I think Christmas makes me a bit depressed

[Hellvelyn]

I am increasingly coming to the conclusion that the whole festive period makes me feel quite depressed. I feel bad because in reality I have absolutely nothing to be depressed about.
For context - I do have a tendency to depression and anxiety after a really unpleasant event many years ago. I have been on anti-depressants ever since but all is well controlled and I have a busy family life and a responsible job.
I just find myself wading through treacle from the beginning of November. I can't bear the excess, the waste, the pressure to give presents and hassle about what you want to receive. The enforced time with extended family for days on end, excessive food,the lack of routine. If I'm honest I think I just feel a bit overwhelmed and out of sorts. Years ago when I was in my teens I worked for a big high street store all over Christmas. I really liked it because I had an "excuse" to limit Xmas activities as I was working a lot. I may be one of the only people who looks forward to the beginning of January so everything can get back to normal. I work in a school and have just finished for two weeks and it is stretching out ominously in front of me. Anyone else out there experience anything similar? Just for the record, I am not a misery over Xmas spoiling everyone's fun. I do my best to be cheery and get on with things. God I must sound like such a spoilt brat!

Op, give yourself full permission to side step the whole thing as soon as your youngest is old enough to go to their oldest sibling for Christmas.

Tell them in the summer that you are not doing Christmas this year so they can all get used to it then go on holiday, go on a Buddhist retreat, Sleep all week, whatever you need to do.
All the people who rely on you hosting will survive! You may think you are letting them down, but what if one or two family members dread it too, and you opting out gives them permission to meet their own needs? You could be spreading happiness while making yourself happy.

Seriously, convention is really overrated. Women generally need to practice saying n to things that don’t work for them, or only doing them in a way that suits.
Here’s to many future non Christmas

I'm the same OP

Yanbu op I really don't like Christmas. The expectations, the forced happiness,the pointless presents, I haven't even put a tree up this year. Can't wait until it's all over.

I quite like seeing family and the time off but find present giving and receiving stressful as surely so much wasted on things people really don’t want or need. January is refreshing in contrast and February is when I start buying daffodils, nice to find other people who get excited about them!

You are not alone OP, I feel exactly the same!

I'm soo glad its over.....this is the bit that i enjoy and i feel like i can relax now.

DH, DC and I had a nice enough day yesterday, but Xmas really brings into focus the dysfunction on either side of our extended family.

We removed ourselves from it last year ie spent Xmas at home and again this year, which was the right decision, but sad that children don't have one functional grandparent/aunt/uncle who could focus on them.

My sister, her partner and their toddler live the other side of the world, where they have a huge extended family, so too busy to Skype etc.

Onwards and upwards.

Aaagh! Feeding and accommodating 10 today and they didn't leave until after 11. More of the same tomorrow but at someone else's house. And my parents and very difficult dsis haven't even arrived yet. I feel sort of overstimulated if that makes sense. Weeks of build up and now enforced constant food, company and jollity. DCs have had a lovely day and enjoy it all, and dh just goes with the flow. I just want daffodils and January! Don't get me wrong, I love my family and am genuinely grateful for all that I have. I just find it all too much at this time of the year.

This is the most reassuring thread I have read for a long time. So much so, I've logged back into Mumsnet after years of lurking!

I’ve had enough of it this year. My mum died last year and so we went to her family for Christmas; this year we’re staying in a friend’s house while they’re away and my dad and sibling have pretty much left me to organise everything, even with regular prompts for their input.

I’m really busy at work and was really hoping for a break this week but instead I’ve been doing all the driving and most of the cooking. Constant questions about “where’s X” and “how do I do Y” - I don’t know either, this isn’t my house! My dad can’t cook and my brother made a fuss yesterday about how he’d cooked lunch when all he’d done was fry something and open a few jars. I’m done with it. Need a holiday.

I used to love Christmas and would be around family and friends the whole time. The last 3 years have been hard and Christmas throws you into having to be at home. I was lonely and feel tearful about the whole thing