Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that holidays are non essential?

479 replies

Silliantro · 02/04/2021 12:27

The amount of whinging about missing out on holidays here and elsewhere has been shockingly irritating. Will missing out on a couple of trips to Megaluf/bland med cruises REALLY be the end of the world? It's such a shocking tone-deaf and privileged way to live your life.

Will staying at home and talking to your DC/learning a language/read a few books really be the end of the world? It's pretty grim absolutely NEED trips abroad or the seaside to to distract yourself from your own life.

OP posts:
Cocomarine · 02/04/2021 15:50

If they’re not essential!

But you’re a right fucking joyless fun sponge, aren’t you?

And snobby with it - you don’t approve of “bland Med cruises then?”

I really hope you don’t bother going on holiday yourself, as I’d really hate to bump into you on one 🤣

SoupDragon · 02/04/2021 15:50

The amount of whinging about missing out on holidays here and elsewhere has been shockingly irritating.

Not as shockingly irritating as the amount of threads started to whinge about people whinging.

PembrokeshireDreaming · 02/04/2021 15:51

They are not essential in the way that food and shelter are but they are hugely important to lots of people!!! You sound really judgy OP............"stay home and read a book or learn a new language" really??? I'm not sure would be a reasonable alternative for Bill and Mary who work all year in minimum wage jobs and scrimp and save for a holiday they look forward to all year!!!
I am currently on holiday (live in Wales and on holiday in Wales). It has been such a lift to our spirits to be out in the sunshine, walking in the countryside and beaches this week ............. non-essential but massively beneficial, I'm a SAHM to a child with severe ASD and learning difficulties, DH works from home and we have another dc. This holiday has been a chance to relax and recharge.

Notquitesureaboutthis · 02/04/2021 15:52

I agree it's not "essential" but suggesting people stay at home and talk to their DC and read a few books instead is a bit insulting tbh. Isn't that what a lot of people do anyway... pre-covid and more so during this pandemic...

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 02/04/2021 15:52

I take my knitting on holiday with me!

MakeMineALarge1 · 02/04/2021 15:53

Jesus, what a fun sponge you are.

You sound like a barrel of laughs.

I have worked in Covid ICU for 12 months now, so yes to my holidays are essential!

Sirzy · 02/04/2021 15:55

It’s not essential BUT for a lot of people the getting away from the day to day stresses or just the change of location is very important for their mental health.

We are supposed to be going to a caravan in Wales at may half term and if we can’t go then yes I will sulk because I need a few days away to chill without phone calls, paperwork, appointments and meetings

thenightsky · 02/04/2021 15:56

@saltinesandcoffeecups

“And we have today’s first contender in “Misery Olympic Games”. Coming strong out of the gate in 100 word condemnation event is Silliantro.

Now obviously they high horse is essential in this event and extra points are awarded for a strong sneer, but you’ll notice that she lost an opportunity to play the ECO card, that may cost her in the long run. We’ll check back to see how she does, right after the curtain twitching semi-finals.

Over to you Kent”

Grin

(what does ECO stand for?)

zigaziga · 02/04/2021 15:57

@DDIJ

Most things in life are non essential.
Yes this, this is the point.

Going to have a cup of tea with your mum or a friend isn’t essential. Going to a pub or restaurant isn’t essential. Going for a run or playing tennis isn’t essential. Added together they are all the things that we enjoy about our lives through.

We’ll be holidaying in the U.K. this year but of course I would like the option to go abroad again.

Juniperberries69 · 02/04/2021 15:58

Just because you or I don’t think they are essential doesn’t mean other people will think that!
Everyone is different and everyone has different priorities.

IcedPurple · 02/04/2021 15:59

It's very clear that there are a lot of people on MN who have a strange resentment about people who enjoy travelling and are getting a real thrill out of preaching to others about it. Some of it is pure snobbery - Wayne and Sharon from Wigan going to the costa to watch United versus City in the Union Jack Pub in Torremolinos - but a lot of it is just a weird Puritanism directed at other people having fun. Lockdown has given them a great opportunity to tut tut at others and feel smug about it.

Are holidays 'essential' (am starting to really detest that silly word)? Obviously not. Hardly anyone regularly went abroad on holidays until about 40 years ago or less. Bur for some of us, travel is one of the great joys in life. This has been the longest time I've spent in my home town since I was a child and it's been one of the hardest things about lockdown for me. Am I 'entitled' to a holiday? No of course not. Am I desperate to be able to travel again? Yes. Will I do so the minute it's possible? Also yes.

You are free to sit in your living room and jabber at your 'DC' in Japanese or Finnish as long as you like.

Parker231 · 02/04/2021 16:00

Travel is 100% essential - it’s the only way to see our families. None of them live in the U.K..

Moomin12345 · 02/04/2021 16:01

Well, only oxygen, some grub and water are strictly essential. Having kids isn't, so let's shut down Mumsnet Grin

IcedPurple · 02/04/2021 16:02

@ConnieCaterpillar70

We live in the South West of England. One of the greatest joys of lockdown was not seeing the endless jet trails across the sky.

Cheap global travel is such a senseless waste of money and cause of environmental damage.

Many millions of people, some of them in desperately poor countries, depend on tourism for their livelihoods.

Great that you can enjoy not having to look at jet trails from the home you light with candlelight and where you grow all your own food, what with you being so concerned about The Environment and all that.

TownTalkJewels · 02/04/2021 16:02

@Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong wait for what?

How do you know you won’t bring a variant home next summer?

Variants aren’t going anywhere, and apparently neither are you.

fiveoldteddies · 02/04/2021 16:04

Well, is it essential to be on Mumsnet? Is it essential to live?

IcedPurple · 02/04/2021 16:04

I don't know if they are essential. Is having fun essential?

For a lot of people on MN, clearly not.

Chocolatefordinner · 02/04/2021 16:04

@PanamaPattie

Holidays are not essential. Most people if they are honest, don’t really enjoy them.
“Most” people, I would argue entirely the opposite.
Fembot123 · 02/04/2021 16:04

@IcedPurple

It's very clear that there are a lot of people on MN who have a strange resentment about people who enjoy travelling and are getting a real thrill out of preaching to others about it. Some of it is pure snobbery - Wayne and Sharon from Wigan going to the costa to watch United versus City in the Union Jack Pub in Torremolinos - but a lot of it is just a weird Puritanism directed at other people having fun. Lockdown has given them a great opportunity to tut tut at others and feel smug about it.

Are holidays 'essential' (am starting to really detest that silly word)? Obviously not. Hardly anyone regularly went abroad on holidays until about 40 years ago or less. Bur for some of us, travel is one of the great joys in life. This has been the longest time I've spent in my home town since I was a child and it's been one of the hardest things about lockdown for me. Am I 'entitled' to a holiday? No of course not. Am I desperate to be able to travel again? Yes. Will I do so the minute it's possible? Also yes.

You are free to sit in your living room and jabber at your 'DC' in Japanese or Finnish as long as you like.

Jabber at your dc 🤣🤣
Moomin12345 · 02/04/2021 16:05

The variant narrative is a load of nonsense. Breaking news : New variants WILL emerge and they WILL get to the UK. So the travel ban is futile in the long term.

Fembot123 · 02/04/2021 16:05

[quote TownTalkJewels]@Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong wait for what?

How do you know you won’t bring a variant home next summer?

Variants aren’t going anywhere, and apparently neither are you.[/quote]
😂😂😂😂

museumum · 02/04/2021 16:05

We have no need to go abroad annually (though I think some travel in a lifetime is quite important) but we certainly do need to get away from home - because our home has become our offices, both of us, and so we’ve been living in our office for a year now. My dh in particular has a very stressful combative job and is suffering. (My job is in a much more supportive environment/context so not quite as much an issue for me).

stayathomer · 02/04/2021 16:07

Definitely not essential but the world deserves one after what we've all gone through. OP you should really reread your post. Horrible tone to it.

zigaziga · 02/04/2021 16:10

And I really hate the whole lockdown thing of defining things as either essential or not essential. Most of what was deemed essential wasn’t actually essential to our continued existence either - most of what we load our supermarket trolleys we don’t need. All totally bizarre.

MaLarkinn · 02/04/2021 16:11

I bet you're a bag of laughs to live with.

Holidays are essential.

My mother, brother and sister live in Spain so I often go to see them and I have a longer holiday in the summer.

You sound like you need a holiday op.