Cancelling Christmas Forever

[Mrsmunchofmunchington]

Has anybody done this?

(Not meaning people from religions or cultures who don’t do christmas anyway.)

I am single, no close family but have some good friends.

I find christmas expensive and depressing and I am pondering telling anyone who needs to know that I am opting out altogether from now on so won’t be sending (or wanting to receive) cards, messages or presents and just generally will exist outside of the whole blimmin thing.

I don’t want upset my older friends and acquaintances though who are rather more traditional.

Your choice and if you were a relative or friend I would respect it.

I would suggest that some of the money you usually spend is donated to a charity of your choice.

I love Christmas. I do decorate the house, but I give cards only to a few very close friends and family, and presents only to my sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren - even then it’s a shared experience somewhere, not things. I have always (apart from one disastrous year when my oldest was 6 months, and he’s late 40s now) done Christmas on my own terms.

So I think it’s perfectly reasonable to just stop doing anything you don’t want to.

So sorry you’re estranged from your Dd, as I said in my pp, that’s on the horizon with my DS and I know how tough it is.

hope you find some nice things to do over Christmas (and I too loathe all the Xmas hysteria in shops etc)

I send a few bottles or food gifts to some special friends. Stopped doing cards. Spend lunch with elderly parents and spend the rest of the time snoozing, walking and watching movies. I do put up decs because I like them, especially waking up to a tree in my bedroom.

Yes, currently trying it.

Great Post.

I hope more people do.in the future.
Its boring, staged, repetitive , expensive, stressful and alot of people are only going through the rigmarole every year because its what they've always done and they think they should.

DP and I don't exchange gifts, and I'm not that fussed about a tree.
We go out for lunch, the two of us on the day and then see some of his family in the evening for a quiz and drinks. My sister goes to Lanzarote.
I do send Christmas cards.

Previously with ExP we had his parents come for a number of weeks - yes weeks. Tree, gifts, cards, church, one year an aunt that no one had invited booked herself into a hotel nearby and we had to entertain her, lunch with the homeless that I helped cook in a central London church. One year I spent most of Christmas Eve in a launderette trying to dry a duvet. It was completely exhausting.

I would possibly go and see my parents for an afternoon, three/four hour drive each way,

I think I probably had a breakdown one year, but was too busy to notice.

So with the exception of Whamaggedon, I do very little.
It is bliss. Jesus will cope.

I'm the complete opposite, I LOVE Christmas and still send and recieve cards etc, but you do what you want OP, Im sure no one will mind at all..

Christ, you deserve a bloody medal, let a lone a break. That is ALOT. I am pleased you now get a rest, and it sounds like a lovely carefree day.

Why do you love it? Do you have a supportive family? I always think it can be very dependent on circumstance.

Oh yes absolutely, I get that Christmas means different things for everyone but I love everything about it and I always have since I was a child. it's the food, the decorations, the music (carols and modern) watching Christmas films, looking at all the twinkly lights driving home on dark evenings, Boxing day walk with the dogs which usually means quick snifter at the Royal Oak pub! There's lots of other stuff of course, but that's all I can think of at the moment. For me it's a break from the routine of work and school runs...

I’d opt out if it wasn’t for being a mum.

My dad and I had this chat today (he was 80 today so feeling reflective, but in a good way) - once he and mum are gone I will go for one Christmas meal in the middle of December with my cousin and his family each year... but then I will spend every actual Christmas in a completely different place in the world doing completely different things. I'm single too, with no children, and frankly find this time of year stressful, repetitive and performative.

You can do whatever you want, OP - you don't need anyone's permission! Sounds like a great idea, tbh.