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

I love Christmas. And even though it starts too early in the shops, I just ignore that. Shopping with a headphone in at least one ear helps. I don't watch much TV in any case, but I've never been inundated by Christmas films starting early. I don't do Advent calendars that have presents in them, although the kids do get a chocolate coin in theirs and an early present on St. Nicholas's day. Obviously I have to prep things during Advent (make the pudding, do the church's Advent wreath every week, order food, buy presents), but that's not really a burden.

There's a couple of things that start to happen in the third week of December which I would prefer to be in the actual Christmas season, like a work night out. But mainly it's not hard to keep Christmas to Christmastide and keep Advent Adventy. I guess if I worked in retail it would be hard to avoid, but otherwise Christmas is wonderful and just the right length for me!

I wish it could be Christmas every day.

So some children would only get 2 Christmases before becoming teenagers if Christmas fell when they were 1 and wouldn't notice, 5 and 9. A childhood with 2 Christmases. Nah.

Christmas is the only time of year DH family all get together. (My family is basically my sis and BIL so not as hard to find a time to meet)
Obviously we missed 2020 Christmas together, and it turned out that was MILS last Xmas. Last Christmas we missed the get together because we had covid. I've really missed not seeing everyone.

It is, if you're a Catholic. We celebrate the Incarnation at least twice a day with the Angelus. Still only get the presents and tree and that once a year though (although at least we stretch it out until Twelfth Night or Candlemas).

Meh. Stuff Christmas. Celebrate Yule instead!

All the fun, all the lights and laughter and none of the stress. I like it that way :grin

I didn't say it was, I said it was sickly-smelling mulled wine and I don't like it.

I agree Op in its present state Christmas in the U.K. has become more chore than joy.

However I would campaign to have any mention of Christmas banned until the start of advent. Anyone found breaking the law would have to 50 hours of unpaid community service their nearest Santas Grotto ( come December).

Its only when you go somewhere with a bit more spirt and a bit less gratuitous commercialism do you realise how bad it’s got.

How rude.

I know how you feel OP. I like the family stuff, the Carols, the nativity plays etc but hate the ever lengthening Christmas season.

By next week all the shops will be full of Christmas stuff, we'll be bombarded with Christmas ads and people will be putting up their trees and garden lights.

Christmas can be a very sad or lonely time of year for many people, and it must be hard to have it so in their face for weeks and weeks.

I wish we could go back to celebrating Christmas in December only.

I am amazed MN has let this thread stand. It's bigoted and inappropriate. I wonder if we started "lighthearted" threads asking for other religious festivals to be banned in UK, as we felt they were inconvenient and unnecessary, as we didn't practice that religion they'd be allowed to stand as not breaking talk guidelines?
It's appealing the way Christians are treated in the UK.

YANBU I HATE Christmas with a passion. Forget every 4 years lets ban it forever!

you lack education around the significance of the event for many millions around the world.

That's a silly comment. You can dislike something even if you know about its significance, you may be shocked to learn.

My ideal Christmas situation would be if it was more like the Jewish and Muslim celebrations that go on in my neighbourhood. You know they're on, there's the odd firework display or night of music and party noise, you say happy Hannukah or Eid Mubarak to neighbours... Those observing them are happy and fulfilled, but others like me don't feel like the whole place is forcing fun/religion/spending on us.

a) the OP didn't say 'banned'
b) it's not about practising or not practising a religion, it's about the hoopla that accompanies Xmas in its cultural sense
c) despite your sneer quotes, the OP was clearly genuinely lighthearted.

You need to chill @BoneAppleTee

I am sure muslims in muslim countries also moan about work for Eid, especially when it falls on summer. My inlaws certainly do.

Chill.

I think it's pretty obvious the OP isn't talking about the religious side of Christmas, but the mass commercial temple to consumerism it has become.

Life is short - it should be stuffed with as much fun as it possibly can be. A big family celebration once a year sounds about right to me whether it's Christmas or some other meaningful event to you & yours.

I think the problems arise when we think Christmas = spending an absolute fortune on "stuff". If you can't or don't want to do that it shouldn't mean you can't enjoy yourself or that kids get a crap time if they don't get millions of presents.

I would have hoped with the cost of living crisis and the climate crisis we could all be re-learning how to celebrate with less "stuff", and more "doing". We are leaning towards the less is more approach this year and I'm actually looking forward to it.

Also imagine the pressure of doing Christmas so rarely - now that would be stressful!

No.
The winter would be too long and bleak without it.

My husbands been saying that for years!

I love Christmas and everything it entails. I’m a Christian so even more so. I grew up in an African country and my parents didn’t really have money so there was nothing like commercialising Christmas and gifts, etc however I have fond memories of Christmas when I was growing up. The Christmas carol in the street and the ones in church, everyone is on holiday, free snacks and food in church, neighbours being friendly with each other etc. The only gifts myself and my siblings had was new clothes on Christmas Day and a treat meal but it was still such a good time.
You can make Christmas what you want and not buy into all the commercial nonsense and ofcourse, you can choose not to celebrate at all

I agree that life is too short. You're going to be dead a long time. Enjoy life.

Nope, sorry but YABU. Christmas is my favourite time of year and helps brighten up such a dark and cold time of year. I don't have a lot of money, but still manage to enjoy myself and the majority of people I know feel the same.
By all means, only celebrate it every 4 years if you want to, but, from what I've read on here, most of us actually enjoy the festive season every year.

But surely you must appreciate that "enjoying life" for a lot of people does not involve buying into the consumer tat-fest every year from 1 October to 31 December? 3 months of festive music and aisles crammed with tat in the shops, and christmas trees and lights everywhere you look.

All the "just ignore" it people just don't get how it is everywhere. You'd have to seal yourself in a single room in the house, curtains drawn, no tv, no email, no radio, no internet to avoid it entirely.

No way, winter would be really bleak without Christmas!

Yep, ban all fun and religion in December. That’s exactly what my OP said.

Or maybe it didn’t 😃

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

I don't recognise this at all.
If it is too much work for you, then you are over doing it - cut back, or cut out, whatever it is that is stressing you out.
Same with expense - don't spend what you can't afford.
Then don't take part in 'forced jollity'. If you don't want to do it, say 'no thanks' and don't do it.

Some people don't like their birthdays - are you going to decree that means none of us can celebrate every year? The same could be said for all sorts of things.
Just because you don't enjoy Christmas, not sure why that makes you feel nobody ought to be able to.