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.

My opinion to christmas

It's only Christmas just one day. Do wtf you want

I've been feeling this way,I lost my Dad this year and I'd already lost my Mum,not long before my Dad passed away I lost 2 of my cousins and one of my Uncles that we were all very close to,2 of my DC won't be at home for Christmas and I'm finding that really hard to deal with and I'm so behind this year because on top of the shit storm that has been our life for the last 3 years our 2DC that are disabled have caught just about every bug going.

But amongst our family and friends I've always been known as the one that holds all of this shit together(I've always loved Christmas and everyone calls me Mrs Christmas)and I'm a Christian so Christmas is very special to us,so I'm going to fake it until I can make it (as they say)and just hope that I find what's missing for me this year before Christmas day.

Not really Christmas's fault but related.
We're going to OH's parents for Xmas and this involves a 24 hour flight with 2 primary age kids tomorrow.
So. I have hosted an early Christmas weekend for my parents, bought, wrapped and packed everyone's presents including his family's (extra hard because we need to choose small parents to lug there and back). I have packed for everyone except DH but he insists on sharing his list with me for input. Do one, I have enough to do.
I booked the flights, travel insurance and stopover. I've bought sun tan lotion and new beach shoes for the kids. Loaded up their ipads and found their headphones. New Kindle case and book for DD. You get the picture.
His job. To book the taxi to the airport.
Him 'which terminal are we? Oh, just give me the flight number'
Me, mid making dinner 'Flight no. XYZ' thinking he was looking it up.
But no. he was texting the flight number for me to look up....

Lost my shit. Though a red pepper HARD at the kitchen cabinet which exploded covering my kitchen in red gunk and seeds. For good measure I did the same with a cucumber against the splash back. Smells nice and cucumbery but fuck it' was a mess and I had to clear it up.

I have been stressedup the wazoo today. Dcs both with tummy bugs, home from school and mostly vomiting. DH is away until the 23rd. We have ILs and my parents coming.I am stressed.

But, while typing this, in the next room which is Ds1's room (SEN,largely non-verbal) I can hear him humming a crystal clear silent night (with added farmyard noises).

It's all good. :)

Kanye that licking the sellotape tip is inspired.

Had it got anything to do with age?

I’m 52 and just feel I’ve had enough of the whole thing. I love the day itself but it’s the whole build up- thinking what to get everyone, cards, decorations, bloody food, that feeling that you’ve forgotten someone or something, is horrible. (Last year I forgot about the dog but she didn’t notice so I’m not bothering with her this year [)

Think we're starting to see a rebellion against the spend, spend, spend of the commercial Christmas, there's only so far a stretched budget will go .At the moment it's a small minority but it seems to spreading Most of our budget goes on food and drink

But no. he was texting the flight number for me to look up....

WTF! Why?!

Usual situation. I buy all gifts for kids, dh and for them from everyone else. Of course whilst working full time.
Dd3 main gift was a dolls pram. Ordered from tesco using vouchers. This could only be collected by dh cos the clubcard is in his name. When he eventually went on the 22nd Dec they had sent it back to the warehouse and refunded the clubcard vouchers.

Oh the BIG family adverts (after a bereavement )
The PARTIES
The MONEY
The waste

Yeah not mega feeling xmas

Four years ago my fourth child was didn’t on Xmas day.
I love cooking Xmas dinner and have great pregnancy’s and so decided to carry on as normal and invite my family. “Darling” daughter was born three days early, my mum offered to have Xmas dinner at hers but I refused.
Come
The 25th we had had the combine amount of about 8 hours sleep since she had been born, and she had basically fed around the clock (thanks undiagnosed tongue tie) and wouldn’t be put down. I made Christmas dinner, my outstanding memory of that day was getting the Yorkshire puddings our of the oven with dd hanging off my boob 😳
Dinner was served - cue dd wanting feeding again, I disappeared off upstairs because she wasn’t happy unless I was fully exposed, by the time she’d finished feeding everyone had finished their dinner and I ate mine cold!! Was a great Xmas!!

Forthose who have tree stand disasters, we splashed out on one of these and it was a revelation
m.clasohlson.com/uk/Krinner-Premium-XL-Christmas-Tree-Stand/44-1193?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiNriiv6H2AIV4bftCh3mqAU4EAQYAyABEgLTRPD_BwE

That’s the one we have Neck it is indeed fab!

DH has yet again been to B&Q to find a tree stand today and they were sold out. We still haven't been in the front room since Saturday. He is off tonight and back next week expecting me to have sorted it. I don't want to. I just want it to piss off.

MrsKoala they have loads for sale on Amazon, some are on Prime, if you have it.

I've had 1 sort of Christmas meltdown - I sat sort of as it was more of a flounce tbh.
ILs live in opposite directions and both 3 hours away from us. My family all live close by. My dsis and SIL have children. MIL can't travel due to living on a farm.
So in trying to make plans, DM wanted us at hers because you can't expect dsis to come to us with nephew (he was 4). MIL wanted us at hers (for dinner, not to stay necessarily) as she can't travel and FIL wanted us there so he could see all his children on the day (but we couldn't stay as SILs family were there).
There was so much pressure to see everyone that I got very stressed. Was ranting at DH about the pressure and everyone else refusing to travel. He suggests we go away, knowing I had always refused. An I thought sod it, book something. We went to Prague. It was amazing. Relaxing, cold, beautiful.

Honestly, sometimes I think you need to step back and be a little selfish. Not everyone can have (or wants) the perfect family Christmas.
I love the season, but on my terms. We see the family we love but don't let them dictate plans, although we have been away for Christmas a few times since and it seems to 'reset' the expectations so we now get invited rather than just expected to arrive iyswim.

I am being bloody minded because i don't see why i should Lizzie. I know i sound a twat (and i am) but i feel indignant i paid for a tree to be delivered in a stand which made it stand up. I did this because i don't have the time or patience to dick about with a tree. AND despite this it still wont stand up. I'm thinking if i just leave the door shut and strop around the house slamming doors, it will eventually learn its lesson and just stand the fuck up! (i do occasionally open the door to check if it's done this yet but it hasn't so far -or at least it lays back down when it hears me coming. It's fine. It's a waiting game. I can wait)

I have cut back on gifts this year, quite frankly because I find buying for adults year after year tedious and stressful. Less is definitely more, I've culled a load of Christmas decorations too and feel so much better this year. I won't be faffing with any special Christmas food that never gets eaten, just a few posh chocolates and a good bottle of champagne.

I am so lucky to have grown up children who agree that most of the Christmas hype is crap! I feel for you all going through others expectations...I have a cow of a MIL who used to try and control everything , thank God I don't have to see her now...nuff said. I have a partner with Aspergers so have got used to doing everything myself..I think having small expectations has helped me cope..I love having my 2 kids here for Christmas but really..it's just another roast !!!

Poor 🌲 MrsK, It’s been put in the naughty corner

Here it is, the fucker. Nonchalantly leaning in the corner.

I’m totally going to cave and buy one of those expensive stands aren’t I?

We have courted nor given any invites to host Christmas day. We have booked lunch at a cheap carver pub and plan to just spend time chilling out all day without any of this obligatory nonsense.

I think we'll all have a cat nap too.

Oh and I'm going to eat whatever the fuck and whenever the fuck i like.

Yes you are, you can’t keave the poor thing there all Xmas.
The stands are worth it though, they last forever.

Lost my shit today with the selfish B and SIL, after years of them making no effort and having to travel miles to visit them at their home at their convenience finally told them to go do one! The thing that is making me smile because I never stand up for myself and they told me I wasn’t invited round on xmas day anymore. I’m actually thinking thank the lord I don’t have to endure it and buy them presents! I can’t even say I’m feeling guilty or regretting it.