To want to shake people and yell "its only christmas"!!

[lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs]

I see posts on here moaning about not having enough for better presents, more than one xmas dinner, fighting over who should buy what present ect.
Its such a shame, when elsewhere some people are going though much worse and MNHQ have been great about secret santa (well done) bring joy.
I know im being grumpy but seems so sad :(

YANBU!!

I have never understood this either.

its one day fgs.

I agree.. I bargain shopped since summer, my dad is getting a tinned food hamper (at his request!), and the dcs are looking forward to a jolly good yomp round some fields on boxing day!

Really, it's a bit of a big sunday lunch with presents, isn't it?

Because the religious elemant is out of the window! I wonder how many people who are saying their christmas is 'ruined' for trivial reasons (and i know there will be many people with ruined christmases for truly cack reasons) will go to a church to celebrate christmas mass? It does put a glow in the cockles of ypur heart!

i dont see why we just cant be nice, friendly and give gifts all year round to friends because you want to, not because you feel you should (which I do)

It is sad, but Christmas means a lot to some people, and then there's the added stress of the idea that it's supposed to mean a lot.

It is special to me, but I don't have high expectations of it, nor am I looking for that elusive perfection.

Being a little bit drunk helps enormously

It's also one of the few times families are able to get together which makes it special for people.

see the families getting together and spending time together I truely understand x

YANBU

It would seem a lot of people equate christmas with spending money, where the more money you spend the better christmas will be.

I blame television and the media.

Christmas should just be about love and spending time with family and loved ones.

You can 'give' in many ways, it doesn't have to be through spending money.

You are quite right, that we should all be able to keep it in perspective and spread peace and love. But, as with so many things, we have expectations that can rarely be realised in all their glory. So we go overboard.

Saying 'it's just christmas' to people is like saying 'it's just a wedding' to a prospective bride. It matters. So we fuck it up.

Hey ho. Tis the lot of human beings.

Christmas is a really big deal in some familes. It can be absolutely wonderful or inexpressibly painful, depending on your family situation. I agree wholeheartedly that Christmas is/should not be just about presents. It's certainly not 'just another day', it's a huge event.

My dh gets a week off work (shut down) and we get to see family from all over the country which we wouldnt see otherwise.

I also love the carol services, satsumas, chocolate and decent TV!!!

...god, I am so sad

I actually look forward to satsumas

YANBU

I'm not deeply religious but for me it's all about the spirit of it all, season of goodwill and all that.

Chirstmas wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't go to Christingle and/or Midnight Mass. Nothing gets me in the spirit more than that. I never ask for presents, if people want to get me something, they can surprise me. I'm happy with anything.

But people seem to think their Christmas is over if they don't get presents they want or having enough food even thoguht they buy enough to feed a small army.

I'm being grumpy on another thread about general consumerism but you're right. For me its about having time off work, letting the DC's do stuff that they don't normally do, stay up still they fall asleep on the floor, eat chocolate cereal, go out for a pizza at 'night'. Watching tear jerky films whilst snuggling with the kids and thinking how lucky you are.

That's fab on it's own - a week with the kids and very few rules!