted . So “my” perfectly decorated tree is up and I am not apologetic about my love for this season. It’s the time if year where everyone us a little nicer and kinder and we get to push the real world back a bit just for a little while . Happy Christmas people. Chrustmas is what you make of it remember.

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    Mute Weddingcar Ie Wexford Limo
    Favourite Weddingcar Ie Wexford Limo
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:23 AM

    Wow how have you time to write all that !

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    Mute Maz
    Favourite Maz
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:26 AM

    That really made me smile :D

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    Mute Declan
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:26 AM

    Hate to be the one that Knocks your tree over :)

    67
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    Mute Catherine Sims
    Favourite Catherine Sims
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:32 AM

    Time is usually something I don’t have but when I’m stuck waiting at appointments it’s a great distraction in the waiting room. The other occupants are all trying to avoid eye contact with each other and everyone has their heads stuck in their phones lol tis the season apparently lol

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    Mute Catherine Sims
    Favourite Catherine Sims
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:34 AM

    Declan the tree has been knocked over at least four times already lol my son sees to that . I dont mind a bit its all part of the fun .

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    Mute Patrick Jones
    Favourite Patrick Jones
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    Dec 5th 2014, 12:07 PM

    Magnificent story Catherine. My mum lost her mum on Stephens Day many years ago which was my second ever Christmas. It still resonates with her and as an only child, Dad and I still try to make it as special as we can for her and vice versa. People depart but the memories live on! Hope you have a great one.

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    Mute Wexford pikeman
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    Dec 5th 2014, 3:41 PM

    Happy Christmas Catherine , Patrick , You’ve struck a chord. xxxxxx

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
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    Dec 5th 2014, 5:22 PM

    Well done, Catherine! I still have the some of the decorations from our Christmas tree when I was a child. I can still see Dad fiddling with the lights each year trying to get them working, which he always succeeded in doing. They have never worked for me sadly. Great to have those memories, eh?

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    Mute ohmadge85
    Favourite ohmadge85
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    Dec 5th 2014, 7:16 PM

    Oh Catherine, you’ve made me a little teary! You have described exactly my best memories of Christmas and the Tree, oh the excitement of putting it up. Even though I now have my own home and tree, mam keeps “my” decorations for me to put on the tree, and same for my grown up brothers. Thank you for that lovely piece of nostalgia

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    Mute Charlene OConnor
    Favourite Charlene OConnor
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    Dec 5th 2014, 7:25 PM

    Catherine sims you just made me cry what a lovely post. Wish you a very happy Christmas and enjoy your tree sounds amazing

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    Mute Barbara Ledwidge
    Favourite Barbara Ledwidge
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:43 AM

    Decided to put it up early as my son is coming home from Oz on Monday. Chose the same time to get a twelve week old kitten. That’s working out really well, it now looks as if it was decorated by a two year old wearing a blindfold

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    Mute Allison Smith
    Favourite Allison Smith
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    Dec 5th 2014, 10:11 AM

    I feel your pain.
    My mum had a kitten last year and she was obsessed with the tree. She’d be up down it all the time, then trying to catch all the decorations. The tree fell over a few times.

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    Mute Chris Judge
    Favourite Chris Judge
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    Dec 5th 2014, 10:27 AM

    This is the first year in the last couple of years that I am not sharing an apartment with a cat. It’s weird how my tree still looks the same as when I put it up last week… But at least I’m not woken up every morning by the sound of the little pest batting all the baubles around the wooden floor!

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    Mute Laura Moran
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    Dec 5th 2014, 12:55 PM

    Our cat has been right up the top of the tree three times this week already! My masterpiece will be ruined!

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
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    Dec 5th 2014, 5:17 PM

    The kitten or your Mum, Allison?!

    19
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    Mute Declan Harman
    Favourite Declan Harman
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:09 AM

    Every body singing “I wish it could be Christmas everyday” and in the same breath “Jesus, they have their decorations up already”.

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
    Favourite Eugene Walsh
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:39 AM

    Living alone it’s kinda twaddle to put up a tree so I have a Xmas teddy I got for 5 bucks on Xmas eve bout 5 yrs ago, reduced from some rip off price.
    He’s perched on top of me bike! !

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    Mute Goggles McGlasses
    Favourite Goggles McGlasses
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:48 AM

    This made me really sad!

    78
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    Mute Allison Smith
    Favourite Allison Smith
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    Dec 5th 2014, 10:13 AM

    I live alone, I’ve no family over here and I’m working Christmas day. I don’t put a tree up either, although I do have a massive santa statue and fairy lights so they go up

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    Mute pongodhall
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    Dec 5th 2014, 2:05 PM

    It is sad.
    True though.
    Being alone just gets depressing sometimes despite best efforts.
    Have you a tv or radio or Computer (cheaper now) or something? It is real company. There are games, music, films and books. It changes things to hear a bit of life about the place, a voice. I hope you can manage something.
    The cold gets you down? I got an electric blanket in a sale and sitting with that is a real godsend.
    A bit of warmth and a money saver.
    Look after yourself.

    37
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    Mute Orela Krawczyk
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:12 AM

    I wait till the weekend of the 8th but only because my dads birthday is the 7th and we used to wait till after dads birthday when we were growing up

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    Mute Conor O'Neill
    Favourite Conor O'Neill
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    Dec 5th 2014, 8:57 AM

    Did last year. But not this year as I just converted to Islam !

    76
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    Mute Paddy Mac
    Favourite Paddy Mac
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:04 AM

    You might be batman this time next year…

    171
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    Mute Conor O'Neill
    Favourite Conor O'Neill
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:05 AM

    My wife didn’t take it too well

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    Mute Kian David Griffin
    Favourite Kian David Griffin
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:12 AM

    Which wife?

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    Mute Lynn Hayes
    Favourite Lynn Hayes
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:51 AM

    Touché

    51
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    Mute Donal O Neil
    Favourite Donal O Neil
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    Dec 5th 2014, 11:50 AM

    Connor if it’s true then it’s a one way street . Now if you want to come back to the faith you could be killed by your new brethren as its punishable by death , don’t steal anything cause you’ll lose your left hand . Tell your wife to cover up in a burka and stop swimming in public pools she must be covered up , a full diving suit would suffice . When the kids are 7 you’ll have full rights to them and your wife loses her rights. You can now marry 4 wife’s but you’ll suffer as you’ll inherit 4 mother in laws . Anyway have a happy Christmas , I hope your marriage lasts but usually they do not as Islam and Christianity are incomparable in many ways .

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
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    Dec 5th 2014, 5:27 PM

    Lol, Kian! Very quick there!

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    Mute Theresa Kavanagh Connell
    Favourite Theresa Kavanagh Connell
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:02 AM

    Never until after the 8th and then it’s whenever I get round to it. It’s Christmas everyday now.

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    Mute Jonathan Gildea
    Favourite Jonathan Gildea
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:35 AM

    up about two weeks at this stage, take it down in feb at some stage, great way to brighten up the place ha ha, que the red thumbs ha ha happy xmas people

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    Mute Jason
    Favourite Jason
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:13 AM

    Up on the 23rd… And had to be a real one, with the lovely fresh Smelling pines

    54
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    Mute Yes Lad
    Favourite Yes Lad
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:27 AM

    Sticking the toy show on rte player and putting it up tonight! Might even make some hot wine while I’m at it! Mad I know

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    Mute Honest Tom
    Favourite Honest Tom
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:17 AM

    Up December 20th, down January 2nd.

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Dec 5th 2014, 10:37 AM

    Will eventually. It’s just with all of the boozing at this time of year, it can take a while to get it up ……

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    Mute Joe Bloggs
    Favourite Joe Bloggs
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:35 AM

    Up on the 24th, down on the 26th

    32
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    Mute Chris
    Favourite Chris
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    Dec 5th 2014, 11:48 AM

    If you have the space and you have a fake tree, my friend wraps his tree in cling film with all the decorations and lights on so he doesn’t have to decorate it each year!

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    Mute pongodhall
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    Dec 5th 2014, 1:51 PM

    Just haven’t the heart any more nowadays.
    Maybe things will improve one day.

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
    Favourite Mary Kavanagh
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    Dec 5th 2014, 5:25 PM

    Sorry to hear that, pongodhall! All best wishes that things will improve for you.

    23
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    Mute pongodhall
    Favourite pongodhall
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    Dec 5th 2014, 8:55 PM

    Thank you Mary
    Still got a roof over head!

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:24 PM

    Glad to hear that. Christmas can be so stressful. There’s pressure from everywhere to be happy and joyful and if things are tough it’s just not that easy. Stay strong!

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    Mute Maria Conroy Byrne
    Favourite Maria Conroy Byrne
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    Dec 5th 2014, 12:33 PM

    Time enough! I’ll put it up about a week before Christmas, but I’ll be in no hurry to take it down. Judging by my road, I thought I was in the minority, but I’m glad to see that I’m in good company. I think if you put it up too early, it looks a bit bedraggled by Christmas Day, especially if you have small children.

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    Mute #Wynner
    Favourite #Wynner
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:19 AM

    Pop up tree from Argos :)

    23
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    Mute John B. Reid
    Favourite John B. Reid
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    Dec 5th 2014, 11:28 AM

    It’s way too early yet. The twelve days of Christmas do not begin until the 24th of December (Christmas Eve). Christmas then runs until the 6th of January.

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    Mute Lasair Aireáinnach
    Favourite Lasair Aireáinnach
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    Dec 5th 2014, 12:43 PM

    If you are a practising Christian then your holy time of Christmas begins on the 8th. If you are a greed-fest fake Christian, then it begins just before Halloween night, or any other time before the 8th. Pagan Northern Europeans observe more sanctity with the non-hyped Winter Solstice and Yuletide lasting a small period in December then for nearly 2 months of greed and gluttony.

    17
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    Mute Heather Pender
    Favourite Heather Pender
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    Dec 5th 2014, 11:03 AM

    Been asking the husband to go and get one with me for the past three days, so hoping to get one and begin decorating this evening

    14
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    Mute Regina Costello
    Favourite Regina Costello
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    Dec 5th 2014, 11:19 AM

    Earlier mine goes up, the later I have to take it down. Had to have fan on thou , hot work here in stormy Sydney.

    12
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    Mute Drew
    Favourite Drew
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    Dec 5th 2014, 10:16 AM

    I’ve ordered it… Couldn’t get a delivery date before the 9th. Pain in arse since I have business travel the 10th-12th and throwing an Xmas party the 13th. If I had my way it would be going up this weekend

    10
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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
    Favourite Krystian Brzezowski
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:56 PM

    Don’t have the money to do so yet…

    4
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    Mute Gavin Murphy
    Favourite Gavin Murphy
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:32 PM

    Christmas starts earlier every year, only a matter of time before it really is feckin Christmas every day!

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    Mute Anita OGalligan
    Favourite Anita OGalligan
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    Dec 6th 2014, 3:38 AM

    I agree Gavin. This Christmas thing is crazy. No, I’m away so no tinsel or trees. I prefer Chinese New Year.
    I find Christmas and it’s hassle depressing with all the pressure and crowds. I like Christmas Day once the shops
    Are closed.

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    Mute Yvonne Ussher
    Favourite Yvonne Ussher
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    Dec 6th 2014, 8:53 AM

    My puppy has a lot to say about anything nice in my house. If I want the tree or decorations to last until next year, I have to skip putting them up this year.

    1
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    Mute pongodhall
    Favourite pongodhall
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    Dec 9th 2014, 4:49 PM

    Enjoy your puppy. Dogs are wonderful company.

    1
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    Mute Juan Venegas
    Favourite Juan Venegas
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    Dec 5th 2014, 9:58 PM

    There was no “The missus made me” option. Kill me…

    1
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