I hate Christmas. Who's with me?

aggypanthus wrote: »

Thanks Lily rose.

I do stay close with my sisters, snd sometimes babysit one of the babies, but I have 4 ofmy late brothers grandchildren I hardly ever see.
we are largely happy being ourselves really.

That's OK.. Glad you're both OK with your own company, and I guess it is only big family times that you feel it.

I have my hubby and daughter, and we have a few aunts and cousins that live 20-40 miles away, who we see about 4-6 times a year, and have occasional contact with on the internet. And we are close to our daughter's B/F and his family. But tbh, we don't have much extended family either, Not closeby anyway.

We have a brother each, (and two SIL's and 1 niece and 2 nephews,) but they live overseas and we rarely see them. Both sets of parents dead, and most older rellies passed on too. So our big family circle has diminished too. But we are used it now, and OK with it, and it suits us.

But as your circle of siblings have expanded into further extended family and grandchildren, I guess they have moved on to new chapters in their life, and are unintentionally leaving you behind a bit. I doubt they're doing it on purpose though. I have a friend with no kids and 5 siblings, where the same thing has happened to her. And like the post above, she and her hubby go away for Christmas too, with other child-free couples.

I guarantee that people with few close family members in their lives (at Christmas - and in life in general - ) is far more common than people think. This big happy family Christmas that is promoted so much, is the exception, rather than the rule.

raven83 wrote: »

Also, hate the post Christmas anti climax, all that stress over one day. .

Try spreading the stress over all twelve days and it might not seem so bad.

We never used to have a tree until Christmas Eve-and the first time we kids would see it was Christmas morning.
Coming down stairs to see it for the first time was really special-the lights and the smell of it. It really annoys me I can't keep this tradition going . \it's all part of the Christmas in full swing by October culture

pleasedelete wrote: »

we used to get our tree on Christmas eve. Decorate it with family. Then crib service at church.

But now you cant get a tree on christmas eve (changed about 10 years ago) Got it free twice when going on 22nd to get one (both nice trees). Then panic year as couldn't get one at all. Now we buy it and put it in the garage and decorate it on the 23rd or 24th unless we have family over before then.

I miss going out as a family to get a tree on the 24th.

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

Maybe you suffer with a bit of that S.A.D - seasonal affective disorder. One of my relatives gets that - I think its lack of sunlight

I think SAD adds into my 'baseline' depression. I have one of the 'special lights' and am sat beside it as I type It doesn't perform miracles but I think it helps a bit. It's also a really good reading lamp

CH27 wrote: »

I love Christmas from the weekend before through to boxing day.

I hate it being forced down my throat from september, I hate the stupid xmas music in all the shops from September.
I hate the pressure to spend stupid amounts of money on tat & overbuy on food that nobody really likes.

For the last two years we cut down severely on our Christmas feast. I was cooking ALL the family must haves, things it wants to have and things DH thought were necessary. It was ridiculous and the fridge groaned and I didn't need to cook till the new year really on the left overs.

Then I spoke to DH and said lets have my family's must have stuffed veg for supper the day after Boxing Day, not for Christmas, and pigs in blankets for supper on Christmas Eve, delicious and hot, and so on and so on, so our Christmas meal, though still excessive is much simpler, more elegant and IMO much nicer. The favourite things take their star roles as meals in their own right in run up to season or NYE. They are fresher than as leftovers and its nicer.

Its one of the only times of year we are usually very very likely , almost guaranteed to get a long run of time together, over a week, so its fun to spend the time thinking of other family through old favourite recipes too.