To wish we could stop over complicating Christmas

[Beswitched]

Ever more elaborate decorations, Christmas boxes, expensive branded advent calendars, fancy alternatives to the standard Christmas Dinner, competitive posts on Facebook, manic manic shopping, trips to lapland, Secret Santa angst etc etc and the whole shebang starting in November.

Aibu to wonder what happened to a couple of presents from Santa, simple presents for family and friends, putting the beloved and tattered decorations up a few days before Christmas and enjoying a roast dinner together?
It all seems to have become so elaborate these days.

You can stop over complicating it whenever you like. But you can't expect others to do so. We choose the parts we want to do and ignore the others and accept that everyone is free to do the same! Why do you get to stay which parts are the uncomplicated parts that should stay and which are the parts that aren't. For some people cooking is complicated, for others family is, for me Christmas jumpers and advent calendars (I make my own which could be viewed as 'complicated' but it's my favourite part) aren't complicated at all and well worth the effort. So many peoole on mumsnet this year seems to think that everyone else's Christmas is filled with elaborate plastic tat but no-one I know in real life is like that, most people have picked a few things they enjoy doing and ignore the other parts. As long as people are mindful of the environmental impact of what they are doing and doing it because they want to and it makes them happy, leave them to it

I love Christmas, DH and I are fortunate that our respective work places close so it is lovely downtime for us with DC until the New Year. We don't do the Elf thing or Christmas bedding/pjs/box etc. We have a wooden advent calendar that is used each year.

We do what makes us happy and what we can cope with - time wise and financially. As for the food prep, I love cooking, so for me personally it's the highlight of the day!

My childhood memories of Christmas was time with family playing card and board games, watching films, attending mass and enjoying time together. That is what DH and I hope we have created with DC and what will be remembered in years to come.

agree!

its just 1 day!

we`re going away to centerparcs this year, so less presents (what we can fit in the car), more about family time and nature.

I know Social Media gets the blame for a lot but this time of year I think it is genuinely to blame for unreal expectations.

My general observation (not always true) is that the people who boast on social media about any aspects of their lives are those who are insecure.

• "My child's teacher said they were brilliant" (translation: they are normally told off for behaving like little shits)

• "My partner is so amazing! They just spoiled me with XYZ" (translation: They're normally horribly selfish and this is the first nice thing they've done all year)

• "Here's my shiny new prestigious car" (..."For which I can't afford the crippling finance and will probably end up repossessed").

The same can be said for Christmas, if somebody is sharing daily 'elf on the shelf' photos, 'making memories' in matching pyjamas, going OTT on the presents, spending fortunes on Christmas Eve Boxes and insisting on what a great Christmas they are having and how much they are 'spoiling' their children...what are they compensating for?

Just ignore social media at this time of year and enjoy Christmas in YOUR way.

You don't HAVE to do any of this stuff though, do you?

I am not anti-Christmas, I think it's a nice time of the year and having some time off work is ACE.

But I also think it can be very over the top.

I've bought a few presents for my family and will have a meal at my parents on the 21st with my sister and her family (sister is not here on the 25th). And that's it.

no trees, or decorating or trips because for me I just don't really care, personally.

I will have a nice quiet, peaceful Christmas enjoying the break as I am lucky that my work shuts down and that's it.

YANBU. We don't do Christmas Eve boxes or anything like that. I sometimes do new PJs to wear on Christmas eve. My dc think Elf on the Shelf is "creepy" so we don't do that. I have a big family - the dc already get way too much at Christmas - there's just no need for it.

I've simplified it this year buying proper presents for three people plus three token gifts.
A few nice food extras.
I love the baking so that's never a chore.
Sent a tiny amount of cards.
Two trees though and loads of events and parties. That's the best bit the socialising and time off with dp.

My christmas is no more elaborate today than when I was a child, though I imagine my children get more presents as when I was very young we didn't gave the money. But the rituals are the same. Its advent calendar, tree and decs up early December and presents and a big meal with family and friends. I put more decs up outside. I also do a personalised christmas card. I don't often get to Christmas mass. But other than that if my parents were to come down from heaven they'd recognise our celebrations as very similar to their own.

Don’t forget wreath making workshops!!

Yeah it’s getting silly, agree.....

When my children were small I had never heard of elf on a shelf or Christmas Eve boxes, no-one wore Christmas PJ's or jumpers ( the only ones I recall seeing were on cheapo market stalls - nasty polyester ones) Seems all these 'new traditions' are money spinners but it is up to people how they spend Christmas and what they buy.

Christmas is a walk out on moors, a bigger than usual roast dinner followed by a few drinks whilst moaning about the shite on TV for us.

Each to their own.

Nobody has to make it about elaborate nonsense, it’s actually possible to opt out and find the right balance for your particular circumstances.

I celebrate Christmas all throughout December because that is what the Danes do - in Denmark December is called the Christmas month. It’s all about hygge though, and not just about mindless consumerism. It’s all about handmade decorations, baking at home, natural foliage (foraged, wherever possible), traditions such as advent which bring a family together on the Sundays leading up to Christmas, and lots of warmth and cosiness inside during the long, dark lead up to winter. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, and it doesn’t have to be about stuff, either.

We do one Christmas present each between the four of us, so it’s really much more about togetherness and family than anything else.

I think most people do what they want - and some seem to enjoy the stress. We often prefer to go away - if you want to avoid it (almost) completely Asia is good! We have a Christmas tree beforehand, and parents come over for a roast lunch if they want to, few Christmas family films together, a few presents for each, but not much else. I've never considered doing anything to do with Elves, matching PJs, Christmas jumpers, lights on the outside of the house etc.

Just don’t do the bits you don’t want.

It’s simple!

Christmas jumpers were definitely a fairly niche thing until a few years ago. Now, they all seem to have "Christmas jumper day" at school - so every child is meant to have one, every year. I don't think I ever had a Christmas jumper as a child.

I find the level of money spent quite distasteful. Christmas Eve boxes, elf on the shelf, ostentatious teachers presents etc. There is really no need and we don’t do it

@thefluffysideofgrey it is confusing as it’s a big roast dinner basically

I saw a TV advert last week by a charity (I forget which) announcing a specific day as 'Christmas jumper day' and a day to donate.

I find the level of money spent quite distasteful. Christmas Eve boxes, elf on the shelf, ostentatious teachers presents etc.

Ah yes, but there is always a cost associated with social media bragging ;)

@PBo83 l hate social media bragging as well! I don’t see the need for that either

Don’t forget wreath making workshops!!
Yeah it’s getting silly, agree.....

I remember these from 20+ years ago tbf. And they are lovely because it encourages people to actually make something and most use fresh real plants.

I saw a TV advert last week by a charity (I forget which) announcing a specific day as 'Christmas jumper day' and a day to donate.

Yeah, it's Save The Children and it goes something like this.

• Donate £2 to 'take part'

• Spend FAR more on a disposable jumper you'll never wear again so you don't look like a 'Scrouge'

• £1 of the £2 then typically gets given back (in a work situation) in a 'sweepstake' (halving your donation)

• Save The Children then use 90% of your donation to run the company and pay its staff and directors

• You realise you've spent £20 to donate 10p to a genuine cause.

...just give a few quid to a decent local charity and skip the bullshit.

I agree but I think there has been more of movement this year encouraging people to have a more simple, ethical Christmas which has been good to see

I agree but I think there has been more of movement this year encouraging people to have a more simple, ethical Christmas which has been good to see

I'm also really pleased to see how many people on here are doing exactly that :)

I'm with you - I did my first shopping last week and will pick up the food on the 23rd. No silly elves, boxes or other imported "must do" rituals

Perhaps because its been hijacked by "charidee" - if you allow it to be.

Ah Save The Children that was it! Yup, sod that! Thankfully my children have left school so I don't have to deal with all of this forced bullshit.