Safe place for those who don't enjoy christmas (for whatever reason).

[ueberlin2030]

A safe space to express how you feel this festive season, without judgement, whether you feel this way every year or are just struggling/having a hard time this year.
If you do enjoy christmas then feel free to comment as long as it's kind and not telling us why we should enjoy christmas too.
I'm not 100% sure why I don't enjoy it, and haven't for a while, though I do have some thoughts which I'm trying to work through logically. 🙃

All I want for christmas is for it to be over! I'm not entirely sure why I dislike it so much. I think it could be something to do with it being in your face so much from about September - it's overkill. Also I have quite a contrary nature so when the whole thing seems to be "It's christmas! Enjoy it! Have fun!!!" my reaction is 'absolutely not'. Odd but true. I don't begrudge anyone else's enjoyment of it in the slightest. I know come Boxing Day I'll feel much better.

Me me me! Hate it. Hated it as a kid, awful. Hate it even more as an adult. I just want to dissapear under a blanket for a few days…

I think a lot of things can be massively triggering especially when reflecting on christmases past etc. the Tv Adverts, the constant push for the ‘perfect’ day. It’s too much.

I'm not a fan, ( abusive , shitty childhood, followed by years of being alone) I do now however have a child so I'm faking it..well my enjoyment of it!
I'm stressed to high heavens today and I'm very close to opening the Baileys... I think I'm going to have a nap as I've sent DH and small human out for an hour, they can brave the shops for the last minute bits and I can have some silence.

Solidarity to all who are struggling, there is so much pressure at this time of year. Do whatever you need to do, 48 hours from now and it's done for another year. X

Hope u have a relaxing time and enjoy the day however u spend it and if that means doing nothing. And people around let you get on with on doing nothing

Checking in. I’ve never liked it much either but more so as an adult.

I’m an introvert which is part of it, I also have to work either Christmas Day itself or over the festive period so it’s never really relaxing.

Add to all that I’m recovering from what has felt like flu and we are travelling to see family Christmas Day because my wonderful dbro died unexpectedly this year. I’d like to crawl under a rock and come out in 2025 but for my family’s sake we need to be together.

We are coming back Boxing Day and I will breathe a sigh of relief when I’m home and can put my pyjamas back on.

Hello to my people!

Hugs to everyone on here. I find the whole thing SO SUFFOCATING! It really is rammed down your throat from 1 November and by mid December it feels like torture. I don't have a good relationship with my family and stay far away from them at Christmas, and there is peace in that but also other feelings too.

Christmas is the most over hyped thing ever, and I can't be doing with all the tacky sentimental naffness of it. I feel like I can breathe again when January comes! That said, I am extremely lucky that I have a lovely partner who feels similar about Christmas, and we both have some time off work over the next week or so. Feeling very grateful for all that

The only thing I will admit enjoying though is the food and copious snacks 😃 (when able to eat them on my own, in peace ha!)

I don't like it due to my abusive childhood. Christmas is just a reminder that I never felt safe or happy. I'm still figuring out how to best go about Christmas in the future.

I just got back from shopping and it made me depressed. Christmas songs and families. I teared up a few times.

I liked it as a child and as a teen when I used to go out drinking, but since being an adult I found it tedious. Then after my ExH left me at Christmas a few years back and a horrendous last Christmas with my terminally ill father also a few years ago it really soured for me

I also have a tense negotiation every Xmas with my ex over who has the kids when, which means I spend a portion of my enforced time off completely alone. And even though I don't enjoy Xmas, spending it alone lets me ruminate, so that's not ideal either.

I absolutely fucking hate it.

I'll just be glad when it's over. I do try and enjoy it and get in the christmas mood but it just makes me sad because when I was a kid christmas was wonderful and it just reminds me of all those who are no longer here. When I was with my ex I would get up every christmas morning, go to the loo and have a good cry, fix my face, paint a smile on and try and enjoy the day. At least I dont have that charade anymore but yeah, it still makes me sad.

Christmas morning I am going to walk my dog in my favourite place, sit down on my tree stump and scatter my dads ashes and maybe I'll feel more at peace with it all after that. I just enjoy the 2 days off work, thats what I look forward to.

I can’t bear it. It’s so stressful, and the cost!
it’s not possible to opt out of present buying, and all DP’s family seem to need him to buy them expensive stuff that they will never use. And we host them all for boxing day which is overwhelming. In the hierarchy of grandchildren , mine are at the bottom, and they are acutely aware of this.
I hate it every year.
I don’t want to do another Christmas in this country. How is Tenerife at Christmas time?

I find it very stressful. I find the expense very worrisome. I put away £75 a month for it but this past year due to COL have had to dip in that account constantly and I started off december with £3.00 in the 'Christmas account'.

I hate the various expectations that go with it and the emotional manipulation that comes from various sources. It does not help that I have very bad memories of Christmas growing up. Things were so fraught with family dynamics that my father actually refused to attend any Christmas celebration at all from when I was a young teen and my sister and I would go with my mother to her side of the family to 'support' her because her family were so toxic and so violent that Christmas day often ended up in drunken punchups, sexual assaults from the creepy uncle, arrests and tears. But she still went 'coz family, innit' and now that I have children of my own I cannot quite believe that she would ever put my sister and I in the path of this carnage.

I try to have very relaxed and low-key Christmases now but not always with success.

My favourite day is Boxing Day, when everything is settled. It's not that I hate Christmas, I just find it's so commercial. The build up is quite nice, but the week of Christmas itself is exhausting. I've felt this way since I list my dad. He loved Christmas, so it isn't the same anymore without him.

We're away from the 27th till n y day.Cant wait.

I really doing like it.

Parents and siblings all gone, adult children with their own lives. The magic is gone.

Sherry anyone?

*don't like it

Same here @Twatalert I only went into town to collect a prescription but it was just heaving and every shop blaring with Christmas songs (including the pharmacy) I did tear up as well. I hate it every year. It's like I have a limit with it, once I've reached it I just need to go to bed until it's over.

This year seems particularly overwhelming, feels like Christmas started in October.

I am a Christmas baby and normally absolutely love Christmas. Not this year 🥲. Just burst into tears and said to my husband I wish it was just us two over Christmas. We have had a rotten 2024, one thing after another. Got my Mum staying who is lovely but since having had Covid this year is mentally declining and becoming frail which is such a worry. I have my feckless brother and his son coming Boxing Day and has treated my mum appallingly with his attitude but he is golden balls so for my mum’s sake I grin and bear it. Roll on Friday. Thinking of you all.

I used to really hate it, my DF was especially abusive around Xmas and once we left my DM refused to celebrate it. It's also my birthday which gets overlooked. Since having DC I've mellowed a bit but DS2 is autistic and has found the build up so overwhelming this year I wish I'd all just feck off.

Normally I love Christmas but I just don't feel that way this year. It's so commercial, expensive and I am done already. None of us have been well. I am exhausted and my 2 autistic children are totally burnt out with the endless Christmas school activities (i.e rubbish aimed at exhausting them and guilting working parents into taking time of they don't really have). The cost has been insane this year and to be a total bahumbag with the whole cash for kids presents push has really annoyed me this year.

In theory it's fantastic and I really hope those that need it get to use it but I am seeing so many families abuse it now that I will not support it (nor will a lot of people I know either now). By abuse think the family who spent £7k weeks ago on a holiday applying for it, a family who bought quad bikes for 3 there kids then got a top up of toys (yes really), the family who spend £200 a week on lottery tickets and my personal favourite the one who has drank and partied all month so are now skint (who would have guesses that would happen🙄). Yet I am being guilted for working extra hours to give my kids a nice Christmas whilst managing a lifelong health condition and 2 high need autistic children into giving something. I would happily give it it wasn't for so many abusing it now. I have given to a couple of charities where I know the recipients actually need it.

Christmas is just money, stress and exhaustion now for one day.

Such a performance :

Dislike "bantering/mysogynistic" brothers in law. They are simply not funny, both are fathers to girls, and still share outdated and traditional views. Both competing with everyone in an unpleasant way. Neither are funny or enjoyable company.

Dislike competitive busy-ness, competitive christmassing, sniping, snide remarks. I spend Christmas with my immediate family unit only.

Busy shops, road rage, dark mornings and evenings.

Too much gluttony and hangovers. Cold weather.