Xmas version of things you wouldn't admit in real life....

[TinselTina]

I wish people would stop mentioning my 5 foot 3 height like im an outlier.
I cannt believe I married my ex. I needed to be in a mental hospital not marched up the aisle.
I dont care if my child is clever or not.

I don't like Christmas. I don't care about it and would rather ignore it, I particularly hate the fake friendly jollity we have to put on woth people we don't really like. I like the celebrations from Easter to Halloween and cba with the rest. It might be to do with the weather because I'm very much of an outdoor light adventure person and right now it's festively bucketing down but if we could keep it between early spring and late autumn and always skip Christmas that would be very nice.

I've skimmed but am not reading all 13 pages. And I don't need to do so to know that you can use up or donate toiletries to a worthwhile charity like Toiletries Amnesty, who tackle hygiene poverty.

please stop with this unless you actually work for a charity shop. I do sometimes and we are delighted to receive any unwanted gift sets at any time of the year. the manager of the one i deal with does trojan work either displaying in the shop holding raffles hosting market stalls etc. she also works very closely with the women's refuge, homeless shelter etc. you don't know what goes on behind close doors. every bit of donation is used is some way and appreciated so greatly. please do not dumped at all.
there was all ready a post from a women who was in a women refuge saying she was appreciated of them.
there is not much we can do about global corparations - alot of charities especially dog shelters use amazon wish lists to help them get their needs which is a good thing- it's beyond our control but every donation of a gift set is appreciated and something we can control to do

But you're about the 30th person who has posted this same thing!

I have never felt comfortable in my extended family. It wasn't until I had my own family that I really knew what a supportive, stable and loving environment was. I'm sad for the childhood I had and how extended family pretends they are not disfunctional. But I've now left them to their gaslighting and self delusional behaviour and I'm the better for it. I'm LC rather than NC.

I've never invited them for Christmas and now have stepped away from visiting them at Christmas either. My body literally goes into hyper stress mode and I feel like bolting out the door when I'm around them. So in my later years I've learnt to stop ignoring what my body is saying and listen to what it's trying to tell me.

They are puzzled as to why I don't want to play the game and pretend but I'm not modelling that kind of behaviour to my kids. Since that point we've enjoyed our peaceful lovely Christmas as a family unit and have many happy memories.

I get passive aggressive pushback sometimes and the inner child in me still has a physical reaction (gut turns, feeling stressed, ears ringing) but I'm getting better and when I don't handle things as well as I could have I'm working on not being so hard on myself.

Part of me is quietly saying it won't be forever.

None of the ones in my region (that say they are currently accepting donations, which is not all of them) have listed bath bombs under "what we accept".

Can I ask if you have seen these specifically listed? Or are they assumed to be under another tag?

It looks like a good site otherwise.

DD never had a proper birthday, she was born Christmas Day 21 years ago. Not my fault she was 10 days late.
However this year she spending her birthday on a beach in Phuket so I don’t blame her.
She’s made us proud this year joining the Royal Navy so she’s earned it. We’ll miss her but she’s only young once

Put all the unwanted gifts in a big Vinted bundle. I would buy it. I love those things.

I wish I could go back to that one perfect christmas at my grandparents (probably only perfect in my eyes as a child) before my life as a normal happy child was taken away from me. Of course we didn't take endless photos in those days, it would have been nice to have just one.

OP, I’m 5foot 4 and a half inches and I consider myself tall 🤣

Please donate to charity instead of the bin

Ffs is this the new “cancel the cheque”? About 50 people have already said this.

I always admit/say this, and am mostly met with “oh, but it’s nice for the children”… but I hate, with a fiery passion, both the concept and commercialisation of Elf on the Shelf.
My in-laws (who I very much like and get on with!), who have both been retired for some years, have magical elves that used to move around several times a day when my child was younger. 😵‍💫 As a consequence, my child expected them to do the same in our house.
It wasn’t just that, it’s the fact they would get a new elf every year and would add another of the bastards to the mix. I know I’m probably being miserable and it’s lovely of them to put such thought into making some Christmas magic, but my goodness, it’s exhausting.
I’m sure I’m not alone in this: how many times in December have you got into bed, turned to your partner or thought to yourself, and realised you’ve forgotten to set the magical scene up? Cue swearing and muttering, fumbling about in cupboards for flour at stupid o’clock.
I’ve directly told my child that there will not be any elves this year (they are old enough to no longer believe, I’m not just wicked!).

Anyway. That’s my festive rant.
Believe it or not, I do actually love the festive season and Christmas, I just loathe the elves…! 😂

@SamuraiSally if it’s any reassurance, one of the best things my mother did for us was go LC with her relatives, and it made such a difference to Christmas.
We now have family Christmases that are low-key, enjoyable, and that we genuinely look forward to. In terms of the generations, I know that it’s an environment my son is safe in.
I’m sorry you are still feeling anxious about it but I am sure you have made the right decision, and well done for being so brave! ❤️

Thank you, that means a lot 😊

Even the sherry one from M&S?

Gribouille · 12/12/2025 14:24
I like your style, ** !😆
My DH thinks I need strict instructions on watering the Christmas tree, even though I spend the rest of the year tending, feeding and watering the both of us, the cat and every damn plant in the house and garden...
I'm going to let the cat lick his turkey this year. 😸🦃

I have heard "turkey neck" used to describe part of the male's anatomy...

Could people please stop posting about not throwing stuff away, but giving it to charity? I personally would use it for my feet/clean with it, but the point about landfill (which I agree with) has been made repeatedly and it’s derailing what was an enjoyable thread.

I'm 5'1" and always in heels, so imagine my chagrin when someone told me recently "You're tiny." In my imagination I was tall and 5'3"!😂

It wasn't that they wanted to stay at home. It was they thought they were going to get a better offer, which hasn't materialised

our local recycling is burned.

I'm between 5' 3 and 5'4 and can get up to 5'8 in heels but I'm too old now to wear heels for any length of time without my feet hurting 😩

I love my children but I genuinely preferred and loved Christmas more before they came along. Yes it's great seeing them so magical, but December is always an awful month for sickness, all the Christmas events and having to buy more presents just seems exhausting.

I used to love taking the two weeks off over Christmas and new year where I could basically lounge about, do things at my own pace and gorge on alcohol and cheese. I'm positively dreading having to entertain a 3 year old and baby every day with nursery closed. I'm struggling to see what is magic about it.

That is so sad - for your children.

Actually, I apologise given the thread title. Sorry.