What do you find "stressful" about Christmas?

[museumum]

I keep hearing about how stressful Christmas is. Particularly for women. I feel very fortunate to be looking forward to Christmas and understand many are not (bereavement, relationship breakdown and financial hardship) but aside from those things, what do you find most stressful and how could we all make it less stressful for ourselves and each other?

[2014newme]

Catering for large numbers for several days
Sorting all the bedding

[museumum]

Ah yes, having a lot of overnight guests would be tiring.

[2014newme]

Yes it's counting sheets and duvets etc
And meal planning and shopping order for large number.
Not stressful but takes up time and isn't an enjoyable Xmas task
Also getting everything at work to a position where you can go on holiday

[BrieAndChilli]

Or having a big enough house for guests and running out of money before everything has been bought (thanks the car who's had more spent on it than anyone else this month!! £450!!)

[Dozer]

Admin, money, gift planning, buying, wrapping, additional domestic work, including the christmas meal.

Depends what else is going on, I find WoH FT and commuting and running house and caring for Dc a lot and find it hard to do anything extra.

[Dozer]

Oh, the school bloody fair! Classic example of wifework.

[2014newme]

Dozer yes, life is already full on a normal basis. Xmas is lovely but trying to find the hours to do the Xmas related tasks is what is stressful. If I didn't work it would be a doddle

[scurryfunge]

This year I'm not working in the run up or on Christmas Day for a change, so it's all pretty straightforward and relaxed. In previous years, it has been stressful trying to get everything done in about two days.

[GoofyTheHero]

Juggling family. Parents divorced and dislike each other intensely. My brother died at 27 so I'm an only child. Neither have anyone else to spend Christmas with. Fun times in our house

[JenLindleyShitMom]

The only thing find stressful about Xmas is the risk of burglary. xmas eve is probably the most stressful night of my year. I rarely sleep. This year might be different as I am in a new house that is all double glazing, upvc and proper locks.

[GoofyTheHero]

BrieAndChilli our car completely died last week, would cost more to repair than it's worth so had to buy a new car today

[BasinHaircut]

I find hosting stressful but this year I'm not doing any!! Had various people over 4 days in a row last year so hopefully I get a couple of years off now

I'm doing xmas dinner completely using frozen food this year too. Obviously I'll defrost the turkey first but everything else bar the gravy (which is instant) is going straight from the freezer to the oven. Fuck it!

[atticusclaw2]

Goodness Jen is that really something you worry about? It had never even crossed my mind!

[Kirriemuir]

I don't get stressed but my usual empty wall planner for some reason in December is just full.

Such a lot of with school plus work things.

I wish school would do everything on one day. Dress down, dress for nativity, Christmas jumper day, violin concert, carol concert blah, blah blah.

[JenLindleyShitMom]

Goodness Jen is that really something you worry about? It had never even crossed my mind!

Yes, I don't even know how it started. It wasn't something that was ever a concern when I was growing up but I've gotten myself into a right state over the last few years. I vaguely recall something about a news story where a house was burgled on Xmas eve so possibly that's where it started. I know is really unlikely but I still panic about it.

[missyB1]

Organising the food shopping, wrapping all the presents, making sure the housework is all done. My husband doesn't do any of that. I wouldn't say it's "stressful" as such but it is hard work.

[museumum]

Dh and I both take a week or so off work at xmas so I find it less stressful than usual life - sometimes we even have a day off with ds still in nursery which is amazing!!!

[NiceCupOfTeaAndASitDown]

I don't think I found Christmas stressful before having DC. Depressing yes but not stressful. I enjoy it much more now but having 2 DC on the autistic spectrum makes it hard work. They are both so anxious in the run up to it which makes them permanently hyper/panicky or angry. Currently one of them is humming a manic version of jingle bells almost constantly, the other keeps throwing herself on the floor in a fit of screaming for no identifiable reason.

I know things will only get worse as the schedule gets more disrupted and visitors multiply. In the days after busy days they'll become more crazy. But Christmas is still a happy event for us thankfully. Maybe I just need to start meditating again to get through it

[AChickenCalledKorma]

Just lots of abnormal stuff that needs remembering. And a vague underlying sense that I need to get it all "right" even though rationally I know that my family will been happy with a few days off work and lots of nice food. I really don't go mad over it all, but I do find it stressful.

[BikeRunSki]

Taking DC to Nativity, Carol concert, sport awards, Cub party, swimming club party, fancy dress sport thing etc all crammed into an already full life. Plus all the catering, outfits etc needed for them. Plus DH our most nights this week on clients' Christmas dos, his own office's and the company's other office's 100 miles away. I usually have to miss mine. Plus shopping for food and presents. Then at some point we'll probably drive around 1000 miles in a week to visit family and friends down south.

Plus work usually gets really busy around now (weather dependent). Last year I got called into work at 6.10 am on Boxing Day and did 12 days straight. Far easier than feeding and entertaining the DC for 2 weeks. Plus

[SleepingBooty]

Wrapping and find hiding places for presents. My parents are newly divorced so trying to spend time with them but making sure they don't meet. Having too small a house for the umpteen people who want to descend upon us as we're the only ones with kids so trying to balance a timetable so there's not too many adults in our tiny home.

[MrsMattBomer]

It's not the presents or the shopping or the prep that does me, it's that I'm basically 'on' for 24 hours a day from Christmas Eve until after the New Year when our guests leave. You can't really laze around in your pyjamas when you have house guests.

Although Christmas does mean you can drink alcohol during the daytime, which is a bonus.

[Dozer]

My very least favourite is packing and driving for long car trips to visit family, when we're exhausted.

[delilahbucket]

Take DPs family out of the equation and work and I would be a much happier bunny! His family insist on seeing us before Christmas when we are both still working, and to add more stress to me, I am a self employed retailer and I don't get any time off until 22nd, which is when I actually get chance to look forward to it, wrap, bake, be merry etc.

[OhtoblazeswithElvira]

my very least favourite is packing and driving for long car trips to visit family, when we're exhausted

This. And having to deal with MIL