To Absolutely Loathe Christmas

[Fortyfatandfedup]

I feel a real grump today, but my family put such intense pressure on having a perfect Christmas that I just want to curl up under the duvet and not come out!

For example, my parents are massively materialistic, and I don't want my daughter brought up that way, so we've not bought her masses of stuff. However I know there will be a mountain of presents when we visit them tomorrow. It sounds really ungrateful, but for them it's quantity over quality - there will be so much absolute rubbish in there that we will end up giving most of it away (DD is only 2, so won't notice). There are so many examples where they force certain things on us to ensure they have the perfect Christmas.

It doesn't help that me and DH are sooo tired. We've both been ill with a sickness bug, and our daughter hasn't been that well either. I just want to sleep tbh.

I know it does sound unreasonable (and horribly ungrateful) but each year it seems to get worse and worse and I wish these few days to be over as quickly as possible.

Selepele, not everyone has joyous feelings toward Christmas. Glad it’s so lovely for you. I managed to grin and bare it for years but now, I can totally please myself. I choose not to. I’d rather not because frankly, life’s too short to pretend and go through the motions. Don’t get me wrong my family haven’t missed out on much, over the years but these days I’d rather do something useful on Christmas Day rather than smile and nod as I open a gift that means not that much to me.

I have always hated it. Total waste of time and money and what exactly are we celebrating, if we aren’t religiously inclined (which I am not?) OP I feel for you - grin & bare it this year then next year do your own thing.

Christmas for me as s child was always awful so I’m caught between processing really painful memories and breaking my neck to ensure my kids don’t have the same.
It’s really stressful, I don’t blame anyone who finds it hard. It’s even worse when people demand everyone enjoys it.
More infuriating still my mum now posts pictures of her cruises and how much she ‘loves’ Christmas despite being a drunken mess for all of ours.

It is the pressure of advertising which I have largely avoided.

I do not listen to carols or any of that Christmas music shite either. So quite calm here. Just a string of lights and a few scented candles for the occasion. Lost mum two weeks ago, so everything is an effort anyway.

No young children either.

Forced jollity makes me feel ill. And I am sure I am not alone with that either.

Anyway, since mum passed all plans are gone to the dogs. So we will meet up at my brother's house, all of us, in the morning and then go do what we want. We are a very accommodating family and Mum and Dad always encouraged us to be true to ourselves.

Happy Christmas to all.

I’m another one. Feel really pissed off that I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to do any of the things I used to enjoy about Christmas. Today I’ve been running round after my two adult dcs, who come home at Christmas and revert back to being kids again. They did nothing to help but made a mess.
Well next year they are in for a shock because I’m going away for Christmas- and they are not invited!

Funnily enough I have just said to DH that I do not want Christmas at home anymore. Too many losses and empty chairs.

He quite rightly said it is a year away now love. So we shall see.

Christmas should be like the Olympics or the World Cup. Once every four years would be great.

Having Christmas every bloody year means that the scale of greed, waste and consumerism is quite obscene. We try to keep the madness to an absolute minimum (no turkey, tree cards or decorations), but there is relentless pressure from relatives to comply with their perception of social norms.

We would like to opt out more than we do already, but the unfortunate reality is that you can only say no so many times before you cause serious offence.

I wish I liked it more.
I have worked many Christmas’s as it’s good money. My DC don’t mind as they with their dad every other year so we do it the next day

Last year ruptured a disc in my spine and was in so much pain as the only painkillers I could get my hands on were paracetamol and ibuprofen. I can hardly remember the day and spent it mostly crying. I didn’t play with the kids or really talk to anyone.

This year my washing machine broke, I’m working tomorrow morning then am spending the afternoon alone at my mothers house doing laundry. I will then pick up kids and drive an hour to my family where hopefully I will have a better Boxing Day. It’s really hard work and I only do it for my DC and niece and nephew. If it was just me (and I had money) I would just go on holiday

I had lovely family Christmases as a child with grandparents, auntie, uncle, cousins, we all played cards and daft games.
Most of these family members including my much loved parents are now dead and Christmas reminds me of my loss.
I am fortunate really I have a lovely DH and 2 children, but for several years now Christmas has been just the 4 of us and for me tinged with sorrow.

One day for all this angst, and next day more spending in the so called sales,

Baby Jesus would love it.

Bah hum bug, the only xmas spirit im getting into is the vodka lol. The older i get the more i dont like xmas.

LilyhatesJaz, I am sorry for all of your losses. I could have written your post - this is exactly how I feel.

Go away on holiday next year OP.

Why do people do what they hate at xmas. If you don't want to go there then make plans not to next year.
Next year have a lovely xmas at home with your own family, don't let anyone else come over. Do it.
I never leave my house or visit anyone at xmas, they can see me during the year.

Wait...., you give away some of her gifts that her gp bought for her? Do they know you do this? My family would be so insulted and ensure they never give a gift againnand risk it just being given away.

Yes, we do give some of her gifts away. There are plenty she doesn't look twice at, and so many children who would appreciate them more. If there are any that are special, (or mean a lot to her gp's) then of course we don't give them away.

I have never been a big fan of Christmas, even as a kid I was not that bothered about visiting FC.

I do not mind the lead up to Christmas (ice skating, Santa visits etc)

I am currently at PIL with all my DH family (who I love dearly) but all cramped into this house together is tedious, myself DH, our two kids and his sister, her husband and their two kids. Last night we were scrambling around filling stockings, my nieces woke up at stupid o'clock this morning.

I already have a banging headache from kids screeching and being over-excited , MIL is already stressing about the dinner. FIL has already given out heaps of sweets so now kids will go hyper. BIL and his four kids are yet to turn up...

I am only doing this because DH and I are moving abroad in a month so I can't begrudge him his last Christmas at home for a while.

I have no interest in Christmas anymore.
My fucked up childhood Christmas put pay to that!
I work in retail. People don’t look happy,they look angry. Many would like to leave it- but feel they have no choice but to carry on.
When my youngest is grown up - l won’t bother at all. My other children are adults and don’t care either.
My husband loves it, and is off work to we use it as a time to relax all together. That’s it though!

Just the crabbiness about it all. We are all like automatons. We must buy lots of gifts. We must do the food shopping frenzy. We must.

I feel really depressed about it today.

Not a fan here either. Agree that every four years would be perfect. It's a grey, cold miserable day here and I want it to be spring already.

It seems like most people have been doing "Christmas" since about the beginning of November.

Couple of days and it will all be back to normal. Thank goodness.

Oh I loathe it too. Woke up with a sinking heart. Once aged mother is dead I will be free to do as I wish- go far far away, or just stay in bed.

I’m with OftenHangry . I love Xmas. I was finishing preps at 2.30am and am about to start cooking.
But I work full time, I’m always rushing & Xmas means I get to spend days actually playing with my ds and doing things together.
I think you need to establish your favourite family Xmas and do that instead of someone else’s. I’d claim sickness tomorrow and go for two hours maximum. Then home to relax & recuperate

swimmer and Shelby that sums it all up for me. That’s exactly how my Christmas used to be. Right now, I have grown up “kids” with no grandchildren as yet but I am truly dreading having to do ALL OF IT again, in the future. Cobblers, I agree that everyone looks cross, frenzied and knackered. There’s just no “joy” any more. We have my 80yr old mum staying. Bless her, when she is no longer here I too would like to go far away, quietly and just forget about it.

I loathe it usually. I've cracked the code this year. Kids woke up here and had some presents, they're still just about young enough go get excited but old enough to have given me specific items to get so no panicky padding, Cuddles and nice breakfast then they're're off to their dads in a bit for the rest of the day. I'm going back to bed until my boyfriend comes round later, nice simple dinner early night and not a single sprout will be cooked.