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

Christmas music in every shop, supermarket and street. Sparkly crap in every department store from mid September onwards. Constant ads, marketing, and guilt-tripping on every form of media instructing you that Christmas-related behaviours/spending are "normal" and culturally mandated. Constant guilt-tripping by brands to use their products to "make it special".

Constantly having to explain that I don't celebrate it to people when they try to spring parties, gifts, spending opportunities and themed events onto me, only to be met with disbelief, insults and pressure.

It's not as simple as "if you don't like it then just don't do it!!! 😇😇😇 " pseudo-pacifist kumbaya bullshit.

No and give up a chance to chill together because we're all off on the same day, for the entire day?

No fucking thankyou. Love Christmas me

December and January are the busiest times of year for me at work. We close down from on Christmas eve until after new year. And it's bliss. We just chill out as a family. Christmas Day is quite chilled for us.

It's actually quite easy to avoid a lot of the Christmas stuff if you want to.
I used to work in retail so it obviously was hard to avoid but I don't now. I could (if I wanted to) do all my shopping online - I do my big food shop online already - so no need to go to shopping centres or high street.
Christmas music - listen to what music you want. Cds/Spotify/whatever.
Same with TV. There's 100s of channels or just download what you want to watch.
When my daughter was a baby my mum came down for the day. She popped up to the supermarket for me at tea time. She said "I like the decorations down your high street" and I realised I hadn't seen them because I never went out after dark when my daughter was a baby 😂
I never did get round to seeing them that year.
It's easy to avoid and ignore a lot of Christmas stuff if you really want to.

Erm I love Christmas! Both as a Christian and because its also magical for my children!

You can choose to only celebrate once every 4 years but leave those of us who love it alone!

Scrooge..

It really is that simple. Unless you spend a lot of time in shops then it's easy to avoid or ignore.

Do people really pay that much attention to adverts? Even if you notice it, then you don't have to take notice of it.

And how many people are badgering you to go to parties and events and then being nasty to you if you don't want to. You need better friends.

I'm genuinely baffled by people who describe 'the pressure' and being constantly 'guilt tripped by brands'. Seriously? I barely notice any of it and even if I did, I'm not going to start buying or doing things I don't want to, why would I?

I'm going to a couple of work events at Christmas, because I want to, and will see family and friends once or twice, but apart from that, life will go on as normal and the best bit is taking advantage of being off work.

Have fun explaining this to primary school children.

No thank you I love Christmas. We buy an amount we are comfortable with both financially and environmentally. I do the vast majority online so no stress in the shops. I get in a nice variety of treat foods we don’t normally have and BIL who is single comes and stays for a couple of nights. Decorations are the same as we have every year. We don’t go crazy with activities just pick a few ones we really want to do. Food wise I don’t put myself under pressure to do everything homemade and Christmas dinner is usually from M&S or similar so just shoving bits in the oven.

Our Christmas is quiet time with close family, good food, long country walks and new books. Perhaps you need to rethink your christmases if they cause you so much stress.

All right. You've not noticed it, and besides you are "baffled" by it, so it must not be real! You win!

No way. You have the option of celebrating as big or small as you want.
Nov to Jan would be so depressing without the festivities of Christmas. Music, lights, yummy food, chocolate, alcohol. What's not to like?

I always have a lovely Christmas, it’s a shame yours is so awful.

YANBU

For me it is having to hear about it for months on end. Why should I be thinking or hearing about Christmas during the summer? I saw Christmas sh*t in September. The day is the same every year and everyone knows when it is. Hard to enjoy the several other holidays and Autumn when so much is about Christmas.

I would love to simply opt out of Christmas when it comes to ads and emails. If I can opt out of getting emails for Mother and Father’s days, I should be able to opt out for Christmas. It is a tough season for a lot of people too.

No, that would suck for kids!

How miserable! I look forward to it from about July onwards my favourite time of the year.

I would love to experience December somewhere they don't celebrate Christmas, perhaps the Far East. Just to see what it's like for other cultures.

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas (too commercial and NC with my whole family), my daughter loves it, so we do it for her. If and when she has her own plans we'll be looking for sun, sand and beer!

See I think that's really miserable, wasting half your life wishing it was Christmas. Ever heard of living in the moment?

If they don't celebrate Christmas, wouldn't it just be like any other day, but where the calendar says 25 December?

If you ever get a chance to be in Spain on the evening of 5 January, that's a nice alternative way to do Christmas as that's when they have the 3 kings parade where they ride camels through the town, followed by a load of Post Office vans, somewhat bizarrely, and throw sweets to children in the crowd.

We've seen it in Tenerife and Lanzarote and it's great.

Xmas is the highlight of my year. My build up starts the 1st November. If some people only want to celebrate Xmas every four years then that is up to them but I will be doing so annually.

Oliver Cromwell tried something similar. It didn’t go well. He’s still hated for his anti Christmas sentiment.

If you dislike Christmas, then you don’t do it. But please don’t ever expect me to give up on Christmas, family together, great food, presents, traditions, early mornings, the smell of Christmas trees, roasting meat and tangerines. I’d never want to give up on Christmas, and I’m atheist.

I love the traditions, the hard work and the fun.

Wow! Some very strong opinions 😂 I was expecting disagreement from some of course but not sure the bile from some Christmas-lovers is in keeping with the jolly, goodwill to all (and Christian) narrative 🤔

Anyway, all comments welcome and keep the votes coming. I’m expecting a late surge from the YANBU camp ✊

Christmas is my favourite time of year. I love the fuss, the present buying, the gift wrapping, the decorations I've had since childhood. And it's my favourite meal too! When young it was the one time of year I'd definitely fly home for. Sorry, think you're on to a loser with this idea! (And of course the religious aspect).

You can choose to only celebrate Christmas every 4 years if you want to. You don’t need to start a ‘campaign’ 🤷‍♀️

Me too!

So are you saying you want the Christmas BHs every 4 years?

Personally I never feel inadequate, lonely or skint at Christmas. I absolutely love it and look forward to it all year. I would hate it to only be every 4 years. You are free to do as you wish though.