To climb in to bed and sleep the rest of this day away?

[Platypusmama]

Dd is 17months. I put a lot of thought into planning for today, getting her gifts she would (I thought) love. I know she’s still wee but I wanted to start the magical train off early.

It has been a disaster. Tantrum after tantrum, wanting to be held the whole day, which I gladly do but I was trying to get everything ready to head to my mums for dinner and of course OH is a useless twat busy doing other stuff and unable to help. She missed her nap because we’ve been rushing around and was overstimulated, overtired, I ended up having to cancel on my mum and she’s now snoozing away happily while I try not to cry.

Every year it’s the same. Mad excitement about how the day will be Oh so magical but it always ends up being shit. oh is such a moody twat, he started the day off shouting at me and then was in a mood because no one messaged him merry Christmas, even though I did, his mum did, his dad etc. We’re obviously not special enough.

God. First world problems I know, but I feel utterly defeated. Please tell me this is all because dd is too young and overtired? I don’t want to believe that I’m a crap mum but I sure do feel it.

Not sure where there’s a culture that involves being a twat.
Twatlandia?

My DH isn't a fan of Christmas either and gets stressed if I do too much off the IT MUst be MaGicAL type stuff that I used to be a fan of but can't really be arsed with these days.

Next year just try to tone it down, keep it all calm, don't buy into the hype, tree up just a few days before Christmas, forget it all being perfect. And you'll have a much nicer time.

He sounds shit!

You clearly were expecting too much from your 17 month old. Bless her, she's too young to get excited about Christmas yet. We have cancelled as everyone has flu, apart from me. Two year old opened presents, but he is ill and clingy at the moment. He's enjoyed playing with his new toys and he liked opening presents. But no eyes lit up or excitement. I think next christmas when he's three he might get it all a bit more. But I still don't expect him to be super excited.

Your poor mum

@Notsure94 yes I was also thinking 4 or 5, but I have no experience as yet.

I remember how 'magical' everyone said DS 1st Christmas would be. What a croc.
Ds is nearly 4 now. Good day. But no time to chill.
Christmas Day can also be a bit of a pressure cooker as well.

Pack an overnight bag and take your dd to your Mum's for the rest of the Christmas bank holiday. Sod your miserable OH. I'm sure your Mum would much rather you went over and she could help out with the little one than you were at home crying and feeling miserable.

And leave your OH at home to be miserable on his own.

OH being twat is a common occupancy, though he won’t admit it. It’s a cultural thing I think, he is just very abrupt and loves to pass opinion without offering any help.

Well what's the point of him, then?

You have a few more years yet before she will get fully excited.

What culture encourages shouting at your wife first thing in the morning?

It's your own fault for building it up to be something that was never going to happen. You were shit for cancelling on your mum.

My poor mum has to put one of her beloved dogs down in the early hours of this morning , she’s totally heartbroken but carries on for everyone else’s benefit .
I feel so sad for people who have really awful Christmas days .
You should be able to do whatever you like and if that’s go to bed and sod everyone else then it’s your Christmas as much as anyone else’s.
Too much pressure for one day

@FizzyIce so sorry to hear about your mum and her lovely dog, hope you all have managed to have a wonderful day with lots of tlc for your mum

OH actually came in shortly after I last posted and apologised for putting a dampener on things. He said DD couldn’t help it because she’s an overwhelmed toddler but that he should have been better. We ended up walking over to my mums once DD had woken up and had a lovely time. We got a cab home and are now snuggled up watching trashy Christmas Day easterners with popcorn while lovely dd is snuggled in bed.

Seems like Christmas is much better when you lower your expectations following a mental break down!

So glad to hear it got better ! X

Sooo baby overtired, DH crabby (because of his culture?!). Christmas cancelled. Then baby stops crying, DH no longer crabby (not due to his culture?) and Christmas back on.

Are people just dramatising shit for Christmas Day now?