Can you do ‘Too’ much?

[Whatnext2018]

I love Christmas and am keen to make it that really special time for my Dd as I had. We’ve done so many Christmassy things..crafts, baking, days out etc. Tonight I’ll do a Christmassy floor picnic by the tree with Xmas Eve box, carrot and mince pies etc.
This morning I see posts of special ‘North pole’ breakfasts people have done for their kids and now feel I should’ve done that as I see how lovely it looks. We just had a normal breakfast of eggs and toast and a chocolate off the tree 🤷🏻‍♀️
Aibu to feel pressured into making going a bit overboard in order to make it the ‘Perfect’ time?
When I was little we’d make mince pies and leave one out for Santa with a glass of wine and a carrot Rudolph, that was all, I still remember it being the most wonderful time
Is doing too much not that great?

Sorry op but the likelihood is the kids won't remember most of that - we were on a family zoom call and we realised that none of us can remember specific Christmas's, we remember little flashes (like a montage) and our overall feeling of enjoying Christmas, but mostly it's quite abstract and things like nan falling asleep on the sofa after dinner....

So don't stress about not doing a North Pole breakfast

@riotlady

I think you’ve just got to pick and choose what bits you like and ignore the stuff that stresses you out. I like baking with DD so I’m more than happy making christmas biscuits etc but I absolutely cannot be fucked coming up with ideas for elf on the shelf so I don’t! It’s when you start feeling like you MUST do stuff “for the memories” that it all gets a bit draining imo

So agree with this. I love baking with the kids and so we do that. I in no way have the inclination or patience for elf on the shelf daily through December so we don’t

Honestly as a parent of now older dc (secondary), please don't make Christmas about intense pressure and all the things. Simple is the way to go and gives the best memories without over stimulation and materialism. No family can do everything, pick a couple of things that are important and make that be enough.

Yes, you can.

A happy and relaxed mum is imo more important than a picture perfect, instagrammeable (?) Christmas.

Have a think about what you'd all really enjoy and how much time/money you have, then choose what works for you.

What I remember about my childhood Christmases is my Mum getting more and more stressed with the amount she had to do (mostly of her own choosing), lots of tears, slamming doors, at least one of us getting sent to bed early for bad behaviour etc. I think she had ideas about what it should be like, and couldn't get away from that.

I've gone the other way and made things as simple/easy as possible. We do the mince pie/carrot for Santa, a crib service on Christmas Eve and church service on Christmas Day, stockings and presents under the tree. But we don't do the elf, Christmas Eve boxes, special breakfasts etc. Partly because Dec is really busy at work and we don't need more stress. And DD loves it!

The thing I remember most about Christmas as a kid was my parents having fun with us. No particular organisation or fancy breakfast. Just being silly and having a good day. I do, do a Christmas Eve box, I do make reindeer food, but other than that we just have fun.

I feel a lot of the stuff you see is lovely, looks fab on social media. But I’d rather spend an hour prattling about with toys than making a picture perfect breakfast.

Instragram isn’t real. How do you know all those mums haven’t yelled at their kids to smile and look like they love it while muttering under their breath. 😀
Personally I think that North Pole breakfast looks really unpleasant and the kids will be hyper then grumpy and you’ll have to deal with that as well as getting lunch ready and sorting everything and remembering to look great in the photos. It’s all too hard.
My kids wanted pancakes for breakfast but said no because I don’t want to cook them, it’s more tidying.
Call me slack but DH bought a box of coco pops and they thought that was amazing because I never buy them.
Enjoy your family and if it makes you happy do it but if it starts stressing you out then nobody wins.
A poster mentioned above the expectations will just increase every year by the time they're older what will there be left to do? Breakfast actually in the North Pole?