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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Boxing Day - most stressful day of the year.

152 replies

DJA1511 · 26/12/2019 10:52

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??

OP posts:
EmrysAtticus · 26/12/2019 13:06

Definitely don't keep vacuuming! Vacuum once and then it can keep for a while. A slightly messy floor won't kill anyone.

BertieBotts · 26/12/2019 13:07

You are thinking too much. Boxing Day in our house is chill out in your pants and eat leftovers day. When it was just me that would be it and we'd start the cleanup/back to normality tomorrow. As it is DH gets all restless and cleans everything today and reorganises our storage.

Ellisandra · 26/12/2019 13:09

Do your OCD symptoms relate to cleaning?
If so, it’s a disgrace that your husband won’t clean up after himself. It’s bad enough if your partner doesn’t have OCD, but that seems particularly bad from him if your OCD means his attitude causes you even more stress Sad

blacksax · 26/12/2019 13:10

Look - it's easy. Get a coffee and some chocolates, shove some clutter out of the way to make a space, and sit down. Drink the coffee and eat the chocolates and ignore the pandemonium.

CountFosco · 26/12/2019 13:12

Boxing Day is my favourite day, much more chilled. I can agree a playroom helps, the tree and all the presents are there and my sitting room is a tidy oasis of calm, the DDs are on electronic devices and DS is happily setting up a racing track in the playroom. I'm about to do some yoga, although we do need to do something with the leftovers soon.

ScorpionQueen · 26/12/2019 13:17

It's so hard, I can't relax in need but as it doesn't bother the others that much I went up doing the majority of the tidying and cleaning over the festive period. I'll feel better when the recycling is all cleared and I can get back to a normal routine. I do insist on a tidy living room so I can relax too but it takes a lot of work.

ScorpionQueen · 26/12/2019 13:17

Typos. Can't relax in mess.

Bogoffrain · 26/12/2019 13:19

I love Boxing Day, I got the kids two huge storage boxes for their gifts and everything is in the in the living room. They have grown out of massive kids toys. We are all together, fire is roaring, tree lights on and I’ve just made cold roast beef sarnies and nibbles. Contemplating opening some fizz and watching a Dickens film (boys will be on their switches) bliss.

goodluckdontdie · 26/12/2019 13:19

I don't have to catch up on laundry just because I didn't do it for one day!

Wrapping paper and packages is easy to scoop into a big bin bag.

Half-eaten chocolate is even easier to get rid of ;)

TheFuckingDogs · 26/12/2019 13:19

If we could just be at home it would be lovely, visiting relatives after an already busy Christmas Day grrrrd

AmateurSwami · 26/12/2019 13:20

“It’s your fault for not tidying yesterday” Jesus wept.

RuffleCrow · 26/12/2019 13:21

Nah, Boxing day is really chilled here. I made a point of spending 5 minutes in each downstairs room last night before i went to bed picking up all the chocolate foil and wrapping paper and other crap. Made me feel lovely and zen this morning. Plus we're mainly surviving on leftovers so less cooking. Also we had an hour at our favourite local park this morning so the kids could let off some steam. Little changes big difference

elmosducks · 26/12/2019 13:23

We had a houseful yesterday and the dishwasher is on the blink so we left everything until this morning. We all worked like hell this morning to get the place passable, rather than ship shape. Everything boxed for recycling. Discreetly chucked out some old stuff while kids are distracted with new.

This afternoon it's movies and games as we didn't get chance to do anything like that yesterday.

Normal service will resume on Friday (if I have got out of the food coma...)

YouretheChristmasCarcass · 26/12/2019 13:33

YABVU!!

We don't even have Boxing Day here. Wish we did, our Neighbours to the North do.

I feel so left out .

ToffeePennie · 26/12/2019 13:35

Nah! This is the break between the storms for us. Pressies yesterday and a day of games today and tomorrow off to my mothers to do yet more gifts!

Lsquiggles · 26/12/2019 13:35

I agree 100%! Is our DD first Christmas so got lots of presents which of course we're grateful for but the house is a tip! Shock stupidly invited my family round for some nibbles and been running around like a loon all morning Blush

TheoriginalLEM · 26/12/2019 13:35

I prefer boxing day to Christmas day. Yeah there's a mess cos I am usually too lazy to do it Christmas day. I tend to stress about Xmas day so boxing day is just me DP and dd2 and I do very little

Jackit2013 · 26/12/2019 13:54

Be thankful for what you have. Stressful? Try waving bye to your kids on Christmas day because your wife hates you for no justifiable reason.

I would love my kids back making a mess

Selfsettling3 · 26/12/2019 14:01

I’m with you OP. Laundry has been done but there are 3 loads to put away. The baby naps in the sling so whoever has the sling can’t bend down to tidy and the 3 year old can’t tidy the new toys as they need a home first. I also need to figure where we put the toys with small bits of the baby doesn’t eat them.

PhoneLock · 26/12/2019 14:10

Anyone else??

Nope. Had a lie-in followed by a leisurely brunch and then went to the beach for the afternoon.

Beautiful3 · 26/12/2019 14:15

I did a couple of loads in the washing machine yesterday, dried them then put away. I washed up straight after dinner and tea. Most of the kids presents went up to their bedrooms, except a couple to play with. All of the left over chocolates and crisps get bagged up and stored in the garage. People can get it whenever they want to. I think the only way to have a stress free Christmas is to tidy up along the way, otherwise the mess can be overwhelming.

Sweetbabycheezits · 26/12/2019 14:20

Love Boxing Day! We are out all day on Christmas Day with extended family, so today is all about the 4 of us, chilling out. I used to cook, but last year found that after a huge meal on Christmas Day, we just want a big cooked breakfast (which DH does), and nice nibbles throughout the day.
Our house is also a tip, but it will get sorted tomorrow!

Legoandloldolls · 26/12/2019 14:21

I have two kids with SEN. I just lower my standards 🤣. I'm on the sofa in my dressing gown after my shower a hour ago. Washing on. Dh has packed the car for the tip tomorrow. The rest can wait.

I have a two weekly rota if housework I drew up in Nov. I will get back into it soon enough. Just keep on top of the worse and lower your expectations. It's ok to be a slob for two days esp when your kids have additional needs. They dont care, they want you to be happy

Hopoindown31 · 26/12/2019 14:25

Nope, DP and I tidied up throughout the day yesterday (after excellent Xmas lunch cooked by dp - he is a much better cook than me) had the relatives over in the early evening (I did the buffet) then it was a bath for me while DP put the kids to bed and finished tidying. Nice clean house this morning and just a chilled out day today watching movies (it is raining) and eating left overs and chocolate while the kids play with their presents.

Comefromaway · 26/12/2019 14:27

Boxing Day is the day where we do nothing. No feeling everything has to be perfect. No entertaining, no time scale or anywhere to go.

Dd has gone to the football with her grandparents, Ds is on the computer, dh on the Xbox and I’m on here.