Traditional Christmas arguments you are looking forward to- here and at home!

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

Ah, Christmas! Season of goodwill. And stress. And arguments.

Next weekend we will be having traditional Christmas argument no 1: the Tree Argument. DH will start grumbling about the idea of a real tree. I will point out that an artificial tree of the same size/ look will be v. v. expensive. DH finally concedes to real tree, but categorically states he will be buying a fake tree in the January sales and THAT will be that. Whatever dear. You have been saying that every year for the last 8 years.

So we will set off to buy real tree. I will immediately fixate on a tree that would not look out of place in Times Square. DH will be drawn to a 2ft one in a bucket. Then the haggling will begin, and will culminate in us leaving, not speaking, with a tree which HE thinks is "ridiculously big" and I think is too small. Then we need to try and get it in the car (right, kids, just angle your necks to the side) And THEN , when we finally get it home (after listening to DH grumbling about the pine needles all over the car, and cricking the dc's necks back into place) we always find it won't fit in the special stand, and DH has to take it back out and saw it. But it is always worth it in the end, and I really can't imagineChristmas without that particular rite of passage.

There are countless other seasonal arguments we will enjoy, as I'm sure will the rest of you, but somehow they are part of the whole Christmas tradition.

Even on here, there are traditional arguments- first there will be the "Why would you lie to your children and tell them there is a Santa Claus, causing them untold psychological damage?" Then there will be a good few debates about who you say the presents are from (all from Santa/ just one from santa/ stockings from Santa), then there will be the AIBUs about inlaws/ Christmas day/ presents, and no doubt a few religious tussles.

What are your favourite/ most dreaded christmas arguments?

[2kidsintow]

Ours is where to have Christmas day.
OH's family (his Mum and her sister) don't make any fuss of Christmas and since his Dad died, have gone away for Christmas and then new year. We meet and do gifts in between their trips.
My family do Lunch at my Mum and Dad's then one of us take it in turns to host a buffet.

Last year it was our turn to host the evening, so OH convinced me that it was easier to stay at home for lunch and have CHristmas dinner just the 4 of us. It was nice, but not quite the big family dinner I enjoy.

This year we are invited and are not doing any hosting, so there is no excuse to stay at home. He has already agreed to going to my parents. However, he is now starting to drop in sneaky questions along the lines of "So are we having a quiet family Christmas like last year?" or "Kids, do you want dinner at Nana's or stay here and be able to play with your toys?"

Ha! My kids remembered the huge gift fest that is after lunch at my Mums and have answered that they want to go there too, so there!

[PeanutsRoastingOnAnOpenFire]

My fave has to be the Christmas work rota carnage

[fluffytowels]

Jooly, I have just read out your post as our Christmas tree discussions follow exactly the same course.

[TapTapTapPenny]

passive aggressive presents - MILs will be heavily involved here

i'm thinking of spending christmas in a bunker tbh....

[iggi999]

Not an argument, just silent sulking from my dh when dm puts the Queen's speech on yet again..

[fluffytowels]

And there will always be a row that I have spent too much on DCs.

Then DH will sulk over his presents for some reason.

[IFuckingGiveUp]

PeanutsRoasting Do we work together?

This year, however, it seems I missed out on the usual rota row - it was all decided in October LAST YEAR! I changed teams this year and have not got a single day I requested, but can have a week off in the New Year apparently.

[PeanutsRoastingOnAnOpenFire]

Aaargh mumsnet ate my post!!
I don't think so ifucking >
Last year is well impressive

[jollyoldstnickschick]

The traditional argument is usually Christmas day when my Dfil will inevitably drop his cigar on himself and as usual there is only me that can cope with a smouldering flambe grandad,he will insist to H or the children 'get Dee she will sort it out' - i think its like self harm.

[Bearcrumble]

Pass him some petrol this year?

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

Ah yes- the work rota debate! that is one I will miss this year as I am now self-employed and have no choice!

But still have the "HOW much have you spent???" argument to look forward to, so that's some consolation.

Casually mentioned to dad and DH last night that I was wondering about doing something slightly different for Christmas dinner and was met with horrified looks, so I guess it will be the same menu as the last five years then...

fluffytowels- am glad I am not alone in my Christmas tree negotiations!

[jollyoldstnickschick]

bearcrumble hes v nice is my dfil but i am at your suggestion .....

[mumeeee]

We avoid the argument about where to spend Christmas Day. As we always have a big family Christmas party either at my Mums or Sisters. Although we tend to gave a bit of an argument on exactly what day this will be. Getting harder now as children getting older and some are married.

[ujjayi]

Jooly I could have written your post. Am intending to show DH when he gets in :o

The other discussion we have each year is entitled "Did you actually leave any groceries on the shelves of Waitrose or are they all, in fact, in our kitchen cupboards and fridge?

[MillieMummy]

Our classic annual argument is around wrapping presents.

My DP thinks it is a waste of time wrapping the kids presents because 'they will only rip all the paper off' - .

Isn't that the point ?

[ujjayi]

Those arguments are also followed by the "how many Cakes, pies, rocky road etc do you need to bake?". And the "I've gained 15lbs over Christmas and it's all your fault" argument which usually occurs on first day back at work after NYE when he can't fit in his work trousers :o. Funny that, as I never gain 15lbs!

[TheProvincialLady]

We will have an almighty quiet row on Christmas eve because DH will be nowhere near ready with his present buying/making/wrapping and I will be running round like a loon doing everything else that needs doing while he does what he should have done 3 weeks ago.

[HappyCamel]

DH is still trying and failing to buy his father's approval so our annual argument is about the fact that the time and money DH makes us both put in to his card and present is in direct proportion to how much of an arse he's been.

My parents are lovely so DH makes no effort at all for them because he knows they'll be nice him anyway and I'll sort them and myself out

[crypes]

We still havent bought the tree, we still havent found the decorations and 'yes' my DH has already not listened properly and bought the wrong presents.

[CMOTdibbler]

On Boxing day we go to PIL. Thus, annually, there will be arguements as FIL and BIL1 get drunk and xenophobic. The DNs (5 in total 19-15, plus maybe some girlfriends/boyfriends) will want to watch a DVD they have had for Christmas and sulk when DH points out that this isn't suitable for ds(5). DN (17, no SN) will eat 1cm of meat, the inside of 6 roasties and nothing else, while fussing about other people eating real food. DN (18) will get very drunk by sneaking drinks, but will still be trying to avoid his grandparents finding out he is gay. DS will be upset as none of the DNs will play with him.
Oh joy.

[frecklyspeckly]

Since childhood, both my parents have celebrated Christmas with the traditional 'whipped cream' argument about the trifle. (The cream usually gets whipped with a fork, by my furious dad, in a frenzy)
The argument varies though, in its content:
Who has whipped the cream, who hasn't whipped the cream, who has whipped the cream too much, or too little. It usually results in the bowl being slung up the kitchen.

As soon as i could afford it, I bought them an electric mixer. They have never used it. They like the traditional argument and they are coming to us this year and have offered to make a trifle. I don't think my dh looking forward to them coming, he has emptied the shed out and put a table and chair in it!

[JollyJinglyJoo]

freckly- I'm loving the whipped cream argument

And I suddenly realised the Christmas Cards Argument will be due any day!! Another one to look forward to. In this argument, I will dutifully send christmas cards to all DHs relatives. I will ask him if he wants me to send one to X, Y and Z. He will say "Nah- don't bother, they won't send us one" so I won't. And then they will. I will ask him if he wants some cards to write to his mates at work, and he will look at me as if I have sprouted antlers and reply in the negative. He will then arrive home from work on his last day laden down with cards to him and family, and I will feel like a total prat. He won't give a shiny shit.

He is also the hardest man on earth to buy a present for, as he has hobbies, but only wants the right thing. I hate that he just tells me make and model no and I buy it- I would love to surprise him with something he would love, but I never do . One year I thought I had cracked it- snooped on his ebay, saw he had bid on an item a few times and lost, so I went out and bought it, and even got it at a good price. I then warned him NOT to buy himself anything before Christmas. Christmas Eve he goes out to buy ME a present. And comes home having bought himself the very bloody thing I was so excited about giving him . When questioned about why he would do such a stupid, idiotic thing, he retorted that he knew I would never have thought to get it for him- which is exactly why it would have been such a good surprise, you halfwit!

[SHoHoHodan]

"We will have an almighty quiet row on Christmas eve because DH will be nowhere near ready with his present buying/making/wrapping and I will be running round like a loon doing everything else that needs doing while he does what he should have done 3 weeks ago."

this, exactly. With the addition of stomping (on my part).

We will also having The Hissing, on Christmas Day, which goes thus:

Me (hiss hiss): DH! Get in here! Tell your mother to stop coming in here asking if she can help. She can help by staying the hell out of my kitchen.

(10 mins later)

Me: DH! Get in here! Tell your sister to stop coming in here asking if she can help. She can help by staying the hell out of my kitchen.

(10 mins later)

Me (slightly louder and more strained hiss): DH! Get in here! Tell my mother to stop coming in here asking if she can help. She can help by staying the hell out of my kitchen.

I do Not Like Help in the kitchen. And I get unnecessarily irate about the five million offers to help.