To be thankful Christmas is over for another year....

[Oakenbeach]

Presents opened by 6am.... Dinner eaten and decorations RIPPED down and back in the loft. Roll on New Year.

OP, I admire the way you are defending your position against some very horrible posts.

I completely disagree with you re organisation (I started C'mas shopping on 23rd), but that's because I want Christmas to be over and done with as quickly as possible.

And, no, I haven't booked a 2020 holiday because I haven't been on holiday, anywhere, since my first DC started (independent) school 13 years ago. Not even a day trip. The last one will finish in about 4 years' time, by when I'll be stuck with university fees. So there.

So I'm in both camps...

Assuming this is even a little genuine, Boxing Day sales being classed as a tradition is EVERYTHING that I hate loathe about our society. Ugh. Grim grim grim.
Shopping is not a hobby. Shopping is not an interest. Shopping is not leisure time.

(Only joking! Oh alright, no I'm not).

We never book holidays more than a few months in advance - it's hard to know where you'll fancy until nearer the time. I can't see the benefit in committing so early.

"I know some people who write a list of who sent what when they open the presents."

How else can you keep track and get children to write thank you letters? I hate not thanking, so entitled. I don't care, these days, if it's a text, phone call, email or the traditional letter but just let me know you received it!

Op I 100% agree and Christmas Day I’m so happy as Christmas is nearly over!! You’re braver than me for starting a post about it though.

My fingers are itching to pack up the tree but I don’t think my dc will let me for a couple of days but hopefully by the eve of the 27th it will be gone. I have done a quick clean and thrown out the wrapping paper etc and that I have thrown out as much Xmas food as I can though, except the heathy leftovers.

I do enjoy the lead up to Christmas and those events (visiting Santa, carols concert, school Christmas play, looking at lights, Christmas markets) but come the 24th I want it to be over!

The 24th and 25th is too full of sugar highs, overtired children and emotional roller coasters to be enjoyable and I can’t understand when people talk about spending time with their children at Christmas, Id much rather spend time with them on the most typical of days.

I think you're being a bit of a jingle bellend OP

I gather the Other Place is trying to get this thread pulled, on the grounds that if it isn't a troll, it's someone with MH problems.

Is it not possible for some people to want Christmas to be over and done with asap, without them being either trolls or in need of counselling? FFS.

Shopping is not a hobby. Shopping is not an interest. Shopping is not leisure time.

How judgmental!

Anyway, it doesn’t matter if I enjoy it or not, it’s clearly part of what’s expected of us. Shops need us to spend in the dry spell post-Christmas for the sake of the retail sector. Otherwise why would they advertise like they do! Sometimes I think people on here want even more of our shops to go under. I’m proud to be doing my bit for them tomorrow, even as many of you laze around eating Christmas leftovers.

That’s all very noble of you OP.

There are plenty of other ways to keep people in jobs without buying stuff and more stuff in the sales. Support small makers. Buy upcycled clothes. Eat in locally run restaurants. Go to an art house cinema, local pop up ice rink, local theatre.

So pleased our family enjoy Christmas.Im working ATM and tommorrow m ght but after a quick kip on Friday down to my brother's whose family are going to make me feel festive.And I will go with it as it's traditional!
My only outing to the shops will be for the weekly shop on Sunday.

Prepping for sales... You know, choosing what to wear, planning out itinerary, working out what to buy, settling on route and car park, making sure I have the change for car park etc... If planned for properly I can be one of the first there, have it all done and be back in good time for lunch, all ticked off on my calendar for another year.

Christ.... this is one of the most depressing things I've read on here.

Scrooge? Is that you?!

Christ.... this is one of the most depressing things I've read on here.

Why is being organised and achieving things so derided!

even as a wind-up it is joyless

This. It's not amusing, though I'm guessing it's possibly meant to be? Ho ho ho.

Anyway, it doesn’t matter if I enjoy it or not, it’s clearly part of what’s expected of us. Shops need us to spend in the dry spell post-Christmas for the sake of the retail sector. Otherwise why would they advertise like they do! Sometimes I think people on here want even more of our shops to go under. I’m proud to be doing my bit for them tomorrow, even as many of you laze around eating Christmas leftovers.

Consumerism has had its day. There is no more room for the amount of cheap polluting crap churned out endlessly by poorly paid workers in developing countries. You like to shop, fine. You're at liberty to do so but don't dress it up as a favour you're doing for the country.

How intolerant so many people are of anyone with different ideas of “the perfect Christmas”

All the “how sad” comments as if OP has her children caged and abused 🙄

I get that the op is trying to be amusing for some reason but the fact there are posters who agree with her is baffling. What a joyless way to live.

Our house full have just left, baby is in bed, we are having a glass of wine in front of the fire and I'm looking forward to tomorrow with just DS & DH mainly eating cheeses. DS didn't even open his presents from us today (did his stocking this morning but then a steady stream of family gifts has rendered ours excessive) so he's got that to look forward to tomorrow as well

@FrivolousPancake anyone who "rips" the decorations down on Christmas is questionable IMO!

I find Christmas very hard to deal with, but will always put on a show for the children.

As far as I'm concerned, I've finished the champagne, so Christmas is done. Everything stays up til the 1at so they can enjoy it.

I don't get the obsession with being "ahead". Christmas decorations used to go up around Christmas Eve and stay until 12th night, so they were there over New Year. Now they are up from beginning of December and "ripped down" early. What is virtuous about that? Not judging you for being glad Christmas is over, that's up to you, but it doesn't make you more efficient or superior.

I was pretty much the same, my kids were with me on xmas eve then went to their dad about midnight xmas eve each year. I'd take all the decorations down immediately, clean up and then get up to spend a luxuriously lazy day totally alone eating what I wanted and watching tv. Bliss.

Tho one year I threw my tree and all the decorations into a skip outside late xmas eve as I'd decided to replace next year. The wind whipped up and blew baubles into all the neighbours gardens. I think they thought I'd had some form of hysterical breakdown...

If I were still single and alone at Christmas, (or with someone less bothered about decorations than my partner!) I'd have the decorations down and away by now so OP is NBU!