Christmas every four years only - who’s up for it?

[MuttsNutts]

Ok, so inspired by another thread but not wishing to hijack, I’ve decided it would be a great idea to have Christmas just once every four years.

Every year is just too much work, expense and forced jollity that leaves far too many people feeling inadequate, lonely and skint.

The ridiculous lead-up means that for over a quarter of the year, every single bloody year, we have it rammed down our throats at every turn.

So, as with the Olympics or World Cup, I’ve decided to campaign for it changing to just once every four years. I think even I could maybe get on board with it then.

Who’s with me?

#christmaseveryfouryearsismorethanenough

Go on mumsnet on Christmas days

That will confirm to you how shit Christmas seems to be for so many!

Just because it's in the shops doesn't mean you have to engage or buy anything, or even go to the shops in the first place. Or listen to the radio.

We live in an age when you can buy anything you can imagine without leaving your house and stream in entertainment of any flavour you like. Christmas is only 'forced down your throat' if you actively go looking for it. So if you're not interested, don't participate. Plenty of things to do outside the house that don't involve shops or Christmas if you don't want to stay in.

Some people are their own worst enemies. There's another thread where a poster is tying herself in knots trying to arrange something to do with her disinterested teens on Christmas Eve, but even though most people are telling her to let them be and enjoy her own relaxing day, she's still insisting that they must 'do something festive' that no-one wants to do. Just why?

How many christmases have been dogged by expectations due to a serious illness?

It's not just one day either

Well I, for one, agree with you! I have been campaigning for some time to only have it every other year, but your idea suits me fine. I just can’t be bothered any more with the endless card sending/receiving. It’s getting too expensive and it’s wasteful.
I have been cutting back, year on year, but this year I just want to refuse altogether. I might decorate my mantelpiece, put a wreath on my front door, and eat lovely food. Nothing else!

I'm with you!

#christmaseveryfouryearsismorethanenough

People who want to go to church can do so annually if they wish.

The rest of the tat, the plastic junk, the presents and the rest of it should be banned on non-Olympic years.

Everyone always witters on about how it's just one day but it's so not - it's shite in the shops from September, aisles full of nasty cheap chocolate and over-packaged "gifts" which nobody wants, mince pies etc etc etc. By this stage in October it's full on "festive joy".

I saw my first fully decorated tree yesterday in someone's house.

PLEASE MAKE IT STOP.

Who have you been “campaigning” to?

and what exactly is stopping you toning it down?

I do! It’s a godsend (pun intended!) 😂

It’s the ‘we have a wonderful one, we love it! So many friends, family, food and traditions!’ that’s difficult. I bear no ill-will to those who have this. I envy them as the above twinkly ‘John Lewis’ experience is far removed from mine. To only suffer it every 4 years would be such a relief.

Only you decide that it’s too much work and too expensive. Instead of demoting a significant holiday to be the same as a football tournament (wtf!) just change your priorities of what type of Christmas happens in your house

But for most people it’s time to relax with friends and family, have a bit more food than normal and take a break from the usual routine. If you feel that it’s not that then that’s for you to change, not everyone else

Personally I love the run up to Christmas, probably more than the day itself. So getting wrapped up and walking through Christmas markets with a hot chocolate, watching cheesy Christmas films and decorating the house. I actually also really enjoy the thing that MN hates most - the work Christmas party!

On the day itself it’s some presents (not a mountain just to post on Instagram), essentially a Sunday lunch and lots of Quality St while watching some more cheesy Christmas TV. Perfect time of year and I want it that way every year

As often as that?

Everyone moaning about the "pressure by society". You are making your own pressure. You ARE the society.

I think people do learn to say "no" more often though.
Don't enjoy Christmas Day with your toxic mother - say "no"
Don't enjoy cooking for 15 - say "no"
Don't enjoy gift giving/recieving - say "no".
Do the parts you like. That's all.

do need to learn to say "no" I meant.

we alternate between my family / husbands family and then a holiday by ourselves with daughter - we usually fly out on Christmas day and spend in somewhere nice

so we only do 2 years in 3 😂

Not a hope Ebenezer! 🎄

As far as the abysmal Christmas 'music' is concerned; same songs trawled out year after year then played on a loop from October until everyone's sick of them, then (with apologies to Nat King Cole and Andy Williams) I'm 100% with you, OP! Yule/winter solstice does mean a lot to me, and I know I don't have to spend an entire day decorating two trees to the state where they resemble something in an Ideal Homes exhibition. I can dial that back whenever I want to, and this year I might. They look amazing but it's such hard work.

Our local garden centre looks like a grotto and sounds like a musical schmaltzfest from September. Poor staff are living my worst nightmare!, they see me all year round as I visit to buy herbs, hanging basket plants etc in spring, and several have confided how much it grates and is making them sick and tired of Christmas before we're anywhere near 1st December.

You CAN have too much of a good thing.

Well they do actually. It's in the shops, it's on the radio, it's everywhere. You can't avoid it. And God, forbid you work I'm retail, the opening to Last Christmas will make you suicidal

Also agree with this. You'd have to live on your own, in a cave, to avoid Christmas entirely. There are some easy things you can do - like podcasts on the car radio so you don't crash through utter rage of hearing warbling Carey for the umpteenth time. All the same songs which played on repeat when I worked in Debenhams at Chrisrmas 1994 are still played on repeat almost 30 years later.

Shaking Stevens, Wham, and Noddy fucking Holder.

You're a grown adult, you're free to celebrate it as much or as little as you want... As it's everyone else. Your way isn't automatically right.

Just have 3 years of low-key Christmasses and then a blowout one, then. No-one is making you have a massive commercial Christmas celebration every year.

It's almost November and I haven't seen much Christmas stuff in the shops, and definitely not heard any Christmas music yet. So it's not being rammed down our throats for a quarter of the year.

I'm sort of with you OP - I could go for a Christmas where we only buy presents every 4 years. It's all very well to say that parents don't have to go overboard but it's very difficult when all your dc friends are getting expensive gifts or you come from a family with loads of money and no understanding that other people don't have the same!

Id love a Christmas that was just about decorations, a nice meal, church (if that's important to you) and seeing family (if you want to) but without the huge expectation that people will travel for hours with their kids because parents/ILs will kick off if visits aren't totally 'fair'!

It's the most womderful time of the year - no it's not. Not by a LONG stretch.

Christmas is my favourite time of year and looking forward to it is what gets me through the summer months.

I'd be miserable and horrible to be around for three and a half years out of every four.

I have thought this for years but though every 2 years. Those that celebrate it as a religious holiday can have every year but those who put the tree up at the beginning of November, and post hordes of presents on FB can piss off and do that every other year. IMO it's months of build up for one day and it's not worth the money.

I’m with you op! I love Christmas but I think I’d love a leap year Christmas 4 times as much.

I would have hated to have missed any of the Christmas when my kids were between the ages of 3 and 7. It was magical.

aAlao, let’s not forget it’s a Christian festival and it actually holds a lot more meaning for some than Quality Street, board games and arguments.

However you are absolutely free to make as much or as little of Christmas as you want to - so maybe make this rule for yourself - go big every four years and ignore it the rest of the time and let your nearest and dearest know!