To be so f*cking over bloody Christmas.

[lifesabitchandthenyoudie]

Was already feeling like this, muting adverts etc; then yesterday I watched this: (Planet of the Humans by Jeff Gibbs) and I'm so done with the human race now I just want to hide in my little house and forget the world. I've been away from work and just know when I go back on Tuesday we'll already be overrun with fucking xmas music, decorations etc... I have gc and already feel angry about how much crap they have. I would buy them books but they literally don't even read or look after them. I get called scrooge because I only ever put up decorations (if I bother) in the week before, ffs! Is there anywhere on this planet that's xmas free, please?

I enjoy it much more now the kids are older - seems more calm and less full of tat!

I love buying them presents now because I know they are useful and will be used/worn not piled up in a full toy box or begged for because of an advert or peer obsession.

I don't do decoration until 2 weeks before - mainly because I have a real tree and like it to last until New Year.

I spend the time with friends and their older kids and the day with my mum and stepdad and my kids - small family gathering that usually ends in tequila shots and Cards Against Humanity!

I feel for shop workers having to listen to Christmas songs on an endless loop for 8 weeks and deal with stressy customers but I have a nice quiet pace to Christmas now so I look forward to it.

Don't hate me but all my shopping is done as well!

Get over yourself. So much anger about something that's utterly in your control.
If you don't want to buy into the commercialism then don't.
If you don't want to by yourself DGC things then don't. Give them days out and memories instead.
Some people have real issues to worry about.

If you genuinely have an interest, I’d highly recommend looking up the Bwindi Foundation Child Sponsorship Programme. They have a website and a Facebook page, and are always desperately in need of support, whether that be a financial contribution or just spreading the word about the work that they do.

we received our first Christmas card last week!

I love Christmas and plan to put the tree up on Dec 1st.

My husband always works on Christmas Day and we usually have a nice dinner in the evening. We don't have kids so our Christmas is pretty simple and relaxed.

It's usually hot on Christmas Day where we live so I stay inside in front of the air con, with a glass of wine and a good movie.

I just enjoy the down time from work, the atmosphere and being able to indulge in food that I never normally eat.

If you can get away with it a xmas alone or on holiday is the best thing ever. Make it your thing.

I work in retail & our Christmas stuff starts to be put out before the paddle boards etc have gone! Also think Christmas ads start way too early. Magazines don’t help either - I started a thread once about how overwhelmed I get reading the “glossies”, thinking I have to make my house look like a page from Country Living or similar. I end up feeling totally inadequate. Having said all that, I do love Christmas but think it needs to be more about family & friends than the frenzied planning, buying, decorating etc. Apart from anything else I don’t have the time to create amazing table centrepieces, wreaths etc or make my presents look like something out of a fashion shoot! I don’t even have a colour scheme as such, just bung everything on the tree!

I try not to get involved in it until 1st December
I admit it’s easier now there are no children - most of the adults tell each other what we want plus I buy a few surprises
Decorations go up about 2 weeks before
I don’t understand the whole buying tons of food thing though - we have a posher than usual roast (choice of Guinea fowl and venison this year) and a couple of desserts as we don’t normally have them - the rest of the time is just as normal - it’s only one day after all, Boxing Day is for leftovers and after that it’s just normal meals again
The thing I enjoy most are Xmas dos - even the work one - it’s a rare opportunity to dress up and eat out
I do get the January blues so this year have booked 2 short breaks to give us something to look forward to

The thing I hate is when people rush through Christmas in November and then as soon as Christmas day is over they demand everyone else stop celebrating. I prefer to celebrate the other way around, to keep celebrating until the end of December as opposed to before. I love to keep my tree up for new years eve, if we don't go out and have people over the tree just adds to the occasion.

I hate it too . Wished i liked it !

those of you that like it .. what is it that you like , and what is it you are celebrating?!
id love to understand .

before dc we used to go in a cottage in middle of no were just before c mas and saw no one and walked and read and cooked .

Op what about going to a lovely quiet place ?

I get this - it’s lovely.

But why do we have to start it two months in advance? It just ruins it, because by the time we get to it half of us are sick of it all.

There isn’t any other holiday or festival that we have so much build up. Why??!

I watched the whole thing . Its terrifying!
We stopped buying Christmas gifts for everyone 10 years ago and only give birthday gifts . There is only one small child in our family she is given a Christmas gift. Our tree goes up Christmas Eve and is taken down 27th Dec and we don't celebrate new year as usually working anyway .We still have a lovely relaxing Christmas. We have saved so much money .

I suppose it depends how you do it. We have solar panels, share one hybrid car, meal plan and eat mostly vegetarian.

At Christmas we hang the same decorations bar a wreath from a wreath making workshop. We do eat Christmas Dinner but with minimal waste.

My kids get sensible presents, as little plastic as I can manage. Wrapping is reusable or plain brown paper.

We try to be responsible but still adore Christmas. I grew up in a very abusive household and I love the totally different, magical experience for my children. Christmas can be lovely and doesn't need piles of tat.

those of you that like it .. what is it that you like , and what is it you are celebrating?!
id love to understand .

I like it because we do it chilled way. It's a family chill time (if we are in reapective countries). Some presents, people and things spread over 3 days, food, drinks, games. If it's just 2 of us, similar way (it's never just two of us for goose on 25th, friends get invited, but 24th is sometimes just us), drinks, movie, monopoly.
Cook and when it's done, it's done, no pressure.
Practical but nice pressies on 24th, little stocking ones on 25th.

It's all just about using that days off to have fun, recharge, and meet up with family or friends we want if we can (different countries).

Hate it. Would happily miss it completely. And to everyone says you can miss it / ignore it - no you can't. Unless you move into a cave around mid-September, never set foot in a supermarket or shopping centre, watch no live tv etc.

@lifesabitchandthenyoudie - I do understand, I have the opposite problem. I come from a family where Christmas is all about spending money on gifts (despite a large chunk being devoutly Christian (?)) and when I met my now husband, their Christmas is much more low key. 1-2 gifts per person, decorations held for years and handed down, Christmas Day is very much focused on a nice dinner and spending time together. It really struck me how materialistic my family were and I have really tried to tone it down. We buy DS 3-4 gifts and DH and I go out for a nice day out mid December as our gift to each other, but my family still turn up with sacks (plural!) of gifts for everyone.

I am buying them all charity donation gifts this year, it will go down like a lead balloon but tough!

I agree with this, I love having the tree up until New Years, spending the days between Christmas and New year either cocooning at home or seeing friends and family, forgetting what day of the week it is etc. Christmas to me is about having a mental rest as much as anything else.

I genuinely love it all. It gets me through the long summer thinking about Sept-Dec and everything that comes with it. 🎄

Im 64 and when I was growing up we didn’t put the tree or decorations up until a few days before Christmas. It was magical.

OP, Christmas is what you make it. If you don’t like the commercialism and environmental damage of plastic tat presents, give alternative ones, like the selection in “Good Gifts” - a water supply for an African village, a warm blanket for a third world war widow, seeds and tools for a poor subsistence farmer etc. Your DC or DGC can feel a glow when they open them, that they are helping the less well off.
If you don’t like the day itself, go and volunteer at a homeless shelter, to serve Christmas lunch or play games with the clients. DD used to spend a few hours thrashing vagrants at Scrabble, while they all had a laugh together.
Think about the real purpose of Christmas - to celebrate our Saviour’s birth. Go to a magical, mystical, awe inspiring midnight service at your local church. Sing carols, feel uplifted, share the blessings of the season with your fellow congregants.
The real joy of Christmas is still there waiting for you, if you scrape away the tinselly crap that hides it!

I agree. The whole thing is a pain. Roll on Easter, when we have days off to do exactly what we want without any pressure.

😆😆 I love this!

Children in our family only get presents from parents, extended family give cash to save or buy something they want. They have loved it. I transfer it online to their banks so they can see it straight away. We do it with birthdays too. It means I get them exactly what they want and we don’t end up with a load of plastic tat and things they won’t play with. There 6&7.

I also have a potted tree that comes in each year this is year 3. It’s in already with fairy lights on but no decorations. I just love the cosy comfy feel of twinkly lights. It doesn’t look like a Christmas tree really as the room is full of plants already so one more doesn’t a difference 😂