To feel sad about this?

i understand how you feel, I’d be really hurt too. Would you consider getting a hospitality job over the Christmas period? You could earn extra money and be in convivial surroundings with a team and less time to think about how your Christmas usually is.

That's a lot of money to charge their own daughter. Is their mortgage paid off? Does that include bills and food or do you have to pay them extra for those?

Finding out you aren’t the favourite hurts, but that’s life, mate. Start saving up now and have yourself a different holiday.

Might be time to get to know the up north aunts and uncles? If they’re in somewhere like York Christmas there could be fab! Are any of them single and/or childless? They might be especially glad to start building a connection with their niece.

Do they have a habit of lacking empathy when it comes to you? Is your brother their favourite? They sound extremely tactless to keep gloating about what a great time they will have with your brother when they know you will be completely on your own.

So your parents announced this yesterday, in June, and you've already checked that every single friend has family plans for Christmas 2026?

Have you mentioned it to them when they keep saying it will be a family Christmas that it won't? It also seems a weird phrase to say, are you sure your negativity isn't latching on to you hearing this.
Either way if your parents stayed here and didn't visit your brother and were still saying a family Christmas I doubt you would be upset.

You sound like you are prioritising a house which is fine, but you can't take this out on your brother or parents.

You can still have a Christmas tree and there is nothing to stop you hosting an early/late Christmas with your parents or even with your friends.

I mean yes buying a house is a very good idea but I dknt think it needs to be the bloody minded obsession many think it is today, at least not in your 20s. The owning a house goal shouldn't come at the expense of just living a normal life you know?

I think you’re getting a hard time OP.

i have two DC in their 20s and another two in their teens and I cannot imagine behaving like your parents.

Houseshares (as opposed to renting a flat) dont generally increase that dramatically (as landlords are already raking it in with hmos). I take your point re bills. Just spmething to think about anyway

If you're upset that they're being a tad tone deaf tell them. You have options, get another job, take unpaid leave, get a loan and go with them. Or stay here and make the most of it, Christmas is a family time but it's also just another day. You can find someone to spend the day with or do whatever you want. You seem rather resigned to feeling sorry for yourself. Are you looking for everyone to feel sorry for you! Yes it's a bit crap but it's not the end of the world, go on holiday with a friend instead, cheap holiday in Spain. Do what you want.

How do you know about your friends plans? My parents went away many Christmases and left me alone and I had tons of offers to go and spend Christmas with other families.
I always stayed at home though and enjoyed my peace and selection boxes and visited other people in the evenings.

I get it, OP (well, to a certain extent...), but flip it around.
You have a full 6 months to plan, so see this as an opportunity to plan something fun or interesting. Either a holiday on your own or with friends, or spending a few days at a friend's? You could volunteer, but don't make the mistake of thinking you can stroll into a voluntary role at the last minute..... research making it part of your life regularly
Christmas can be so much more than the usual, dreary "hanging out with the family".... your parents are a bit pixilated with the idea of exotic travel, it's not about you, and in years to come you might be off somewhere exotic while they've stuck at home!
Turn this into a positive opportunity but, also, don't forget that Christmas is just one day, and really doesn't have to be a big deal!

This is a v good idea. Do a midnight Christmas party and you can all have a boxing day fry up

Exactly! So many nasties on MN today. MNHQ should be managing this far better ime. Ignore all of them, OP. YA definitely NBU!!

Going against the grain here OP I think it’s pretty thoughtless of your parents to describe it as still having a family Christmas. In their shoes there’s no way I’d leave one child behind I’d either pay for them to go or I’d do the trip before or after Christmas. Do you generally have a good relationship with them?

I can absolutely see why you’re upset but I think you should regroup and focus on making it a different type of Christmas focus on spending time with friends in the days running up can you make nice plans for New Year’s Eve etc. I actually think you might benefit from having a house to yourself.

How so?

Hear hear.

Some posters, and the OP’s parents seem to lack emotional intelligence when it comes to expressing themselves.

@justalittlesad if you’re in your 20s and your friends are too, so probably no kids yet, how about a party / gathering at home Christmas night?

Most people in their 20s would love an excuse to go out Christmas night as they’ve usually had their fill of family by then and could do with a breather!

Why don’t you have any friends or family?

You need to get a network around you apart from your parents, otherwise you are going to buy a small house and end up in it alone paying the mortgage by yourself and no social life.
I very nearly went down that path myself years ago, and know the feeling of wanting to own a home but you can’t afford to have a social life/holidays then it’s too expensive for you. You can’t afford it.

It’s not worth sacrificing everything just to get on the property ladder. An older friend pulled me aside and said ‘what are you doing? You will end up alone in that house, rubbing a pet for the next few years, you are young, what are you doing??’

I think your parents are right to go away and enjoy themselves. You are an adult.
I had many Christmases alone and loved every minute. You should plan your own Christmas and don’t be relying on your parents anymore.

Btw for 600 quid a month you might as well move into a houseshare, it'd be more fun