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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

So what will you do differently or keep next xmas

172 replies

Cupcakeicecream · 25/12/2019 19:32

I will buy less for extended family stresses thinking I havent given them enough gifts.
Wine cho late for the adults
Give cash to nieces and nephews
Stop sending xmas cards
Wrap in brown parcel paper wrapping paper was rubbish and kept ripping.

OP posts:
NaughtyLittleElf · 25/12/2019 21:05

We had Christmas Day at home for the first time ever and it was lovely, so we'll be doing that again every year, I put on new PJs this morning and stayed in them all day, another thing to keep. Teen DD helped and was very sociable so a very relaxed day despite having the high pressure meal of the year to cook.

I'm fairly organised but got caught with a nasty virus a week ago, so the three full days I thought I had to get the house straight, pre cook some of the dinner, dig out serving dishes etc. etc. became two days in bed and one day doing bits between resting. It was all ok in the end but it's a good prompt to get back into a better routine in the new year, might start fly lady.

BobbinThreadbare123 · 25/12/2019 21:06

Won't travel for 2 hours on Xmas day to somewhere I didn't really want to go.

Grumpos · 25/12/2019 21:08

Used Those Schwartz packs of “herbs/coatings” to make roast potatoes and the roasted veg. Also used a packet cheese sauce. Total cost for the 3 packs about £2.50 and 5 mins mix with oil / milk and throw in pan. The potatoes were insanely good. Will use again.
Sooooo much easier than buying fresh herbs, garlic, sautéing it all off....
Tidied up as we went, threw the dishwasher on a couple of times during the day and just kept on top of the mess - took 10 mins to whip round a couple of times but life so much easier come 9pm!

troppibambini · 25/12/2019 21:09

I put everything in serving dishes on the kitchen island (right next to dining table) and let everyone help themselves it worked really well.
Next year I will make again in advance Jamie's get ahead gravy, mashed potato, cranberry sauce, shredded sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta.
All were really good. Fil said it was the best meal he'd had all year. He doesn't do compliments so this is high praise!!Grin
I didn't do a starter this year either and I won't do one next year either.

We also had a party for around 35 yesterday afternoon and it was fab 16 overexcited little kids just going crackers! We then walked to mass together it was a lovely start to Xmas.

autumnnightsaredrawingin · 25/12/2019 21:13

We actually had a great Christmas Day because it was so different to usual! We stayed, just the 4 of us, (me, DH and 2 kids) at home. I cooked lunch but got some lovely, easy Waitrose food (turkey breast with stuffing already done), pre prepared roast potatoes etc. All I really had to do was put stuff in the oven, peel some carrots and heat up gravy and bread sauce and time it all. Kids woke up in their own home and opened stockings without anyone commenting on why they had chocolate in their stockings Hmm etc. Presents under the tree opened happily and calmly and spent the afternoon playing games and reading etc as a family. Cleared up in stages without any pressure or stress. To be honest, I’d do it every year but we won’t get away with it! Grin

I also didn’t send cards this year, and I haven’t gone mad with gifts. The kids got plenty, and were genuinely delighted, but I didn’t fill their stockings with pointless tat. It will all be used.

Oh and I told my DH what I’d like so I didn’t end up cross that I had no gifts like normal. All in all, a success!

NaughtyLittleElf · 25/12/2019 21:14

I did two dishwasher loads and just washed glasses and the roasting tin by hand, when there's more than one loads worth of dishes (small washer) I usually wash half by hand but couldn't be bothered (and didn't want anyone else to stand and do it either) so I tidied it all into a neat pile and load two is on now, kitchen still looked tidy. Don't know why I haven't done it before, conditioning by DM/exMIL to get all the dishes done immediately probably.

BBTHREE76 · 25/12/2019 21:16

Stop inviting in-laws over, and keep it to just hubby, myself and the kids. In- laws that are coming for Xmas lunch, then not coming for Xmas lunch, then decide to tell us at 5pm on Xmas Eve they ARE coming for lunch now after all (cue loads of manic extra food prep), then today (at the time they should all be arriving) call to say they are now NOT coming. Never again! They have taken the mickey out of us too many times now 😡

NaughtyLittleElf · 25/12/2019 21:17

Oh, and I got exactly what I asked for from DP (first Christmas together) no more no less, just the thing I asked for (when asked) and on reflection the same happened for my birthday so if I want x plus a couple of thoughtful little bits I'll have to say so.

Villagegreenpreservation · 25/12/2019 21:19

I need to buy difficult people their gifts sooner and not panic buy last minute
I need to buy turkey already bacon wrapped again from Waitrose and eat at 4pm again as it gave me time in the morning with the kids
Organise a game again - the presents in a bag/ dice rolls to win one from here was ace!
I need to not drink as much Christmas Eve
I need to wrap as I go too

NaughtyLittleElf · 25/12/2019 21:19

BBTHREE76 That's appalling behaviour.

NaughtyLittleElf · 25/12/2019 21:21

I usually wrap as I buy, I didn't this year so I'll reinstate that, it wasn't too last minute but I had to do a couple of marathon sessions last week when I felt poorly and had been busy at work.

Littleshortcake · 25/12/2019 21:25

I bought little bits and pieces from early Autumn and wrapped and labelled as I went along. Crackers or cranberry wine etc I bought each week with grocery shop so no big shop at the end. So will keep both those up. Lots of vouchers and simple gifts. Next year will tackle the cleaning earlier so Christmas eve is nice and relaxed

Littleshortcake · 25/12/2019 21:27

BBTHREE that's awful!

Lillyhatesjaz · 25/12/2019 21:41

I will microwave the Christmas pudding next year. This year I put it in the slow cooker in the morning and we haven't eaten it yet.

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 25/12/2019 21:42

Focusing on what I have (lovely dc, lovely friends) rather than what I don’t (big happy traditional family) definitely made me happier this Christmas.
Church on Christmas Eve always puts me in a good mood.
I will remember to buy or make mince pies, as I really fancy one for tomorrow, but don’t fancy going to the shops!
I will also book a supermarket delivery slot when they come out, even if I’m not cooking Christmas dinner, because I will still need bread / milk / regular stuff, and all the slots will be gone.

Lolimax · 25/12/2019 21:44

As DD was working today and DSS was going home to his mam this morning plus DS isn't home til Friday we had Christmas dinner last night. It's meant DH and I have had the whole day to sleep in, eat what we wanted, walk the dogs and watch tv.
It's been amazing!

SynchroSwimmer · 25/12/2019 21:46

Hopefully the same as this year...
Abroad - spent the day sitting in a rock pool, on the beach, wearing nothing but a pair of Croc shoes - and a smile.

Happy to wave goodbye to the old Christmases; where MIL arrived days early “to help” - and stayed days late, when everyone was packing to go home....and we just smiled through gritted teeth

sicasaparrot · 25/12/2019 21:49

I will buy a better gift for my friend (I didn’t realise we were doing big gifts, I thought it was token gifts), and I won’t buy my crackers from Sainsbury’s...not one went bang!

lauryloo · 25/12/2019 21:59

I'm staying at home next year. Went to in laws today and bil and I shared cooking and he is not good at sharing a kitchen (either am I, but I didn't see him wash his hands once)

Dd (4) has a learning disability and home would suit her too as she was overwhelmed

NoFucksImAQueen · 25/12/2019 22:01

We did a Thanksgiving type thing where we went round the table and all said what we were thankful for and actually it was really nice. I might try a walk next year as I always fall asleep after dinner and it feels like wasting the day

Alyic · 25/12/2019 22:05

I had 3 family members come for lunch this year, normally it's just us two, it was a nice change. Lunch went well I wasn't stressed, all prepped Christmas Eve. I'd bought my friends some lovely presents, I got completely shitty ones back unfortunately

Karwomannghia · 25/12/2019 22:09

Not make as much bread sauce, stuffing, sprouts and red cabbage!
Don’t get a turkey with stuffing already in.
Try to finish shopping earlier.

WalkAwaySugarbear · 25/12/2019 22:13

I loved our low key Xmas this year. Fewer tat but more useful gifts. I wrap in Nov and keep the gifts at work until Xmas eve. We don't go for full on roast.
Next year I'll ease off sending the cards to the only the few people we received them from.

QuietCrotchgoblins · 25/12/2019 22:14

We hosted for the first time ever and it was actually really good!
Kids better in home environment

I would:
Put Christmas tree and lights up early again ( early/mid Dec rather than few days pre xmas)
Take a day if annual leave in the week before to allow me to get ahead with cleaning/ shopping/wrapping

Stompythedinosaur · 25/12/2019 22:15

I will try to take an extra day off before xmas for last min cleaning, wrapping extra so I'm not up until the early hours on xmas eve. And I'll remember to buy white glitter to make santa footprints (we ended up using a yellowish gold and it looked like santa had walked through some yellow snow before coming into the house).

I will continue to have Xmas at home and invite anyone who wants to come. I've scaled presents back a bit for the dc (they still get loads but it fits under the tree). I will continue to just to token presents for adults as that worked well.