Anyone else not bothering with Xmas?

[Touty]

No decs or presents cards etc?
load of nonsense?
Anyone else?

Enjoy your day 🎄

Even when I had young children we didn’t do much in the way of Xmas activities. There was the nativity or the carol service at school and that was it really. No visits to Santa or anything, and definitely no Elf! Things seem to have got crazy nowadays and it all starts in November.

As I've got older I've realised that Christmas looks different for everyone. It's fine to opt out - you don't have to buy into it. Nor do you have to justify it to anyone else.

But for all those who opt out there are those that would love to celebrate it but for many reasons, are struggling. Mental health issues, financial worries, relationship issues, ongoing health problems, long term/terminal illness, children with special needs, the list goes on.

It costs nothing to be kind or to offer help to those that need it and I don't mean just at Christmas time but all year round. For me, Christmas is a time for reflection and reassessment of things I've done and things I could improve. Spending time with family and friends and showing your love for them.

Christmas isn't just about what's under the tree (if you have one).

We follow a Pagan pathway that doesn't include the commercialised Christmas. The end.

I've done this for years! I have just finished my 4th night shift in a row and will have another 4 over New Year's. I make much more money for working on a public holiday and help colleagues enjoy their Christmas (because many of them do celebrate it). I am a midwife, I enjoy working on these days because the ward is often quieter, full of lights and pretty decorations (which are put up by other colleagues who like to make a fuss about Christmas) and I like hearing my colleagues' stories, and share yummy food.

At home I have no decorations. My DP is hiking and will pick me up to go on holiday after New Year's. The hours of Christmas Day I was awake I spent them on my own in blissful silence, and having a lovely walk in the nearby park. The only Christmassy thing I've done is calling my family overseas (from work, because of the time difference) to say Happy Christmas, because I know it's important to them.

Some people genuinely are not bothered about Christmas and feel no pressure or need to be. We are not miserable; it's just a normal day that is important for other people.

It does help that I don't have children, mind you.

I'm here with my husband and daughter. They're my family. No rows, no over eating, no stress of over spending. Its so relaxing to just be together. Earlier this year I've been to visit my extended family (my siblings) and my husband goes to visit his mum from time to time. 25th December isn't a special day for us, we hate the tat and the forced nature of it. Mumsnet is full of stressed out people getting burned out, arguments with people they can't stand, all having to pretend to get along. Seems silly. Once you step out of it, you see it for what it is. When we want something, we just get it, we don't have to wait.

The longest night of the year was on the night of the 20th and we celebrated the return of the sun on the 21st with some drumming and dancing. 25th is neither here nor there, it is actually meaningless. It's no one birthday, he was born in the summer. It's just the Christian Church that hijacked the Pagan Yule. More and more people see that now and so are breaking away from it. It's quite liberating, for peace of mind and for your bank account!

Children have birthdays - gift giving occurs then. Time with family can happen any day of the year. The summer is best, birthdays are best!

The thing about Christmas is it could be a gentle celebration but somehow it morphs into a stressful period/day. The older I get the more stressful I find it. I think there is a way of celebrating it without all the stress but I have not found it yet and crucially others would need to agree. I think it should be about family and friends and not too much expense.

But other people don't need to agree - that's the point. If they want all the fuss and expense and stress, they're free to take on that load themselves - you don't have to do any of it if you don't want to.

I grew up with low-key Christmases and DH and I have carried on the tradition and it's never expensive or stressful.

I've never understood the annual threads on here from people stressing and moaning because they apparently have to feed 20 people or buy presents for their husbands' great aunt, or make 4 types of potato or whatever. It's bonkers.