Christmas Day to me is stressful with a lot of pressure, and feels like the entire day is orchestrated to ensure others enjoy it and I'm just ran ragged and exhausted before it's even begun!
We have no kids in the family yet but the whole day just seems to be trying to keep everyone else happy and waiting on them, a manic to do list, no time to enjoy the day or relax/sit down. His parents who I love dearly (but can be hard work at times) are quite snobby and posh around food so I feel the pressure that everything needs to be done perfectly and elevated and look amazing. Not just piled up more the merrier which is how my family did it a as a kid. I think I just take on way too much to try and give everyone the best day and I in exchange never do.
Then Boxing Day rolls around and I wake up with this sense of relief like this is the day I get to do what I want.. not get dressed up, nibble at leftovers/chocolate whatever we want to, enjoy reading my kindle or watching a new TV show or playing a game.. basically a day where we can set the pace and the only people we have to please are ourselves.
Am I a bad host or is this normal? We had my partners parents and siblings and my mum here. It usually falls to us (mostly me) hosting because my mum is single and works ungodly hours, also has health issues so I don't feel it's fair to put the pressure on her. But then his parents will never host and if they do they either complain about the size of their kitchen or try and persuade me to do it and offer to bring the meat.. but that then causes carnage with several people doing their own thing in the kitchen and trying to keep it all aligned and on time!
Seriously tempted to do a bunk for Christmas Day next year to get a day off for once! Perhaps I am being grumpy.. but either way going to soak up having nothing on my to do list for the first time ever 😅