I hate Christmas. Who's with me?

jaylee3

JP what a wonderful post. :T It's very sweet, and touching, and funny, with so many true things in there:- like people seemingly needing a new suite or a huge 50" telly before Christmas.

Your Christmases gone by, and your family - sound wonderful.. How lovely that you commemorate your dad's passing with an advent calendar. :j

Sounds like you and your family love Christmas for what it is - a time for family, and to have fun and a bit of a holiday, and a few pressies, and some nice food. And not the horrendous over-commercialised, OTT piece of rubbish some people have turned it into.

It definitely comes earlier every year. The lights in the big town not far from me are being switched on tomorrow. It's only 13th November!

Thanks for sharing your Christmas memories and thoughts with us.

ripplyuk

I absolutely love Christmas. I look forward to it for months. One thing does bug me though. The waste. I don't mean food scraps or shopping to excess. I think Christmas should have some indulgences. I mean having to buy gifts for people who neither need nor want anything.

When I ask my mum what she wants, she actually gets slightly irritated and keeps saying she can't think of anything she wants, she already has everything etc. But on Christmas morning, she fully expects an expensive gift. And it is the amount of money it cost which seems to matter to her most.

My partner is currently struggling to think of something he would like, and he's having a hard time at it. But he will come up with something eventually, even though I know he'll barely look at it, and it will be gathering dust shortly after.

I've told him that I think it's a waste to ask for something when it's not really wanted or likely to be used for long but he says it's not a waste to him and its his decision since he buys me gifts as well. I can't help thinking that the money could do so much good if I gave it to charity instead.

enthusiasticsaver

I don't hate Christmas, in fact I love it. I get to spend time with both my daughters and OH, one normally lives 200 odd miles away. There is no work, this year we have a new baby granddaughter to celebrate and we never go into debt for Christmas but spend according to our means. Lots of nice food, the only day of the year normally when I drink a glass of wine in the morning (normally I wait until midday!!) and parties with friends and lots of Christmas music. What is not to love.


Of course I appreciate that for some people who are alone or ill or homeless then this festive season must seem horrible and which is why a smile, a friendly chat or a Christmas card to a lonely neighbour should be on all of our things to do list and it should be a time for remembering those less fortunate than us, whether by charity donations or some other way of showing we appreciate our good fortune in having family, friends and the ability to celebrate the festive season.


I am not religious but do like the small traditions that come along with Christmas like carol singing in our local town, watching the Father Christmas grotto and all the kiddies so excited. It is not about large presents or showy decorations but showing people close to us how much we care about them.

pickledonionspaceraider

DomRavioli wrote: »

I love Christmas Day; hate the build up apart from a party we have gone to for the last 15 years where we get to see old friends.

I spent the last 14 years working shifts (including christmas eve night/christmas day morning, christmas day time, christmas day night, new years eve night and new years day morning), and both my parents and both siblings work shifts. This year, I have to work christmas day, my parents are off, my sister is on call (so could have to go at the drop of a hat), and my brother flies back at 10pm Christmas Eve (a quick 2 hour round trip to the airport!).

We as a family don't have the luxury of having time off when it is co-ordinated, this is the first christmas I will spend with all of them for 7 years, and I cannot wait to see my brother (who I haven't seen face to face for almost a year!).

So to all those who say you can have family days when you want - I work for the NHS (we don't close for holidays, and I'm permanently on call as a senior duty officer), my sister is a social worker for at risk children (again, permanently on call), my mum works in healthcare, my dad works in transport and spends most days on call, and my brother is a flight attendant - again always on call/standby.

We don't get the luxury of weekends, let alone "family days"; we look after the vulnerable and sick, usually without a thought from the public on days like christmas where we would rather be with our families, but instead we look after everyone else's families. The last time we were all together at any occasion was around 8 years ago; schedules are not flexible.

It just makes me so sad and a little angry that you all take this for granted. Every christmas day, there are doctors, nurses, paramedics, police, fire, even the AA, who aren't spending christmas with their loved ones, but looking after someone else's loved ones.

To the OP - perhaps it would be wise if you took that day and helped others - Take a box of chocs to your A&E department, volunteer with the elderly who don't have any family, just don't sit on your behind and do nothing.

How could you possibly know what I am doing on any given day?

I do not believe I have read anywhere that anyone is taking doctors and nurses for granted, I think that is the chip on your shoulder speaking.

Your comment ''without a thought from the public'' how do you know that, did you do a survey of every member of the public in the UK? I can only assume you must have, to make that sweeping statement

I feel that maybe you are rather harsh on your fellow humans and quick to judge strangers, considering you work in the care profession!! and then turn it round in to a bleating ''poor old me speech

We are all eternally grateful for doctors and nurses ALL YEAR not just one one day - however I remind you that you are actually getting compensated paid to be there, you aren't doing it for free and it is the job that you chose to do

jp1964

jaylee3 wrote: »

JP what a wonderful post. :T It's very sweet, and touching, and funny, with so many true things in there:- like people seemingly needing a new suite or a huge 50" telly before Christmas.

Your Christmases gone by, and your family - sound wonderful.. How lovely that you commemorate your dad's passing with an advent calendar. :j

Sounds like you and your family love Christmas for what it is - a time for family, and to have fun and a bit of a holiday, and a few pressies, and some nice food. And not the horrendous over-commercialised, OTT piece of rubbish some people have turned it into.

It definitely comes earlier every year. The lights in the big town not far from me are being switched on tomorrow. It's only 13th November!

Thanks for sharing your Christmas memories and thoughts with us.

Ah, thanks so much for your lovely comments, Jaylee! It's really kind of you

red_devil

the hype starts to early I think that's what I hate most.

its just one day yet it starts end of August. Gift expectations are so high now as well.

Tone it down abit like it used to be.:mad:

jaylee3

jp1964 wrote: »

Ah, thanks so much for your lovely comments, Jaylee! It's really kind of you

That's OK! :j

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

I don't hate Christmas, in fact I love it. I get to spend time with both my daughters and OH, one normally lives 200 odd miles away. There is no work, this year we have a new baby granddaughter to celebrate and we never go into debt for Christmas but spend according to our means. Lots of nice food, the only day of the year normally when I drink a glass of wine in the morning (normally I wait until midday!!) and parties with friends and lots of Christmas music. What is not to love.

Of course I appreciate that for some people who are alone or ill or homeless then this festive season must seem horrible and which is why a smile, a friendly chat or a Christmas card to a lonely neighbour should be on all of our things to do list and it should be a time for remembering those less fortunate than us, whether by charity donations or some other way of showing we appreciate our good fortune in having family, friends and the ability to celebrate the festive season.

I am not religious but do like the small traditions that come along with Christmas like carol singing in our local town, watching the Father Christmas grotto and all the kiddies so excited. It is not about large presents or showy decorations but showing people close to us how much we care about them.

A lovely post too. Sounds like you all have a good time.

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

How could you possibly know what I am doing on any given day?

I do not believe I have read anywhere that anyone is taking doctors and nurses for granted, I think that is the chip on your shoulder speaking.

Your comment ''without a thought from the public'' how do you know that, did you do a survey of every member of the public in the UK? I can only assume you must have, to make that sweeping statement

I feel that maybe you are rather harsh on your fellow humans and quick to judge strangers, considering you work in the care profession!! and then turn it round in to a bleating ''poor old me speech

We are all eternally grateful for doctors and nurses ALL YEAR not just one one day - however I remind you that you are actually getting compensated paid to be there, you aren't doing it for free and it is the job that you chose to do

Agree with this post 100%. I think the OP in question (Dom Ravioli,) is being very judgemental of people, and is being harsh. And it's a sweeping generalisation to assume that nobody gives a stuff about people who work in hospitals/A & E all over Christmas. And I do struggle to believe that nobody has said 'thank you' in 14 years.

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

DomRavioli

Yes, I'm sure this is correct. At the time (she is 63) she had retired from the NHS, and has recently gone back into health care as she missed working with people.

I am visually impaired - I still work, and when I lose enough of my sight to mean I cannot do my job, I will find alternative employment. Not sure if you're getting visually impaired mixed up with blind, there's literally a glaring difference.

pattycake

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Noooo..what area of Mancs..?

I was heading south out of Manchester towards Stoke so lots of classy postcodes travelling through. But the tree was much nearer to the city than Bramhall!

pol-zeath

I also work for the NHS yet don't know anyone who is "permently on call", or who has worked every Christmas for the last 14 years (unless voluntary) it is usually on a rostered basis.

Whilst we don't work in the nursing profession to receive thanks and gratitude, your comment that nobody has ever thanked you in all those years is indeed very sad as it certainly isn't my experience.