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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Early January dead time or still joyful Christmas season?

116 replies

SnuggyBuggy · 02/01/2019 07:38

AIBU to be feeling a bit ugh at this time? I mean technically it's still the Christmas season but no one feels Christmassy, people are going back to work, I'm on mat leave and none of my regular stuff starts till next week.

Are there people who still manage to keep the Christmas feeling until 12th night?

OP posts:
AnneOfCleavage · 02/01/2019 08:07

I was pleasantly surprised to hear Christmas songs played in our towns' gardens yesterday whilst walking through. Put a smile on my face and I then cooked a mini Christmas dinner as felt in the mood. Still have my tree up but one set of lights have died on it so it's looking tired 🤣

Kids broke up fairly late this year so still on holiday so guess that helps as last year they were back today.

Kikipost · 02/01/2019 08:10

Just booked ice skating for this afternoon
Mary Poppins on Thursday
Friday walk with friends
Saturday day in London
Sunday chill

LOVE first week of jan!

elQuintoConyo · 02/01/2019 08:11

I'm in Spain and we still have Kings Day to come, do everything is still festive here. Schools don't start back until 8th, neither do I.

We might go the Christmas Park this afternoon with DS, tomorrow friends are coming round for hot chocolate and panettone my Christmas CDs are still playing on a loop!

The kitchen still has plenty of leftover Christmas food in it (mostly stuff from my rather rubbish work Christmas hamper), and there are a few Christmas chocolates and sweets left - most notably DS' candy cane reindeer on the tree.

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 02/01/2019 08:14

Bit if both - lots to plan this year and I’m worried about how brexit will bugger up investments and savings. And wondering if travel will be a pain after BDay. Loads of work to do too and I’m very lost my momentum at work and find it hard to be motivated.

Wondering how I will get anything done when back at work - a week and a bit off has been heaven!

BooksAreMyOnlyFriends · 02/01/2019 08:15

We still have the decorations up and purposely book the panto this week for something to look forward to. For me it's the time to relax and chill out after the madness of December.

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 02/01/2019 08:19

We still have the tree up although I was tempted to take it down yesterday. I guess if you have more time off work and other people to spend it with it's better.

Don't get me wrong, I bloody love Christmas but I find the biggest negative is the way all my friends dissapear with their families and become unavailable. Now my family and DH have left DD and I feel a bit lonely.

OP posts:
PixieCutRegret · 02/01/2019 09:07

I have family coming this Saturday who we haven't seen all Christmas. We're going to have a twelfth night dinner Smile

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 02/01/2019 09:09

A twelfth night dinner sounds like a pleasant tradition we should start. Besides we have loads of potatoes leftover Grin

OP posts:
adaline · 02/01/2019 09:29

Well I've been back at work since Boxing Day so the Christmas feeling ends rather abruptly for me!

I don't mind January but I don't feel festive. It's still a nice month though - nobody has any money so I can relax and do very little without feeling guilty!

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 02/01/2019 09:32

I struggle to keep up feeling Christmassy when going back after Boxing Day. I seem to work in the only place where it isnt "quiet and chilled out" between Christmas and New Year Grin. In fact between the reduced clinics with no reduction in patient need, less staff in and and hoc nature of it all it's a fucking nightmare Xmas Sad.

OP posts:
lidoshuffle · 02/01/2019 09:33

Celebrating up to Twelfth Night was fine in the days when Christmas celebrations started on 25th December. Now Christmas cards are in the shops in August, come the 27th I'm fed up of seeing them and I always take down the decorations before a fresh start on January 1st.

It's returning to work with the offices decorations still up that seems really depressing to me - like they are mocking us!

ShannonRockallMalin · 02/01/2019 09:34

I actually like the first week of January. I’m not a massive fan of Christmas, although we’ve had a nice time. Today I’m going to take down the decorations, shop for some healthier food and enjoy feeling optimistic about the year ahead before all my good intentions inevitably go down the plug hole Grin

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 02/01/2019 09:43

I definitely get the mocking feeling.

I'm not feeling too bad about 2019 and have some nice things to look forward to. I'm just not enjoying this lonely limbo time and want my normal routine back.

OP posts:
CookPassBabtridge · 02/01/2019 09:44

Christmas for me ends NYE and I like starting January fresh and leaving it all behind.

KingscoteStaff · 02/01/2019 10:10

Theatre tonight, cousins over for big walk and supper tomorrow, Twelfth Night dinner for 12 on Saturday (was going to be 6 guests but it’s got slightly out of control...) then decorations and tree down Sunday afternoon and back to work/school on Monday.

Quite a few of our friends were away last week, and the schools didn’t break up until the 21st, so all of our entertaining has been 27th onwards.

PoutySprout · 02/01/2019 10:11

We aren’t xmassy at xmas!

Today is DH’s birthday. Quite hard to make it exciting to be honest when everyone else is in a post xmas/new year slump.

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 02/01/2019 10:14

It must be a drag having a birthday at this time. Probably even more so for kids.

OP posts:
SisterOfDonFrancisco · 02/01/2019 10:16

I just want school to start again, am losing my plot with teething baby and bored anxious older child.

Kemer2018 · 02/01/2019 10:18

No I don't feel Christmasy now and am dreading 2019 due to DD health issues affecting her ability to walk and both oh and me have jobs which make us physically and mentally unwell.

recklessruby · 02/01/2019 10:46

I m not back at work till the 7th and my tree is so pretty it's staying up till 12th night.
However the broke feeling is creeping in as we are surviving on tax credit payments till the 17th.
But the days are a little longer and my birthday s on the 26th so I mostly like January. Also spring term is really short Smile

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 02/01/2019 10:54

Kemer Flowers

OP posts:
Biggerknickersagain · 02/01/2019 11:18

Work in hospitality and as most in this trade and a few others, December through to Jan 1st is the busiest time. I now have 4 days off and my decs are staying up so I can actually enjoy them and I'll be watching the Christmas programs I've recorded and eating the chocs I got for Christmas and have this morning bought a load of cut price festive food to gorge my way through 😉 until I go back Sunday this is my mini Christmas where I do what everyone else did a week ago - but cheaper because all the Christmas stuff is in sales 😁

Kikipost · 02/01/2019 12:12

What made a huge difference to last year was having a winter holiday to look forward to. We went to the Caribbean in Feb and it was absolutely wonderful.

I came back and rebooked for this Feb! So no just excited about that.

Not the most financially sensible long term decision for a single working mum of two. But absolutely zero regrets!

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 02/01/2019 12:16

I can believe it. I was having an awful Christmas about 2 years ago and remember sobbing to DH that I wished we could both dissapear on holiday for 2 weeks in January, even a dingy holiday camp in the UK would have done.

OP posts:
Kikipost · 02/01/2019 12:24

It has changed the way I see winter

Winter now means 9 nights in glorious sun in a luxury all inclusive. The pre build up excitement alone is worth the cost.