to wonder if I am the only one who isn't crazily busy at this time of year

[AthenaisdeRochechouart]

Or ever for that matter

Everyone on MN seems to be busy, busy, busy all the time - I'm starting to feel inadequate! Anyone else just pootling along?

I poodle sometimes but don’t have children at home any more and work part-time. Even then, I have busy times - many of which are self inflicted engagement with the community and socialising though.

Pootle!

I’m a single parent so trying to get to the shops without the kids in tow is impossible. Even just a trip to Tesco this time of year is an evenings activity.
My DCs are in bands/choirs etc so this time of year they have lots of concerts so it seems really busy but not with anything interesting!

We're not super busy. The dc have a couple of things on and I have 2 nights out this week. My dd has ASD and can't deal with big crowds and rushing around so we keep things low key.

The kids have loads on but I don't really. And DH is sorting all the Christmas stuff out while I'm at work so no need to go shopping/ wrap presents etc.

I'm hardly ever busy when I'm not at work (I work part time). One DD who is 18 and on a gap year. No local relatives and a husband who is semi retired.

The only running around I have to do is take DD to and from work when the trains are on strike (every Saturday where we live), and collect her from a late shift when the trains have stopped running.

I’m on holiday at the moment so definitely not busy....

I am retired now and live alone. I bought some presents during the year, just a few to get on Monday. Wrapping in the evening and cards to write.
My one social event is on Tuesday. Maybe drinks on Friday but not sure yet.
Just poodling here as well.

definitely a pootler here, having 2 teens who just want cash is a lot easier ;-)

I work from home so don't have the ordeal of the works Xmas do and Finding Something to Wear.
I have the grand total of ONE night out with friends.
DD is old enough to organise herself - just needs some taxi-ing.
DH organises most of DD's presents online.
We'll get food for Xmas Day next weekend.
Nieces and newphews old enough to just want cash for Xmas.
Grown-ups don't buy for each other anymore.

I bloody love Christmas

I’m not busy. Had one work Christmas event which I wasn’t home late from.
Spent commute and less busy moments at work comparing presents online and bought from early November and still a few to get (but I know what I’m getting).
Writing cards took about 30 mins.
I’ve planned a few Christmas themed days out for DC but if it was another month I’d still have tried to plan something to do a few times in the month but it just would have been different things.
I’m enjoying December but it’s about 1% busier than any other month.

Me too. I can't share the frenzied anticipation I'm afraid. It is just one day.
We have put a few lights up but have yet to decide whether to get the tree out. Christmas cards sent. Presents for children and grandchildren will be money with a token gift to open on the day.
It does help that we are all going to DS for Christmas day.

I'm not busy now. I only buy presents for my dc, they are done and wrapped now.
Nativity play is done, just the Christmas concert on weds.
I'm a sahm so no works stuff to deal with.
We're out for Christmas day and boxing day so no special shopping to get in.
Two weeks of no school runs with happy dc sounss good to me.

I'm busy but it's self inflicted. The kids' school do a lot of trips out to the local churches and the linked school this time of year and always ask for parent helpers to walk along with the kids - and I seem to be one of the reliable parents so end up doing all of those, plus all the school governor meetings fall this side of the term so that's going on as well, and then it's just taxiing the kids around Christmas parties for their various activities they do.

I'd rather be busy than bored though.

I’m never busy. I work full time and have a DS who has autism but due to the fact he hates going anywhere, we rarely have anything on.

It's because everyone's on Mumsnet including me

I am with you OP!
But I've always taken Christmas nice and slow, because imo it's time to relax and be merry with friends and family.
Shopping slot bookdd, pressies wrapped, decorations up... Deep clean moved to January as a "New Years clean"😊. Admittedly we don't have children, but with number of businesses and ft study fir me we are never bored. Just not hectic

It's all an attitude of mind. Two people can have the same amount to do and one will consider themselves frantically busy and the other will just get on with it. Or at least that is my observation.

It depends what you call busy I guess.

It's the time where there are non-stop Christmas activities for the kids, at school and weekends, so on that aspect there's always something going on.

Tree has been up since the 01st December, presents are wrapped and safely hidden away. I think Christmas is a lot more social than the other winter months, so some people might call that busy. Spring summer and the barbecue season is just as busy, in a different way! The only thing in December is that you need to book anything in advance when you want a drink or a meal out or you won't get a table.

Agree with Lady and I genuinely think some people just love the busyness, I don’t go overboard with nights out, don’t go mad with excessive present buying, plan celebratory meals carefully and shop accordingly. I don’t get ‘guilt’ about expectations to visit certain friends/family over Christmas. I work in retail & although I hope I always offer excellent customer service I do have a quiet smile to myself at how het up some people get, but that works in my favour as they spend loads of money on ‘last minute’ gifts.

I put limits on how busy I choose to be.

A family to care for, have my own small business Christmas could potentially swamp me.

I stop accepting orders (breaks my heart really) I could earn four times what i am making right now but I want to spend time with my family, still go to the gym etc.

I'm not busy except at work (pt).
I declined the works do but Mr roped me into his works do next weekend, sadly.
It's more the 80 mile round trip (twice)to drop child off at my mums which pisses me off.
It's just not worth the ball ache for somethings I didn't choose to do.
We had dinner at dads yesterday and drink at friends house so that's done.
That's about it apart from main day.

My children are under 2 so don't have many presents and I ordered it all online in October. We don't buy presents for anyone else. We go out for dinner on Christmas Day.

So I have nothing to do really!

Not that busy - maybe a couple more social things in than normal ie, work do, but im not making the lunch on Cmas day as going to relatives, we’re going away btwn xmas and new year but won’t pack for that yet and we don’t celebrate Cmas for religious reasons (only have family meal as nothing else to do on the day).

I do think it’s kids that makes a difference. I don’t have any, I am out a bit more often but nothing I can’t handle. With it being winter I don’t want to be outside much so there is plenty of time to plan and wrap presents, get the tree up etc.