To think Christmas is a hobby

[Sealia]

Obviously I'm not implying there's anything wrong with that, but AIBU to think for a lot of women (and it does seem to be women) Christmas is a kind of hobby? Preparing for it involves (or can involve) quite intricate planning, crafting, baking and shopping and it seems to be something many enjoy.

Definitely. It is as much work as you make it. No one needs to bake Christmas cake from scratch or make decorations or other such nonsense. It's a choice.

I suppose it kind of is. It's a hobby that everyone gets dragged into whether they like it or not. It's a hobby with specific dates, whether you're in the mood for it or not. It can be an expensive hobby.

It is. Some people go all out and spend xmas moaning about the month of shit they've 'had' to do though

Intricate planning I can understand- I can't afford to shop for Christmas on just my December wage!

Decorations I make because I haven't found any I like in the shops. I also make them as gifts (this year's Star Wars characters have gone down a storm).

I don't go crazy on food, the house isn't full of nibbles and chocolate, but lunch was full on. DH made it. I may have chopped up a carrot and stirred some gravy while downing a couple of shots (Crema de Arros if anyone's interested).

Trying to fit everyone in during the festive period does need planning - and I'm in Spain so festivities continue until lunch at the IL's on 6th January- Kings' Day. We'll be seeing the parade on the evening of 5th with friends and their dc, then having dinner at our house.

I am not a martyr and, bar a couple of things, we do Christmas the way we want to do it.

For some yes, the Mumsnet Christmas thread has been an eyeopener. I even discovered a new word 'poncetastic' Next year I intend to make it more hobby like.

I think there is some pressure to do Christmas 'properly' . What that means will vary, but for me it means at least home made cake and mince pies.

Oh yes! The Poncetastics LOVE THEM! I had a lot on this year so couldn't post much, but I hope to be on their next year.

There

I love it! I'm not a crafty person but I love cooking and entertaining and making the house stunning and cosy. I spend quite a bit of time planning meals and food shopping, and getting the drinks just right. I'm not so keen on present shopping so Amazon serves for that, and I use a charity gift wrapping service for the presents. I'm already feeling nostalgic for Christmas even though the tree will be up for nearly another week

I agree with KC the Christmas thread opens up another world.

Our family Christmas are always wonderful and we don't do half the prep or activities shown here.

No chocolate advent calendars, no creepy elves, no mass buying of presents, no Christmas Eve boxes etc. Our tree goes up the weekend before.

I am amazed at the amount of money spent and worry about the stress people work themselves up to trying to produce a "magical" and "perfect" Christmas.

If it makes you happy - why not? But I suspect that some of this stuff has the opposite effect and a pared down Christmas might actually be more joyful.

I agree it's a hobby! I absolutely love Christmas and spend loads of time on it that i don't need to making my own cards, decorations baking etc!

It is and I love it 😂

I have today started the toys for next year (dragons, polar bears, seals and dolls) all knitted. I have 20 to do but they only take a day or 2 each.

Then I have a blanket to crochet for DD, a couple of scarves, a few pairs of gloves and a cross stitch picture.

That should keep me busy until summer when I'm learning to sew.

I enjoy it, yes. However, for many friends and acquaintances it's yet more work in their already busy lives. And the work falls very heavily on the women's shoulders, far more than the men. It's changing, I think, but my generation/demographic (mid 40s and rural) it's 90% women's work, perhaps more! Probably different in more, ahem, sophisticated areas?.....

An obsession I'd say. Well it has been for me in the past, chasing the festive glow. This year was the best Xmas I've had in a long time and that's because I finally relaxed!

I think it's a certainly a hobby of sorts for some people, although all the people I know who treat Christmas like that are people who really enjoy that kind of thing - and that's fair enough, isn't it? Each to their own. I don't think anyone expects it of others.

I like doing the Christmas food and stuff like that - I make a Christmas cake, mince pies, biscuits and do a three-course lunch on Christmas Day - but I don't make decorations or anything like that (no time and no aptitude for it) and I absolutely HATE the shopping element of Christmas.

No one needs to bake Christmas cake from scratch or make decorations or other such nonsense

It's true that people people don't need to do that stuff if they don't want to, but if they do want to and they enjoy it, then it's not nonsense. People should just do whatever they choose. It's their Christmas.

We have a fairly low key Christmas but do enjoy all the extra nibbles.

However next year it will had to go up a notch as the school had an elf on the fucking shelf this year so dd has requested one for next year. Sigh.

really good way of framing it as a hobby

having known a different array of women /men coming at it from different ways...Dm never great at gifts def last min but put huge effort into last min decorating turning house into amazing christmas aladins cave, made it magical...

to woman who strongly against it - did zilch, commercial spending nonsense, pained her to send a card got cheapest cards to get through it because pressure on her t spend. Big salary - three owned houses, not poor by any means, her DH drank through it to get through the miserableness of it all.

I have found happy medium I hope.