AIBU to think that Christmas should be a four-yearly event?

[PineappleDanish]

A bit like the Olympics, or the World Cup.

For the overwhelming majority of people it's not a religious celebration. And of course if Christmas is about religion for you, you can still go to church. But AIBU to think the whole thing would be better if it was once every four years rather than annually, starting the first week in September?

Total ban on decorations, present buying, consumption and spending for the sake of it, no elves, no christmas jumper days, no cheesy music, no pantomimes, no trees, no stress, no works nights out, just none of it.

Would be amazing.

So would people only get the time off work once every four years too? That sounds horrific.

I gave up on all the hype around this time of year many years ago.

Now I only ''do'' a tree (a three foot one) no other decorations except for fairy lights in a vase.
Lunch is just a normal sunday roast with turkey,sprouts and pigs in blankets.
A few nice ''treats'' for tea/supper.
The door is always open to anyone that wants to pop in but they have to take things as they find them.
Saves all the stress and getting into debt.
It's a really nice,relaxing day in our house.No pressure on me at all.

You really don't have to buy into the notion that you need to spend thousands and have enough food in to feed the whole country for a month.

Twee as it sounds,it's what YOU make it.

Yes!!!!! This year its started ridiculously early.

It should be in August north of the equator and December south of the equator but still be each year.

No chance! I love Christmas, something to look forward to when winter starts drawing in. Just refuse to participate or if you find it stressful, be more organised.

Completely agree OP. And nobody puts a gun to your head but look at all the family pressures - and indeed from work colleagues too, to attend Christmas parties.

It is enforced jollity and is a bit of a pain. I prefer Easter.

Excellent idea. The children would not need a holiday from school either so could go straight through from September to Easter. Actually make that every 4 years too and they can go through to July.

Just refuse to participate

It's not about participation for me. I'm quite happy to have a nice meal with my family and exchange some modest gifts/make donations to charity. But it's rammed down your throat whenever you turn on the tv, go into a shop or walk down a street passed decorated houses for weeks beforehand!

I used to hate Christmas. Two decades of retail work was the reason.
Now... I like it. But that is because I just do the parts I like and enjoy. I enjoy buying the pressies - I don't buy stupid amounts. Non of this present for a cousin I last saw in 1998 nonsense. I like to decorate the tree. Basic Poundstretchers tree we have had for years, decorations collected over the years, some homemade.
Food is left to my husband because he likes that (I have zero interest) but it is pretty much a regular meal with added cheesecake (I like that so not completely zero interest then!).
I like the prettiness of Christmas lights up everywhere. I mean it's getting dark at blimmin half 3 so it's nice to have something brighten the darkness. I have never paid more than a couple of quid to take my child to visit Santa. I don't think it's compulsory to see a panto - my child wouldn't enjoy it. We don't feel the need to fill the holidays with lots of activities and events. Don't like the local craft fairs? Then don't go. Don't like Christmas Carols? Don't go to a carol concert. Don't want to wear a Christmas jumper? Don't wear one. Don't like mince pies? Don't eat them.
Christmas can be whatever you want it to be really. If you want to ignore it for 3 years then go ahead.

I love Christmas, I like everything about it - buying gifts, decorating the tree, seeing family and spending time with them, drinking champagne, menu planning lots of nice meals and then cooking them.

So how about you lend me your Christmas and we can do an extra one mid-year?

OP, forced pressure to be jolly when you're depressed is awful. So is all the commercialised tat, and the competitive present giving/hostessing/decorating.
But none of those have anything to do with Christmas.
For us Christians, the whole of December is Advent, a period equivalent to Lent before Easter, when we are supposed to turn away from worldly excess, examine our spiritual life and prepare for the coming of Christ.
For me, the best bit of Christmas is the Watchnight service on Christmas Eve. The candlelit church at midnight, the magical atmosphere of anticipation, and the joy as midnight strikes and we all hug both friends and strangers to celebrate Christ's birth.
Without that awe inspiring gift to humanity, the season is just a meaningless midwinter feast, trying to stave off the dark and cold with excess food and alcohol. No wonder the inherent emptiness of that is soul destroying.
Come to church, OP. Have a smile at the Sunday school kids performing their Nativity, sing some beautiful carols, warm your soul with the knowledge that God loves us enough to die for us. Come again at midnight and celebrate his gift of Christ, and Christmas will become the festival of love it was meant to be.

It’s just one day and I’m fine with that.
We keep it low key and just enjoy the whole vibe.

I love it!!!! I don't start in September though, I just try to ignore it all until the 1st of December

YABU

Pmsl

at tiny tears baby jesus in a sling

I have friends who have a very low key Xmas. Literally v few gifts, a normal lunch and a dog walk.

YABU!

I have never felt so strongly that someone on AIBU is wrong! I love Christmas, my family love Christmas. Why should we only have 1/4 the amount of Christmas's because of people who don't enjoy it?

September to December? A four month celebration every four years is basically the same as a 1 month celebration every year. YABU and more importantly, you are doing Christmas all wrong!

I'm not depressed!!! I have been in the past but know that now I'm most certainly ok.

I have no issues with Easter it Halloween or the rest of it. Just hate "festivities".

I love Christmas and it's the only thing that gets me through the darkening days etc. I have a small family though and we generally keep it quite low key which maybe helps. I also use it as a time to reflect on the year and thank the people who've been there for me.

Every four years would be fine for adults, but would mean that children experienced it differently depending when they were born. If you had Xmas at 2, 6, and 9 you'd likely really "believe" only once.

Also other people's festive enjoyment does affect me. I dint want to come home every day to see my neighbour's horrendous projected "merry Christmas" on his house. I don't want to hear Christmas music every tinge I put the radio one. I dint want to answer "are you ready for Christmas" every sodding day from 1st December.

Fucking elves - now I've seen them on the tree, and I've seen them on the shelves but coitus? Not yet.

Also other people's festive enjoyment does affect me.

But if Christmas was every 4 years the festive enjoyment would be much worse.

The year before Christmas year would be filled with everyone excited that next year was Christmas again, reminiscing about how it's been so long since the last one.

The year of Christmas would be overbearing as everyone would be trying to outdo each other, making memories and getting the most out of a 4 yearly event.

Then the year after would be filled with everyone excitedly comparing their Christmas with one another, and thinking about how to do it better next time.