Boxing Day - most stressful day of the year.

[DJA1511]

Every year Boxing Day is completely pants.

My house is a tip, there’s toys everywhere. Laundry to catch up on after missing yesterday. Dishes drying on the rack to put away. My wheely bin and recycling bags are over filling.

I’m googling storage solutions for toys my family have bought the children.

Whilst wondering if we could build an extension t a play room? 🤣🤣

Kids want to go out and spend their Christmas money just to bring more stuff into the house.

Half eaten chocolate all over the kitchen sides!!

Anyone else??

I made a resolution a couple of years ago to tidy and clean up as I go on Christmas day, and it's really helped.

So, wash up things as I finish using them while cooking, to minimise the after-dinner washing up pile.
Wipe down work surfaces while bird is 'resting' before being carved. Leftovers in fridge and the bird stripped before the Queen's speech. Wrapping paper straight into a bag for recycling when presents unwrapped.

Presents not being used immediately put away in their proper places before bedtime
My house looks more or less as normal today - just some roasting tins that have been soaking that will need washing up later.

I love Boxing Day! Find it relaxing. Just potter while the children play but don't put any pressure on myself. That said, after wanting them for years I got the children big Kallax storage units last year so it's better than usual.
Lunch with family but only for a couple of hours, then more of the same.

My washing machine broke Christmas Eve so it's doubly pants here

adeline - aren’t you great! 👍

Place is a tip here too OP. I’m trying not to let it get to me though. One day of chaos is ok in my book. We were out visiting various family yesterday, so today is the day for the DC to run riot with their new toys. I’ll tidy and sort everything later.

How old are your DCs? Do their additional needs mean that they cannot help tidy up a bit with you if you turn it into a bit of a game/bribery ? Have you a partner to help?

Everywhere I look there's sweet wrappers and bits of packaging...

Get your kids to pick it all up then!

DH cooked yesterday, I tidied up as he was cooking. Did all the washing up and putting away as I went and today just needs the usual hoover and mop in the kitchen.

Today is a chill day then to my parents later for dinner.

Looking forward to some cold meat sandwiches for lunch and not doing too much at all today!

I love to-day - I can finally relax. Family for late lunch - leftovers, but no cooking, just reheat. I get a lie in and chill after lunch.

As a child I never understood why my DM loved Boxing Day so much - now I get it!!!!

But I was up until 12.30 tidying while DH and DC were in bed (he put them to bed and fell asleep so I decided I didn't want to face a mess this morning).

Don't let it bother you for a couple of days! If you make it a big stress now the kids won't come back when they are adults. Make traditions and memories that last a life time even if that means mess. Mess doesn't matter for a couple of days of the year it really doesn't. There will be people who are spending their first Xmas without a loved one this year - be thankful you've got people around you to make a bit of mess.

We tidied up last night before bed (no DC here)

So not really the same situation at all then.

adeline - aren’t you great! 👍

Where did I say or even imply that?

Mess stresses me out - to the point where I can't sit down and relax in a messy house. I don't even like going to sleep knowing there's mess downstairs in my living room!

That doesn't make me better than anyone else, it's just the way I am.

I tidied up last night, just left some things out in the playroom for when DS and DD got up this morning. We went out to PIL yesterday so no washing up. Left washer on while we were out.

Feeling very chilled. We are off out for a long walk and then just us at home. Planning to tire out DD and DS.

I've just finished cleaning and tidying like a normal day. Sure there's extra but that comes with it being Christmas. It took just an extra half hour or so. As for sweet wrappers etc surely your kids don't normally leave such a mess? Buckle down, play Mary Poppins and get them at it...in an hour it'll all be spick and span.

So not really the same situation at all then.

But having children doesn't mean you can't tidy up after they've gone to bed, or can't get them to do it.

I wasn't allowed to leave mess around when I was growing up - stuff had to put away or at least put in my room before bed at night.

I don't see why having kids means you need to have a messy home.

I have ocd and I just can’t deal with this

It is very debilitating isn't it? Often people do not understand it at all so you have my sympathies as a fellow sufferer. Are you medicated and is it working? Have you any exercises you have been given to do? Make some time for yourself.

Yep. DH announced 2 days ago his family were coming on Boxing Day. 2 fucking days ago!

Apparently I should have realised this as soon as I knew his mother was at his sister's. No I did not realise this because I am not fucking psychic.

I only get 2 days off for Christmas and was intending to spend them chillaxing not with his fucking mother.

Christmas Day was lovely though

I love Boxing Day. It is my absolute favourite. Unfortunately now ruined by having to go unexpectedly to inlaws from midday for probably the rest of the day, but it was an invitation that we couldn't really refuse. I could actually cry right now for having my favourite day taken away from me, like a small child.

But yes, you are being unreasonable. Today is the day of no cooking, loaging around, no stress, kids playing with toys rather than being massively hyped up and generally is an all round lovely day.

Feel for you .but this is the reality for families really! Can you see if they would like to let some of their old toys go to a Charity ?.Otherwise what about one of those outside plastic locking boxes from Argos /Amazon whatever . Ask DH to bin rubbish .Pop a wash on, and see if DC may like to save some of their money ,buy one or two small things and put the rest into a piggy bank.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/dec/13/holidays-ocd-stress-how-i-get-through

Quite an interesting read OP. Wishing you strength!

Another Boxing Day fab here.

I was up before the family this morning. Gave the downstairs a tidy up, ran the hoover around and put the washing on as we've run out of tea towels.

Candles are lit, chocs are out and I'm about to open the wine as we've got my mum and dad arriving soon for buffet lunch.

Much prefer boxing day to Xmas day!

Oh it's my favourite day! No more stress, organisation or expectation. Loads of toys to play with. No one at work.

I have 3 binliners ready to to the recycling tomorrow. Room full of opened presents but at least they are in stacks belonging to people.

Got the washer on and sat not doing much else. I mentally write off two or three days after Christmas to accept the mess and get back to normal.

MIL and DH washed up after lunch whilst I napped (in fairness y 12 day old twins don't sleep lots...)

Sorry op I love Boxing Day, boys all off to a football match, just me and dd, a bit of a clean and get a wash on, lunch is delicious cold chicken sandwich, plenty of sweets to eat, watch some rubbish on tv then our neighbour comes over for dinner, shepherds pie and chocolate trifle made on chr eve.

Sorry you are having a difficult time, can you just get everyone to do a bit of a tidy, get a load of laundry on, then find time for a relax on the sofa watching a dvd someone got for Christmas?

I have accepted the mess and clutter. I get everyone to stop what they’re doing for half an hour and everyone has to clean / tidy something. This means there is 2.5 hrs worth of cleaning done which makes a dent. The key is that everyone must do it to pull their weight.