Christmas 2024 - what will you do differently ?

[mrsbyers]

So many posts last 48 hrs where family members have caused issues , presents have been either terrible or not received at all etc so I think we should commit to making changes to make things better next year.

We had a good Christmas luckily having decided to go out for a curry to change things up and not being in the raw stages of grief like last year , but I think
mine are not to waste money on advent calendars , between us we spent over £100 and my Degusta calendar was really disappointing.

No alcohol stuff like amaretto liqueurs : baileys etc - after one drink they’re just added to drinks cabinet and wasted

Going to stop buying presents for a couple of extended family members as the same things are exchanged each year and I get Thornton’s chocolates which I loathe

No traditional Christmas dinner on Christmas Day.

DC now adults so we’ll go out for a nice meal in the week leading up to Christmas and then have…something else on Christmas Day.

Already scaled back/opted out of lots of things I used to do at Christmas. Might be time to start adding in a few things though.

Would like to add in going to a Cathedral for Handel’s Messiah or similar in the run up to Christmas (will probably have to go by myself!).

Basic Cadbury’s advent instead of fancier ones. Both kids were just as happy with the cheap ones this year.

Non-traditional Christmas lunch. No mountains of leftovers, less stress all round.

Buying less food overall has worked well and we could still do more. Like not buying potato salad that no one eats.

You don't get to speak for anyone else.
Many may agree with you but many won't.

Next year I'll bling the outside of the house up properly with the outdoor decorations I'm going to buy in the sales in the next few days. It was a bit half-hearted this year. I'll also get a better fancy dress outfit for Christmas running events.

What I do over the few days around Christmas Day will depend on my parents. They're at an age where their health could change very quickly. Their love of spending Christmas with my DC was part of the joy of the occasion, and I can't abandon them now that the DC are adults and have other priorities and responsibilities.

We've had years (over a decade) of hosting at home with more or less the same relatives. Maybe, next year, this will shift as there is a new baby in the family - we didn't go to them this year, but we might (if we are invited!!) next year. Also next year hopefully eldest DC will have done a term at Uni, another change. Ironically that might mean they would be keener to be at home to catch up with friends though...

I really struggle with the days after Xmas.
I'm never sure what to do.

Planning to go to a show again prior to Christmas (not panto!)

Loved it this year...really nice start to the festivities :)

I'm not doing bloody turkey again...I'll get a large chicken instead.

Other than that, the same hopefully 🙏

Not host!

I’m going to label the lights before I pack them away. I put the wrong ones on the tree and they look shit. I might even buy more, because every tree I see on social media is fabulous because of the lights.

We have finished all the beef/roasties etc today so no extra stuff to get through. I didn’t do loads of food shopping and my Dh was at work so didn’t go mad. There is no silly amount of booze, chocolate or other treats.

I'm going to put my foot down and insist we go out for lunch. I don't cook, we go to my mom's - at her insistence. I don't think she enjoys doing it, she and my dad bicker the entire time and I just feel incredibly stressed throughout. But she will not give in and allow us to book a restaurant. I'm not sure if it's because she thinks it will cost us too much money and she is trying to save us the expense, but I am more than happy to pay for a stress free day!
In fact, I'd prefer to just have a buffet or takeaway lunch on my lap!

Do a lot less and just enjoy the time rather than strive to create an idealised perfect Christmas.

not bother with advent calendars

not bother with a roast - I’d rather have something easy and save hours of time

keep presents to an absolute minimum

go out more and see more friends - do things rather than buy stuff or waste time thinking about buying stuff

There's no kids in my family and so five of us and the dog are staying at a cottage at the coast for a week. The first few days were lovely, but a week is too long and we've all had enough of each other.

Next year, will do a quiet Christmas day at home with DH, and then invite family to stay during the chrimbo limbo period. Going to instate a 2 night max rule!

We already have booked a big house by the sea for next Christmas with my DH, DD, my lovely brother and another family we are close with. It's the first year not spending Christmas with my divorced parents. Both my parents are very emotionally immature and bring challenges, my mum behaved like a hurt sulky child yesterday, although I was able to compartmentalise and enjoy the day, I ended up having a cuddle and cry with my DH. I'm super looking forward to having no drama or anxiety about potential drama next year.

Just remembered this and I wish I’d stuck to the no advent calendar thing - I foolishly went back to Degusta and it’s been even worse this year !

Recovering from a extensive hysterectomy (no cancer thankfully after large ovarian mass found in summer) and now open wounds and recurrent UTI’s so deffo no booze this year and we are just having a very quiet day at home - can’t even face getting the tree out.

Have sent husband out today to buy family Christmas cards and most of my gifts have been received from online so kinda organised but really could miss the whole thing gladly

Bah humbug 😂