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Original poster

Is anyone else just not losing their shit over Christmas?

142 replies

Undercoverbanana · 13/12/2018 12:38

Just that really.

No decs - can’t be bothered. Gave up doing cards years ago. Don’t buy crap and plastic tat for people. Refuse to be manipulated by things I don’t want just because they’ve got holly on them.

I’m quite content with life. I’m just jogging along. Everyone else seems to be losing their shit over stuff.

One friend panicking over money. Another friend having family rows about who is visiting who and when. Another couple “have no time at this time of year - so many commitments that we don’t really enjoy”. Christmas work parties - why????? Just don’t go if you don’t want to.

Anyone else opting out?

OP posts:
CmdrIvanova · 13/12/2018 14:02

Tree up. Gifts bought (mainly for the DC, and a few for v close family). Chuck-in-the-oven Christmas dinner from Cook ordered. Ocado shop with wine and some treats booked. One card, to my granny. DD claims she is Mary in the preschool nativity tomorrow (who knows? We'll find out tomorrow), and the radio is tuned to Heart extra Christmas. No hassle, no crazy spending, no real tat, a fair bit of pleasure.

HippoLatte · 13/12/2018 14:06

I get why people get so stressed, usually money issues and feeling the need to 'keep up with Joneses' especially where kids are concerned and just running themselves into the ground and into debt to make sure the kids are happy. I've been there. Plenty of years I've got into serious debt to make sure the kids have an amazing day. And they do. But although we are a better prepared financially this year (we save all year for summer holiday and xmas expenses this past few years and it's made a massive difference) I am refusing to go overboard and 'match' what other kids are getting. My kids have a budget of £300 which I have stuck to and they are more than happy with (its been less most years and more other years but I think 300 is more than enough) and I am not stressed about finding outfits for everyone as it's one bloody day and they aren't going anywhere special. They have been bought new clothes but I didn't agonise over it.

I usually stress over whether we should invite DPs side of the family for dinner or go do dinner at my parents house as my Mother is severely disabled but I've decided to do neither and am not accepting any guilt over it as I have siblings who never pull their weight. So I am having dinner at home with just us and will visit both sets of parents that evening for a quick hello.

The tree is up, I've done minimal buying for other people and I will sit shortly and complete my grocery order.

JustanotherCHRISTMASuser01 · 13/12/2018 14:07

I have put Christmas decs up - but didn't stress about them. A lot of my Christmas shopping was done in one shop online at boux avenue and I'm not messing round with bits and bobs of extras. Christmas dinner is whatever we like which is a beef roast just me and dh and we've not gone on our xmas parties this year the dates just didn't work.

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Events & celebrations
IfNotNowBernard · 13/12/2018 14:12

Nah I'm not stressed, and have bought nothing but ds big present. And I'm doing absolutely no shopping online. (I hate online shopping).
I'm going into town early next week to get presents (just small ones for all the kids and chocolates and whatnot for the adults).
Probably going to get a tree this weekend from a nearby farm. My house is tiny with hardly any storage so I'll food shop on the 23rd and get whatever looks good . We have a load of people over on boxing day so I'll do a clean at some point next week.
Wrapping happens on Xmas eve!
No xmas parties, no travelling, no bother really. I'm most looking forward to the carol service at church. And stuffing my face with cheese!

TinyMarie · 13/12/2018 14:13

I'll be 35 weeks pregnant and live 2-3 hours away from family. I am well and truly opting out this year and feel great for it!

Unescorted · 13/12/2018 14:14

We fly out on the 24th and will be back for NYE.... It is my Christmas present from my mum.

Camomila · 13/12/2018 14:19

I'm not stressed

The tree is up (plastic, with the same decorations we use every year)
Most presents are bought
Will go into town one day next week when DS is at nursery and get the rest
DM signs our names on to the cards for our rellies
Lunch will be at DMs - will bring a few bits

All I really need to do is a few more presents and write cards to some old uni friends.

Might attempt to take DS to midnight mass - he's 2 so he'll probably sleep through it.

EyeRolls · 13/12/2018 14:23

Minimal stress this year- I'm hosting only once, for an afternoon, light buffet and that's it. We do have a tree up.

Streamlined the gift giving to immediate family only which has saved money, time, effort, worry (did I get them something they like?!) and guilt (did I spend enough, will it be useful etc).

Doing a Christmas Day menu as a family, DH is cooking. No travelling anywhere. Have exchanged a few cards with family I've not bought for and had a good few nights out with good mates to celebrate.

Hoping it's the best one yet.

Hushnownobodycares · 13/12/2018 14:37

No stress here. Decs are up because dh has done them and he only does them because he wants them and I CBA. Got the cards down to 12 this year so no stress there and kids are all adults who buy what they want through the year for themselves so will have cheques with just a few small things wrapped. I will get round to the wrapping in due course but not anticipating a panic.

amusedbush · 13/12/2018 14:38

The tree is going up this weekend, after a deep clean of the house which is long overdue and needs done regardless of the festivities!

I've finished my shopping but haven't wrapped it yet. I'll probably do it tomorrow night and I'll write my cards at the same time.

We still don't even know what we're going to have for Christmas dinner (it's just DH and I, we don't like turkey and tend to have something different each year). I'm not freaking out at all. I'm just really looking forward to a break over Christmas!

Bunnymumma · 13/12/2018 15:02

Keeping it lowkey here too. Onesies, fish finger sandwiches and Star Wars films is what we have planned for Christmas Day.

rosie39forever · 13/12/2018 16:08

We keep it low key! Tree but no other tat, children get gifts but all adults agreed years ago not to do gifts for each other, dh and I buy something between us for the house, this year we bought lovely cosy curtains for the lounge. I refuse to drive all over the place for Christmas so everyone is welcome at our house for lunch which is a glorified roast, then they all sod off after tea and we shut the door for the rest of the holidays.

icannotremember · 13/12/2018 16:12

I'm doing Xmas because I enjoy it and the dc love it, but I'm not losing my shit over it. We've put some decs up, they won't win any prizes but we like them. We saved and budgeted and planned for the presents. We've saved up so we have a nice food and drink budget. Ds2 has just asked me to buy some cards for him to give out at school so I will. We want to do the things we're doing, we don't feel any pressure to have some sort of glossy magazine uber Christmas. As long as you're happy with what you've got going on isn't that fine?

DukeOfEarlGrey · 13/12/2018 22:03

Totally with you. I will do decorations because they’re pretty and I enjoy them. At family for Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so will take some Christmas food with me (we all contribute) but otherwise normal groceries at home. Only buy presents for close family (all done online), very few cards.

I am single so it’s quite easy as I only have myself to please, but still have to actively abstain from the merry-go-round of shopping, drinking, parties. Skipped the work party tonight as I just didn’t fancy it this year. Happily watching Friends on Netflix under a cosy blanket, very happy with my decision.

GlassHeart1 · 13/12/2018 22:14

Minimal presents/faff/decs here too and only doing it for my disabled dc. No close family to invite, the only thing I like at this time of the year is nice foods and the feeling of not having to drive/travel when days are short and weather less than great.

I do give gifts to various volunteers who work for groups where my DC attends but they are all along the lines of "thanksgiving".

Dothehappydance · 13/12/2018 23:05

Not opting out, but no real stress here. DS has autism so we have to keep it relatively low key.

No arguments about who goes where, MIL comes here for Christmas Day, and I basically do a 'Sunday lunch' with pigs in blankets.

I have a Christmas meal at work, but not doing the party.

Biggest stress will be making sure everything at work is up straight before I go off for the period.

Going Christmas shopping tomorrow to get the last few things, but the children I have picked up as I have gone along so no need for a last minute mad-dash.

Not such a big stress, but I still haven't worked out where to hang the cards in our new house.

Dothehappydance · 13/12/2018 23:10

I should add that this time of year is very stressful with DS, but that is our life so we just deal with it. I don't want to add to that in any shape or form if possible.

safariboot · 13/12/2018 23:12

DM's in hospital after ten years of good health. She'll recover, but right now I don't feel much like celebrating.

KeysHairbandNotepad · 13/12/2018 23:18

We're very calm here. Felt tree is on the wall (baby on the loose) , pressies bought and gift bagged by late November and we're booked for Xmas day lunch at a local restaurant.

notpushyinterested · 13/12/2018 23:19

well aren't you all just wonderful?
well done all of you!

divafever99 · 13/12/2018 23:21

Absolute minimum here too op! Cut down loads this year on pointless present buying and no cards sent. We will be out Xmas day so no need for any extra food. Nipped to the shops earlier today and I was shocked as to the amount of tat in the shops and how much people were buying. It really worries me about the effect all this madness has on the environment too.

thighofrelief · 13/12/2018 23:26

Very chilled here. No decorations or tree, i write 1 card to a neighbour each year. Just me and 2 adult sons, one of whom loves cooking. Have ordered Christmas food to be delivered on 23rd. Son cooking a roast chicken then we have fancy picky things for the rest of the day. Bank transfers as the kids want money. I'm going to eat what's being cooked for me, walk the dogs and then watch TV in pyjamas.

thighofrelief · 13/12/2018 23:33

I put the radio on today and one station is on total Christmas. I thought, oh that's nice....for three songs.

Hidingtonothing · 13/12/2018 23:34

It's always low key here and I never do anything towards it til a couple of weeks before. No decs up yet, will probably put the tree up sometime next week and hadn't done any shopping til tonight, have just ordered a few bits online and will do the rest in fits and starts over the next few days.

DH ordered the turkey weeks ago but won't do any more Christmas food shopping til the weekend before and never get masses anyway, can't see the point when Tesco is open again on Boxing Day!

Despite this we always have lovely Christmas's, cosy and warm and all together, that's all that matters imo Smile

thighofrelief · 13/12/2018 23:43

The very, very best thing about getting divorced was losing XH's 14 nieces and nephews and the rest of his enormous family to buy for Grin.

Not saying it's why I got divorced, not publicly anyway.....