Is anyone else really looking forward to or focusing on Christmas?

[Pearsapiece]

It feels like the only constant at the moment and it's helping me through to think of all the things we will definitely be able to do, no matter what state of lockdown we are in.
We will still be able to snuggle down with Xmas films and eat twigletts. The kids will still have stockings, all be it they may contain a roll of loo roll and some pasta each! We may not be able to see extended family but will have our immediate families and the good old Xmas re runs of the two Ronnies. The Xmas markets are probably a no go but that will save me loads of money in things I don't need and instead can order online for the kids.
I don't know why, but everything between now and then seems like a maybe but Christmas seems like the only thing we will definitely have as something we recognise.
Is anyone else focusing on Xmas? What are you most looking forward to that you know you will be able to do?

Good god no 🙄

No I hate it. The nights are already starting to pull in and it's depressing.

No.
I'm a lp with 1 child. The thought of spending christmas alone is too depressing to contemplate.
It would honestly just feel like every other dull day, albeit with slightly better food and ds would have gifts.
Christmas alone would be a very sad affair.

If I had a husband/partner i would probably feel differently. I already feel as though we're not a 'proper' family because it's just the two of us.

I’m dreading it and wishing I could escape to somewhere far away, but I’m feeling that that won’t be possible.

@RoryGilmoresEvilTwin- you are a proper family- you’re your DS’s mum- that’s a huge thing!

I was a single mum for years- I’m not just trying to be nice .

I feel like Christmas wasn’t that long ago 🤷‍♀️This year has just disappeared..I just want things to get back to ‘Normal’

No. The best bit about Xmas is the socialising for me. A good catch up with family and friends.
I can't bring myself to seriously think about a socialky distanced Covid Christmas.

My kids have been home from uni almost 5 months. As much as it will be nice to see them all we do is sit and watch films together now on an evening as none of us are going out much. It will be the same but with a tree in the corner and extra junk food.

I'm already planning to ditch the junk food.. It makes everything worse for me in the long run.
This will however be a year for buying fairy lights. And some new plates.

I'm focussing on spring in my "happy" thinking : I am planning on planting up some pots with bulbs which I haven't done for about 20 years, since I started having kids in fact!

I'm not, just had one conversation to agree arrangements. Some family won't be here given travel may be difficult and involve quarantine.

I love it normally but I can't imagine anything more fucking dreary than Socially Distant Christmas. The 'cosy indoors' thing has no appeal after too much enforced indoorsy-ness earlier this year. I'm looking forward to next spring & summer.

I’ve been knitting Christmassy things since the beginning of lockdown. It did feel strange at that time of year at first, but it was something cheerful to do. Much of it was supposed to be donations for Gdcs’ school Christmas fairs, which probably won’t happen now, but heigh ho, they will keep, or I’ll give them away.
Here’s one of my Jolly Snowmen wreaths.

Nope - quite happy for them to cancel Christmas...that I can celebrate!

Very cute!

The snowmen that is!

If there are still restrictions at Christmas, I think/hope it will be a bit like VE Day, with neighbours celebrating from their doorsteps. Houses all lit up, maybe some singing and dancing, a communal Christmas tree, sharing of food (if that's allowed). If families aren't able to get together, at least people wouldn't feel so lonely!

Oh, absolutely.

We have no family, and no friends apart from one or two who live hundreds of miles away who we rarely see anyway. Usually this is a source of sadness at Christmas but this year we feel relieved that we won't have the heartache of possibly not seeing loved ones. My heart goes out to those who do. It must be awful.

Christmas will be very different this year - no carol services, theatre trips, weekends away, possibly not even pub visits or meals out if there's another lockdown or if pubs etc close so schools can reopen. So it's all going to feel very different. It'll also be cheaper which is just as well as our income has gone through the floor.

I love Christmas so much - I just worry that the novelty of time away from work and eating/drinking too much may not have the same appeal this year, given lots of us have been doing just that since March!

Yes! I love Christmas! Although I’m slightly worried with the way things are going at the minute that we will be in lockdown during Christmas and won’t be able to celebrate it properly I hate thinking like that because I don’t want that to happen but it does worry me

I love Christmas but when the sun is shining & the beach beckons, I can’t think about it.

Not at all, other than to avoid questions from family about whether I am coming to the UK for Christmas (not in a million years unless something changes dramatically).

@HoneyWheeler I've just ordered 'Merry Midwinter' thanks for the tip!

@RoryGilmoresEvilTwin oh I remember feeling like that in the early years of single parenthood. How old is DC? I got through it by making loads of traditions that we still do now, even though he's older and I'm married now.

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER that's terribly cute!

Sorry for the multiple replies, I'm on my phone and when you press enter it posts instead of making a new paragraph!! Thanks for this thread. I am really looking forward to Christmas and embracing it fully, despite the restrictions. I'll really miss the markets, and the Panto, but I plan to go all out with the decorations and baking and movies etc. We need it after the crummiest year. Covid can't steal the festivities from us!

Will you be selling any wreaths? @GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER

Afraid not, @Rosehassemetoes.

If anyone would like the patterns, though, pls feel free to pm me. I took the wreath pattern (quick and easy) from one, snowman pattern from another. All just basic knitting, although it might not look like that!