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.

And pay off the victims....

YABU

you have the CHOICE, you are free to join in as much or as little as you want.

I like a lot of it because it cheers up a very miserable, dark and wet month like December.

Pick the bits you want to do and ignore the ones you don’t ...we don’t do elf’s on shelves or Christmas Eve boxes and only do the £2 advent calendars ... we did one trip to Lapland several years ago but haven’t visited a Santa since ... it wouldn’t have been the same . We do the dinner , presents and stockings and alternate Christmas Day

Yabu
There's no virtue in simplicity. It's just your choice how much you want to do.

I have 3 advent calendars, chocolate, loccitane and gin
Sorry about it

ahh save the children......use fucking chuggers. so they get nowt from me!

I agree I am suffering badly with my MH and seeing Christmas in a whole different light this year, I just need to make it special enough but I can’t face going over the top

Curiously those who are Pagan and see it as a midwinter solstice, those who are Christians and see it as marking Jesus birth, those of other religions who respect the religious significance of the holiday are much less stressed out. Likewise those who may not believe in a faith, but see it as a holiday are chilled.

Those who worship money, boastfulness, Look At My Huge Tree, materialistic "Excuse me, but my husband has pointed out that we probably have more money (or credit) than you are the ones who are stressing out, getting deeper into debt, unhappy and angry.

I'm unsure really, Christmas when I was younger few Christmas presents and having a lovely roast, now yes so much pressure specially form kids, everyone wants what everyone else has got,
I didn't have much as a kid so I do enjoy going a little crazy
This year was either presents or Disneyland for 3 nights over Christmas and I still ended up getting few presents in the sale. I don't think why don't I just keep with simple and that's it, but simple just not an option anymore presents are over priced and just not needed but they want the lastest things, it's one day a year so as long as your not stressed over it then I don't know what's the bother.
Disneyland cost me around the same amount as it would be spending loads of Christmas dinner snacks presents petrol visiting
So I'm happy, plus I do it for me and the family not just the kids.
But I Defo get it

There is every virtue in simplicity- it's less shit for the environment to deal with

YABU you can stop at any time. I am quite happy seeing what everyone's Christmas is about, especially freinds and family. But ours is, and has been since we had dc (now 21&18) very simple.

Christmas Eve, go out for dinner (just the 4 of us), get back to find Santa has been and left new pj's and stockings, lock up.

Christmas Day, stay home, play with toys/gifts, chill, eat and snooze. No dinner just grazing on nice food and choc all day. Just the 4 of us.

Boxing day, chill or meet freinds, more chilling, more grazing.

The odd person has joined us now and again over the years, but it's rare. For 36 hours we just shut ourselves away and relax. Bliss.

Nah, my family have grown up knowing all that stuff doesn't matter.
You don't have to get involved with it. It's rare we start anything xmas related until 2 weeks before.
Our tree and other decs will be out around the 15th this year, then me and dd will probably spend some of the holiday watching films and baking.
You don't have to join in the chaos if you don't want to.

I’d never heard of a Christmas Eve box until I started reading MN.

It’s without a doubt, the wankiest new thing, I’ve ever heard of

It's nothing to do with 'virtue,' @shoxfordian. But a lot of the people who get caught up in all the ridiculous add ons feel pressurised into doing so. Their kids see the gardens down the road done up like Santa's Grotto and want more exciting decorations, work has decreed a certain day as 'Christmas jumper day' and you're made to feel awkward if you don't join in, you nip to the supermarket for a few groceries and can't get into the car park etc etc etc.
It can be hard to avoid the madness sometimes.

I’d never heard of a Christmas Eve box until I started reading MN.

It’s without a doubt, the wankiest new thing, I’ve ever heard of

What? Wankier than the Elf/1st December Box bollocks...surely now?!

*surely NOT

People should have a bit more sense of their own identity and autonomy than to join in if they can't afford to or don't want to or haven't got time to.

I remember when the Christmas jumper ritual was in the pub for a swift beer before lunch, whilst wearing the terrible jumpers your Nan or Aunty Mabel used to buy. It started as a pisstake.
I used to work the lunchtime shift on Christmas Day because my family was so dysfunctional, I'd prefer to be working, it was more fun. Back in those days it was strictly 12-2pm.
Those jumpers were genuinely funny.

I love a big Christmas. There are 17 of us who all get together from Christmas Eve to the 27th and it's great just to spend time together catching up and playing games. I must admit I also really enjoy the elaborate stuff like a big fancy dinner and putting up decorations (mine all went up at the end of November... ). I like the run up to Christmas as much as the actual day I think!

I do think that there's a risk of a lot of waste though over the Christmas period. I'm feeling very conscious of it this year and we're trying to reduce it a bit by doing things like not buying many presents (and no plastic tat...) and reusing wrapping paper; it is very tricky though.

Yes the Christmas outdoor lights battle is very strong this year. I don't recall that being a thing when growing up - maybe one or two infamous homes who put the lights up and asked for donations to a local charity.
Guess things like that are affordable for most households now if so inclined.

@shoxfordian social pressure and peer pressure have always strongly influenced how people behave. As you get older it's easier to resist and feel comfortable doing things your way but it can be a struggle for people. We're all human.

Agree, I have totally toned my Christmas down otherwise it becomes a stressful event and it shouldn't have to be really. I don't engage with all the social media posts, I choose not to post photos online anymore.

True
Do you feel pressured into doing more christmas stuff than you want to op?

Agree wholeheartedly. Consumerism at its best.

I love Christmas, having my DDs at home and all the family.

We've always done simple, can't be arsed with trends. I spend most of December with my head in recipe books

I agree there is some pressure from the kids to take part in the over-complication of Christmas - my 7yo has started on about the elf this year, and also why can't we have a 20' inflatable Santa on our roof like some neighbours do?

I can't be doing with any of that, so we don't do it.
Don't do Christmas jumpers because it's Australia and too hot, but I do like a nice Christmas t-shirt (which don't cost a lot and the kids wear them all summer anyway).
Never heard of a "Christmas Eve box" - but having now looked them up, I can see where the idea came from and still think they're a load of old bollocks and just another way to add to the expense and overloading of children with yet more stuff.
I could see the point of giving one to someone you knew who was in need and might not have such a great Christmas - but then that might come across as condescending and rude, so maybe not.

I did buy a wooden advent calendar last year from Aldi - but the little drawers are too small to get much into so this year I just bought the standard Cadbury's one again, as at least that doesn't involve a ton of plastic shiz that just takes up room.

We're supposed to be making our own crackers this year too - bought the "snaps" and have some decorating stuff, plus have been saving loo rolls - now just have to find the time to actually DO them!

I do love Christmas - but it is a lot of hype and build up, which does seem to get more pressurised each year, so YANBU.