If you don’t ‘do’ Xmas, what do you do?

[Pogodog]

I’ve never been a very Christmassy person, I don’t really enjoy the festive stuff tbh (makes me sound miserable I know ), but I try to put on a good show for DS, 10.

This year though, I’m on my own for Xmas and I’m wondering what I’ll do. I’m torn between doing something different e.g go away (but where? Tightish budget and everything seems to be bloody Xmas focused) OR carve out my own type of Christmas, whatever that means.

Looking for ideas, so if there’s anyone who doesn’t ‘do’ the whole traditional Xmas thing, what do you do?

Thanks

Hanukkah!

Sorry - I know that's not what you're meaning.

I have friends who treat Christmas Day as a general chilling day - Pyjamas, films, nice food.

DP and I are not fans of Christmas. When it's been just us for Christmas (no kids), we've got lots of good food and drink in and watched lots of telly, none of it Christmas related! On Christmas Day itself, we go out for a big walk, then come home and make a roast chicken dinner, with any good pudding for after, some good wine to go with it all. Then feet up in front of the box for the rest of the day. We don't do gifts either

There are 3 adults here at Xmas....we go for a 6 mile walk in the morning, come back, shower, do gifts, go out for non Xmas food about 3....back for more drinking.
Boxing Day we go walking again. Then it's over 😀
We have a tree, but no Xmas cards or other decorations apart from some lights on the tree outside .
We have a great time..eat what we want, not a turkey or Xmas pudding in sight. And we don't spend it with folk we don't like.

We drink lots of champagne and watch movies. One year my daughter and I watched re-runs of Criminal Minds all day and ate chocolates and pizza. It’s just another day. I know someone who simply lines up her favourite DVDs, wears her PJs and sits on the sofa.

Well if you are on your own you can do what the hell you want. Stay in bed all day if that appeals. If you don't fancy the whole roast dinner saga - why not get in some lovely snacks?

I normally work the afternoon/evening shift and really cannot bother with a Christmas dinner, plus I don't eat meat anyway. I may get something fishy in - like a salmon wellington or whatever but I bet in the end I will just go for snacks! I will listen to loads of Christmas music (more pop than classic) when I am at home.

I also usually defrost the freezer but I guess that my not appeal to you. However, I share a kitchen and in the past the rest of them disappear around Christmas time and Easter which is an ideal time to do it. I have recently moved to another flat and don't know if I will be on my own for Christmas yet!

Plus there is bound to be some shite on tv to watch. I am hoping Home Alone is on yet again!!!

I generally find it a good day to do my tax return . No distractions and shit TV, so I have no excuse (plus the deadline is only a month away).

We love a European city break for 5 nights over Christmas.

I wish my dh didn’t like cooking an amazing Christmas dinner. Don’t get me wrong his cooking is amazing. And it never disappoints with a gorgeous pudding etc. But he spends all day in the kitchen and I don’t like that.

To be honest I would prefer to sit in bed, watch crap and eat pizza and Icecream.

We don’t celebrate christmas, I volunteer with Khalsa aid, we have provide a free christmas dinner, gifts and general activities/party for our local homeless community.

How does a European city break work over Christmas? Surely it’s all very Christmas focussed in Europe?

I love Xmas but we live abroad and it’s just us so we tend to go skiing

Walk the dog, take away, nice hot bath, dozing off on the sofa watching ’stuff’

My Christmas is on the 24th, open house, canapés, friends coming and going the whole day.
I love having the 25th to myself.
Boxing Day I usually see friends for a long walk and back to theirs for leftovers:)

I love the festive run up for Christmas but I don't celebrate Christmas and I'm usually by myself.

Each Christmas day I do something different to try and keep me busy. In the past I've volunteered, I've had a duvet and snacks day in front of the TV, I've picked up some work, I've stayed in an air b&b for a coupe of nights in the middle of nowhere and last year a friend and I spent three days over Christmas just drinking, eating and relaxing at their place.

'We love a European city break for 5 nights over Christmas.'

Please tell me more! Any issues with stuff being shut?

It is. But it's totally different to where we live. No food shopping, cooking, lots of activities both paid for and free. Get away from all the commercialism that the UK thrives on. And we miss all the boxing day adverts.

When the kids don’t need us we’ll be in the Caribbean !
Until then we have a lazy day.

Both working over Christmas this year. Adult son is doing his own thing with partner and her family. We will do normal midweek dinner stuff and probably have dh’s parents over the following week for a non Christmassy meal. It’s been like that for a few years. We don’t bother with presents anymore. We just enjoy relaxing and some nice food.

One year we went to China. Sailed down the yanhgtzee river on Xmas day with lots of Chinese tourists. No sign of Christmas anywhere.

If you go on holiday anywhere that is majority Muslim, there will be little or no sign of Christmas.

Neither of us are massively into Christmas so we do the obligatory round of relatives in the week leading up to it. On the evening of the 24th we have a baked camembert with bread while watching a Harry Potter film and then on the 25th we just lounge around all day.

I did a Christmas dinner (a different meat each year and I just bought all of the trimmings ready to go from M&S, so I just had to put them in the oven) 2012 to 2019 but last year we bought a load of beige oven snacks and it was brilliant. I day drank and ate chocolate/pigs in blankets/mozzarella sticks all day in my pyjamas.

Great suggestions and ideas. I love hearing what others do [nosey]. I think I’m quite happy doing not a lot really, just pottering and having a lovely walk, some indulgent food that only I like, that kind of thing. Potentially interested in volunteering too - anyone know how I could find out about this? I live in a largish city so I’d think I could find something.

Have a chinese or Indian take away delivered , ours are open Xmas Day lunch and get a good book and some nice bath oils or bugger off and go sit in the sun on a lovely beach for 3 or 4 days, I have done both and had fabulous times on my own.

We don’t celebrate Xmas but do Chanukah which is another winter festival
We do a family meal as everyone is off school and work but don’t have a tree etc
If I was on my own I’d luxuriate in that - I’d have an indulgent ready mela, fizz, hour long bath and read and potter

I did this 3 years ago. DH was working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so had to sleep over. All of my children have flown the nest and I couldn’t be bothered doing a 2/3/5 hour drive to visit them (I know, I’m selfish). It was BLISS!! I had a long walk on Christmas Eve and then home to watch tv and have a take away. On Christmas morning I ate my weight in chocolate, had a lovely long bath and read my book before another long walk. I had a carpet picnic of all the foods I like and watched ALL the shite programmes that I like. I was rather sad when DH came home on Boxing Day 😂. My children and friends thought I’d be lonely and were offering to come and pick me up, no thanks, I was super happy and loved every second after years of running about like a madwoman planning the ‘perfect’ day. We normally have a family gathering on Hogmanay which I much prefer and do a big dinner etc then. DH and I are spending it on our own this year through choice and are SO looking forward to it. It will be the calm before the storm when everyone arrives on 30th.

@CottageOnTheHill

I did this 3 years ago. DH was working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so had to sleep over. All of my children have flown the nest and I couldn’t be bothered doing a 2/3/5 hour drive to visit them (I know, I’m selfish). It was BLISS!! I had a long walk on Christmas Eve and then home to watch tv and have a take away. On Christmas morning I ate my weight in chocolate, had a lovely long bath and read my book before another long walk. I had a carpet picnic of all the foods I like and watched ALL the shite programmes that I like. I was rather sad when DH came home on Boxing Day 😂. My children and friends thought I’d be lonely and were offering to come and pick me up, no thanks, I was super happy and loved every second after years of running about like a madwoman planning the ‘perfect’ day. We normally have a family gathering on Hogmanay which I much prefer and do a big dinner etc then. DH and I are spending it on our own this year through choice and are SO looking forward to it. It will be the calm before the storm when everyone arrives on 30th.

This sounds bliss