How are you feeling on the run up to Christmas?

[SwanSong30]

I am seeing so many people talking about how overwhelmed they are feeling, how much they have to get done, how stressed they are. I feel like i must be doing something wrong as I am not running round like a headless chicken or feeling stressed. I worry about the pressure people put on themselves. So genuinely, how are you all feeling?

I feel awful. No energy, and very little enthusiasm. I know I’m irritable too.

I’m looking forward to NY when I’m going away with my dad for a few days.

I am very relaxed but I am fortunate to work very part time. I do all my christmas shopping online and we are a lists family so that makes things so much simpler. I booked online food deliveries and the M&S food to order slot in October. I don't do homemade over Christmas (I do the rest of the year) so M&S takes the cooking strain for me.

I used to run myself into the ground making everything from scratch and going to the shops. I pulled back from that and Christmas is just as wonderful but so much less stressful.

Calm! But just the 2 of us. Dd visiting today till 23rd then we go to a cottage by the sea for a week.
Long walks, wine, Cook food and cheese.

I am hosting all my family over two weeks and feeling very stressed. I don’t think I can do this again. I just don’t have the capacity for it.

Fine. Small family. I usually work over Christmas, and I’m left doing everything last minute. But I have time to enjoy it this year.

Completely relaxed. I've done all my gift shopping g and wrapped it all. I'm now Sunni g myself in Tenerife. Going to DDs for Christmas and she is doing all the shopping. I will help out when I am there but I don't have the metal load of getting everything in. It's bliss and payback for my many years of hosting.

Relaxed because I am completely ignoring it.

Not doing a roast, only an aged parent to look after (and they have the appetite of a sparrow), not doing gifts nor meeting up with friends.

Just going to buy some nice food and drink champagne and go for long walks by myself. Bliss.

I’ll be honest, i never understand what people get so stressed about. Buy some extra food. Buy some presents, if you like. Decorate a tree, if you like. Throw and go to parties, if you like. Host people, if you like. See a pantomime. Go Carol-singing.

I mean, I absolutely understand the stress of people struggling to pay the bills who can’t tell a six year old that FC can’t bring anything too expensive, but other than that, Christmas is not organising some international peace summit in a global crisis.

Maybe part of it on here is that a disproportionate number of Mners seem to struggle with human relationships in general, and get overwhelmed by very little.

Sorry to hear this. Are they quite open to pitching in and helping? Either way try and create as many short cuts as possible, so on the cooking don’t feel embarrassed to do ready made stuff eg roast spuds. Absolutely do not do any washing and tidying, that must be for family to take care off if you are doing majority of work. Direct them to tea & coffee cupboard. And make it all clear in whatever way you feel works best that you are feeling a bit stressed.

I've still got this flu after over two weeks, I've got nearly 300 children to serve Xmas dinner to today, and on Saturday I'm taking a 7 year old, a suitcase full of family's presents and our luggage and a Jack Russell on two trains for about 8 hours.
Other than that I'm actually quite calm and organised.

I think the ones who are stressed are probably those who have a lot of expectation from family but are left to do it all - single mothers or those with partners who do nothing.

I have no sympathy for those that martyr themselves and enable selfish useless men though. They only have themselves to blame.

I feel great! We are nearly done with shopping and the food shop is coming on Friday. Kids are excited, we are excited and not expecting any other guests. Which is nice and easy-going. Most exciting bit is husband getting two weeks off work. Going to be a good one!

Completely chilled.

I am calm and well so far, presents brought, need wrapping. Off work today until Saturday/Sunday. Monday seeing family for birthday celebrations and exchanging of christmas presents, Tuesday taking dgds to panto, Wed - working, Thursday - out for Christmas dinner, Fri/Sat working. Sun 28th seeing son, meeting his new partner, Mon 29th/Tues 30th back to work. Have to be honest no Christmas foods have been purchased, just the normal meals will be happening. 🎄Enjoy your christmas everyone 🎁

I'm recently retired, and Christmas is under control. DD and SiL are flying in next Monday to spend a week with us, which is lovely. Christmas cards have gone out, the tree is up and decorated, and I'm wrapping presents.

The only sour note is that I found out last week that I have some coronary artery blockage and I'm having a coronary catheterization done tomorrow in hospital. It's minimally invasive, so I should be fine by the time DD gets home.

It doesn’t feel anything like Christmas and I keep forgetting that it is next week. I really wish I felt festive as I do want to enjoy it but it’s just a bit flat.

I hope that once DD breaks up on Thursday that we can embrace it more.

We fly out on holiday on Sunday and whilst I'm organised, the level of my husband's unorganised has me stressed.

He has not packed for holiday, not wrapped a single present, we're hosting a Christmas lunch with his kids on Saturday and he hasn't got anything sorted for that.

Every lead up to a holiday is the same. I get stressed that he isn't organised however I'm trying to be zen this year.

Fantastic, everything is ready…cannot wait for DH & DCs to finish school on Friday so we can start all of our festive outings! 🎅🏻🎁🎄🥂

So, I feel mixed.

On the one hand I’ve bought all of my presents - or most of them. Just a couple more to buy but they are small and not stressful. Extras and some alcohol for family members (whisky for BIL for example)

Started wrapping today because I am now off work for Xmas. So that’s fairly organised isn’t it, with a week to go.

But I feel overwhelmed because work is so bad at the moment. So that is leaking on to all other aspects of life and I’m finding it hard to find joy in other things. This is something I need to tackle in 2026.

I also feel overwhelmed by my house as it’s a fucking mess constantly. And I wish I was going in to Christmas with a tidier house. I feel like I have to clean it top to bottom for Xmas day and people coming.

And I feel overwhelmed by my weight too. I swore I wouldn’t go in to another Xmas feeling this way but I’m another stone heavier and feel so ashamed by that.

Weirdly unfestive and miserable. We're going to (lovely!) in laws. So not too much stress here... so no reason to be miserable.

Absolutely fine…but that’s because I started shopping in oct when people would say “but it’s only October!!” And I’m not hosting! Thank god!

Great! Online shopping was done in October, my son is bringing the turkey, Boxing Day ham and pigs in blankets from his local butchers, I’m finishing up writing my Xmas cards today, presents all bought just need to wrap… I did the obligatory visit to my last remaining in law (two sets, all passed but the step, my own DH died 15 years ago but I make sure we visit regularly). Only slight stress is I am making a couple things for my kids which I very much doubt I’ll finish on time (I crochet, so throw for my son in his team colours and a poncho for my DD).
So other than actually cooking on the day, which my DD will do the bulk of and my DS will do the cleaning up from, nothing to worry about! I mean I do have a hefty admin thing to do with my DD as she’s just home from uni but that’s got nothing to do with Xmas, and I’ve already filed my taxes so feel ahead of the game!