I hate Christmas. Who's with me?

catkins

I actually love Christmas BUT I hate the lead up to it. Why does it have to start in August? Even now, half way through September, it's far too early and yet almost all shops now have Christmas stuff in. I went to a card shop on Saturday to buy a birthday card and about two thirds of the cards were Christmas ones! That's just ridiculous.

Lily-Rose_3

aileth wrote: »

I'm really on the fence about Christmas.
I love spending a whole day getting slowly sozzled and stuffing my face with my family.

I hate the inevitable family politics that come with it and the 'bargaining' over who is going where.

I love buying gifts for everyone, but hate how a few people in our extended family 'judge' you by what you buy them, so present-buying is a nail biting affair.

This (bolded.) Me and my hubby and our daughter always spend Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and boxing day on our own. Our brother and SIL's and their families live abroad, and we only see them every 2 to 2 and a half years, so we post their presents around early December, and have a skype chat with them some time over Christmas.

Then we go around the half a dozen or so extended family we have (who live 20-40 miles away,) around 20-23 December to drop off the prezzies, and spend an hour or so there, as we usually haven't seen them since October.

Me and my hubby and daughter LOVE being together for Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and Boxing day. We go for walks in the woodlands and around by the canal, and meet many people doing the same.

Even when we had our parents alive, we only popped there for an hour on Christmas Eve afternoon, (as we all prefer to stay home Christmas day.) Even then, we did the Christmas present run around other family a few days before Christmas.

I know/have known literally dozens of people who have massive fights weekly from mid October, about where they're going to spend Christmas. Why do so many people think they have to spend Christmas at somebody else's house? Often many miles away. Sometimes, they stay a week!

I have had several friends who dread having to stay at the parents-in-law for Christmas.

Why do it? There are so many more days/weeks during the year that you can visit people. Why put all this additional stress on yourselves?

lostinrates

Lily rose, what happens when your daughter has a partner, and a baby, and wants to see you, but the partner wants to see their family?

Its way to see how the politics start. Especially when a parent, then a parent on each side is left alone, unable to drive far, a bit dependant, saying ' I don't want to be a burden...' Then asking for things, 'if its easy for you....' Then getting a bit grump if it is in fact rather difficult for you.

raven83

aggypanthus wrote: »

I was in hospital overnight, one xmas, it was dec 23rd, another lady had a hysterectomy and due to be home for xmas.She was adamant that whilst she would be all alone, she would be fine. Very sad as you say.

That is sad, it's things like that that make me hate it, I know it is just another day, but when you are aware of everyone around you celebrating and being around family, it can't be nice:(

KxMx

Christmas is boring.

I'm 27 and for every year of my life have spent it at home with my family and have been single.

For the past 10 or so years it's just me and Mum.

No little kids in the family.

No car so cannot go out for a meal or visit other family. They all drive but decline to visit us. We are lucky to meet with them on Boxing Day we have been left alone on that day too in the past.

No buses from 6pm Xmas eve to 9am on the 27th. Taxis on time and a half. Christmas Day must ring at the time you need one, no advance booking of any kind.

For the past 8 years I have also been suffering increasing ill health.

Christmas is just like another day for me.

Lily-Rose_3

lostinrates wrote: »

Lily rose, what happens when your daughter has a partner, and a baby, and wants to see you, but the partner wants to see their family?

Its way to see how the politics start. Especially when a parent, then a parent on each side is left alone, unable to drive far, a bit dependant, saying ' I don't want to be a burden...' Then asking for things, 'if its easy for you....' Then getting a bit grump if it is in fact rather difficult for you.

I lterally can't answer that as it hasn't happened yet.

But I can tell you that when our parents were all still alive (mine and hubbys are all passed now,) we never went to stay anyone's home for Christmas. Never did. And both sets of parents were fine with it, as this is what we always did. In fact, us and our parents all struggled to understand why people we knew always battled about where they were going to stay. Why not just stay at home? :huh:

I don't see why my daughter and her (future) husband wouldn't do the same really. Just stay in their own home over Christmas and visit parents a day or two before. (Or we will visit them!) Her and her boyfriend all live within half hour's drive of one another, and I know his family, and like them very much.

So if she stays with him and marries him, I can't see there being any issues, as we are all closeby. We may even all get together as two families for a big party - who knows?! It's impossible to tell yet. All I can offer accurately is what has happened in the past, and what is happening in the here and now.

And as I said though, if they choose to stay home, or if the boyfriend was 100 miles away and they wanted to go there; it wouldn't bother me. Or my husband. We have all of the rest of the year to see them.. As I said earlier, I can't fathom why people place so much emphashis and importance on being at someone else's house over Christmas.

andrewf75

If you hate Christmas why start a thread about it?

In September!?

bargainbetty

The politics of where are secondary to the politics of what in my family. Last year, a matriarch had kittens at me because I dared suggest that I cook all the meat for the dinner, because the previous chef had arrived late with raw meat and dinner had been served some three hours after the expected time.

Various cries of me causing trouble etc were settled within minutes when the response of 'That'd be lovely' came back from the host (my brother). The family and friends all sat down, on time, with lovely dinners.

I'm doing it again this year. Not only do I get kudos, I can hide in the kitchen for the majority of it, and not be forced into unwarranted jollity.

I've also stopped buying presents for the kids. I now take them out for days/experiences, as unusual as possible, so they have a good memory and a new thing to process rather than something that will be stuck in the cupboard. It seems to be extremely popular with them, despite misgivings, again from some of the matriarchs.

I'm not religious, I can't be doing with politics and I'm ready to go home by 6.30 at latest. I love them all dearly, but seven hours of everyone is enough.

faerielight

Me! I hate it with a vengeance! I have no family and no partner so it sucks !

purpleshoes_2

KxMx wrote: »

Christmas is boring.

I'm 27 and for every year of my life have spent it at home with my family and have been single.

For the past 10 or so years it's just me and Mum.

No little kids in the family.

No car so cannot go out for a meal or visit other family. They all drive but decline to visit us. We are lucky to meet with them on Boxing Day we have been left alone on that day too in the past.

No buses from 6pm Xmas eve to 9am on the 27th. Taxis on time and a half. Christmas Day must ring at the time you need one, no advance booking of any kind.

For the past 8 years I have also been suffering increasing ill health.

Christmas is just like another day for me.

Its very much another day for me too. I dont drive either and sometimes rather than get a taxi from my mums to mine Ive walked it, around 2 miles. I only have my mum and brother. I wouldnt spend the fare and a half.

Ive also been single for almost 10 years. However, Im a big believer in it's what you make it.

Im quite happy spending time with my mum, I see her a lot anyway but we have a good time, just me and her, see my brother on Christmas Eve for a while.

I dont have a partner now but when I was in a long term relationship and miserable, my Christmases were the same, miserable.

Id much rather be single and happy than be with someone who wasn't right for me and unhappy.

I bet lots of families dont have a merry christmas, its easy to think everyone else is having one when they probably aren't.