To have completely just lost my shit and spirit of Christmas?

[Rangelife]

I'm walking across an icy, freezing northern city after rushing into Sainsbury's to buy a shifty secret santa present for work.

A bastard glass hot chocolate snowman kit for a fiver. I'm trying to simultaneously shove the thing into a shitty gift bag, whilst tying the ribbon and ripping off the stupid plastic hanger thing and screaming in my head 'I'm sick of this shit!'

I don't even know the woman I've bought for and I was ill yesterday so missed the food and secret santa swap. AIBU to think this isn't what it's meant to be like?

I want to be a child again. Please regale me with your Christmas meltdowns so I don't feels so irritated with the festive season. Please.

I'm weirdly disappointed MrsK.

MrsK today DH and I went to John Lewis. There in beautiful rich embroidered velvet was something described as a 'skirt'. I picked it up and said ;who the feck is skinny enough to get this around their waist??!!' Turns out it was a skirt for the stand of a christmas tree.

Your tree needs one. Just saying.
www.balsamhill.co.uk/c/christmas-tree-skirts

On day, when you are sitting in your old peoples' home with no presents - secret Santa or otherwise - to send or receive, no cards on the mantlepiece

Not me . They will have suite drugs by then for the unwanted elderly

But I get your point

I've had several successful Christmas's with friends - one thing we always do at the beginning of the holiday is play a game for 'jobs' - they can be as simple as 'sweep round once an hour for empty glasses and cups and wash them up and put them away' - 'make and wash up breakfast' - entertain children between 2 and 4 ... they will vary year on year.

Everyone knows how they can contribute (good if you have for example your brothers gf there who wants to help but doesn't want to pester every two mins with 'what can I do') and more importantly everyone knows that they have to contribute.

Jobs can be swapped but not avoided!

On day, when you are sitting in your old peoples' home with no presents - secret Santa or otherwise - to send or receive, no cards on the mantlepiece

I don't need to wait till I am in an old peoples home. I cant remember the last time I received a present or a Christmas card and I have never took part in Secret Santa.

Yeah Jazz thanks for reminding me how shit Christmas is going to be for certain members of my family. That's really helped me . Currently doing my best to make things a bit more bearable for them but they are 400 miles away and I have a job and family that are also demanding huge amounts of energy. Just feeling tired and emotional and would be happy to opt out entirely, but I have my own children to consider and am trying to keep things relatively normal for them.

ranger
swap labels

you freeze horses ? 😳😳

Totally agree. I feel sad that I feel like this. I agreed to join the office choir. We now have to perform on Tuesday with no proper rehearsals. I've got backing music now and MacGyvered together some song books. I know it's me, but people have been encouraged to photograph us and I don't want them to. It's going to be a disaster.