Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Christmas Day itself is crap?

81 replies

GingerbreadBaubles · 30/11/2014 08:09

I'm no grinch, I love the festivities the decorations, the twinkly lights etc but I always find the 25th so bloody boring!

The same shite on the tv year after year, the cooking and getting it all ready for the same time. Is it just me that thinks it's a bit of an anti climax?

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 30/11/2014 09:14

Boxing Day is the cloud on the horizon for me, it's MIL's birthday and there's an expectation we are at theirs by lunchtime, but it's 100 miles away so we have to get up, pack, get the house straight and hit the road by 10 for a couple of nights stay. Fine when we get there, but I HATE the rush around in the morning when all I want is a lazy day. For various, complicated, reasons we can't go there for Christmas Day and stay on either.

Jill2015 · 30/11/2014 09:14

I love the run up to Christmas. I especially love Christmas Eve because that's really the family get-together time.
I've no kids but I love my nieces and nephews showing me, on Christmas Day, what Santa brought, and the wide-eyed innocence of it all, and telling me that maybe, just maybe, they heard Santa's sleigh the previous night.
I like turkey, I only eat it on Christmas Day, so I enjoy it. If the weather is half reasonable I get out walking.

Christmas can be horribly lonely and sad for many people, because there is so much emphasis on families and being together. I've had losses in my close family too, and always think of the people who are gone, and think especially of people who are facing the first Christmas without a loved one.

ssd · 30/11/2014 09:20

all the posts here saying how spending the day with lots of family is a killer

we have no family, just the 4 of us and the kids are teenagers who don't do church/play board games/like walks/watch Dr Who etc

am trying to make the day fun but it aint easy

the day is always a bit flat about 6pm when its just me and dh watching crap on the telly, ds's are in their rooms and I'm thinking of my lost family

gamerwidow · 30/11/2014 09:20

It's a bit rubbish without young children around. I was always a bit meh about the day as an adult but my dds enthusiasm for the day is infectious.

LapsedTwentysomething · 30/11/2014 09:21

I detest spending it with the ILs as they do the snoozing in front of boring TV thing. DCs make it easier. We will be leaving about an hour after lunch this year to go to my DM so they get to see their granny.

Hatespiders · 30/11/2014 10:03

YABU. When people say something's 'boring' it's because they haven't thought what to do to brighten things up a bit action-wise.
With us there's presents, church for me, prayers for dh, then food prep. and phoning family After dinner a walk by the sea (N Norfolk coast, beautiful whatever the weather) by the Broads or one of the lovely woods. Evening is visit neighbours (we have some super neighbours, we love them to bits!) and a fav DVD if the TV's not good. My dh will have had a nice rest and relaxation, as he works hard as a cleaner. Carols at church in evening round the big tree.
Perfect!

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 30/11/2014 10:05

It's what you're make it. I love Xmas day though weirdly ds loves Xmas eve, I think it's the anticipation and watching Elf with mugs of hot chocolate and squirty cream

youbethemummylion · 30/11/2014 10:24

I cant wait to go on a Christmas dog walk on the beach this year, first Christmas with a dog. If you find it all peters out in the evening you could go for a walk (maybe borrow a dog)

WaitingForMe · 30/11/2014 10:28

I love Christmas Day and am of the mind that if you don't then why not change what you do?

My DSS's will be arriving after lunch so after a lovely breakfast with DH, DS and DM I'm thinking of taking DS to the park. It'll be quiet and we can gather some treasure for some last minute decorating (he's two and it will be a manky stick and some stones, added with great joy to my mantelpiece runner).

From lunchtime onwards it'll be lovely but we have to work hard to make sure that the half of the day we don't have the DSS's isn't flat (it's harder when we get Christmas Eve/morning and they leave us at lunchtime).

It's hard if you have cantankerous relatives to deal with but you have to try IMO.

Andrewofgg · 30/11/2014 10:34

It's fine if you are a child, if you have children, or if there are children around. If not it can get a bit too bloody much.

Serve the food up by the plateful
Falalalalaa, falalalaa
'Tis the season to be hateful
Falalalalaa, falalalaa

Anyone care to go on?

LiegeAndLief · 30/11/2014 10:34

I really like the bit in Kipper's Christmas Eve where he ponders what's better, Christmas or Christmas Eve? Presents or expecting presents? Christmas Eve (or the general build up) has a lot going for it in that respect! I enjoy Christmas Day but there is a strange sort of flat feeling in the evening, like all that lovely anticipation and excitement is gone.

hackmum · 30/11/2014 10:36

Boxing Day is probably my favourite day of the year. No-one expects anything from me - I don't have to be a polite hostess, I don't have to be anxious about whether people will enjoy their presents, I don't have to cook a big meal (it's all leftovers), I can just sit around reading my new books/watchign my new DVDs.

originalusernamefail · 30/11/2014 10:42

I have to work (9 out of last 10 - hurrah for mat leaveGrin) so do the majority of Christmassy stuff in the run up instead. I do think the anticipation out does the reality tho.....

R4roger · 30/11/2014 10:42

are you on your own op? what about volunteering at a community event?

i always get so tired on christmas day.
cant handle the alcohol, and the big meal
looking forward to this year as it will be just the 5 of us, well 4, as DS working for a few hours, but we will Make it Good

R4roger · 30/11/2014 10:43

so far we plan to go in the sea ! because its christmas

Sallystyle · 30/11/2014 10:58

I much prefer the build up, Xmas eve and Boxing day.

I find Xmas day pretty stressful really. All the mess, the presents that needs to be taken out of the awful boxes secured with hundreds of twisty security things.

The cooking in the kitchen when I could be relaxing. I love cooking but me and dh spend so much time in the kitchen instead of just relaxing and looking at the children's toys.

It's an anti climax for sure.

yomellamoHelly · 30/11/2014 10:58

Personally prefer Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Don't like the weight of other people's expectations if that makes any sense. Spend it with PIL and they're much more relaxed and willing to go with the flow on those days.

CatLady25 · 30/11/2014 11:00

Im Spendin Xmas alone with a takeaway and i still love it lol

Sallystyle · 30/11/2014 11:00

I love opening the presents though. I can't wait to spend the day with my mum. I have been considering having the Xmas dinner on Xmas eve and getting a take away on Xmas day for a few years now.

NomorepepperpigPLEASE · 30/11/2014 11:02

I get what your saying OP Xmas das is crap if you doing have friends, family,kids ect...

I've had crap Christmas days in the past but thankfully I'm not in that position any more.

Christmas Day can actually be a very depressing day for some people .

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 30/11/2014 11:14

I used to like it until fil started coming and spoiling it by getting drunk and being obnoxious / loud and a pain in my ass.

Now I prefer the build up to it.

FollowTheStarship · 30/11/2014 11:15

Agree with you OP, I think what I find hard is that it's so prescribed, there are things you have to do dictated by tradition, and you are trapped in it. Of course you don't HAVE to but if you have DC you want to make it fun for them, and if you have family round as a lot of people do, people expect it.

I do like the build-up, cosy nights in writing cards by the fire, baking, meeting friends at xmas parties and lunches, decorating and xmas lights. I like a "Christmassy" atmosphere. But a whole day is a long time to fill with eating, opening presents and sitting around watching telly. And I think opening presents is inherently stressful and the excitement often leads to kids getting upset. Mix in social obligation, alcohol and extended family dynamics and it is often not much fun at all.

We try to make it low-key - luckily we get to do it with just our family these days and don't see relatives (though sometimes friends). We make sure it's not too many presents and they include absorbing things like new lego to build, computer games and activity kits so there is something to do. Food is as easy as possible, not big panics in the kitchen. We go out for a walk and no one is pressured to be sociable if they don't want to.

Bogeyface · 30/11/2014 12:06

YANBU

I have said for years that Xmas Eve is the best part! Once the present opening frenzy is over then the rest of the day is like one of those interminable Sundays when we were kids! Nothing on the telly, nothing to do and if you are visiting people you cant just sit in your PJs mainling Baileys.

Its great for the kids as they have their new stuff to play with, I wish I was given toys for Xmas, I might ask Santa for a Lego Ewok Village Wink

Dancingyogi · 30/11/2014 12:23

I really like Christmas Eve because every is finally done and the dcs are very excited. We have no family at christmas, so Christmas Day is very low key and relaxing. But mostly I'm just glad it's all over for another year!

Libitina · 30/11/2014 12:57

"And then it's all over! I think I enjoy the run up to christmas rather than the day itself."

That's me too. I love the anticipation of xmas eve, but by 2pm on xmas day I've had enough.