To ditch these bits of Christmas

[PupInAPram]

This year, with the agreement of my adult children whom I'll spend Christmas with, we are ditching: presents, tree, decorations, home cooked Christmas dinner (we have booked dinner out), Christmas cake.

We are keeping, special food treats, booze, board games and party games, many many fairy lights.

YABU Christmas should not be meddled with
YANBU Grown up households should pick the bits they like.

My tree is up (DH did it) and there are lights on it.
It's naked.
It has no balls...they're in a big storage crate about 6ft away.

I've kind of given up this year. I can't fake it anymore.

Everyone should do what they want… who cares.

I did post 2 cards.
That was more to use the stamps up really.

Your family , your choice , for me if I could only keep one part of my Christmas it would be my trees .

Ditch what you like. We are also a family of all adults and I’ve ditched the Christmas crackers. We’re having dinner in as went out for the last two years. I’ve ditched doing a big Boxing Day buffet for 10 of us and changed it to
a meal out.
We have kept the tree, in fact have added a tree this year, stockings and my adult DC are more involved in choosing the food.

@MillyMollyManky Stasi on the shelf 🤣🤣🤣

Your Christmas doesn't sound like Christmas but that only matters to you and your family and you can do absolutely as you wish

Absolutely. I am indifferent about Christmas, no kids, oh loves the food and two weeks off work. I lost my job in November so I have had so much time to plan. We have an extravaganza this year and we even have snow. I've watched two Christmas films every day, they are all the same but who cares! Just watched the stupidest one of all on hallmark and blubbing my eyes out. Just do what you want to do, no one else's business

My children were asking me today why we don't have one. I think the whole idea is awful! They both struggle with behaviour at times, because both are autistic. As a child I was threatened with coal in my stocking for being "bad" (undiagnosed autism with no support at all and blamed for being put in situations that caused meltdowns). It was toxic and so damaging.

I explained to my children that the elf is meant to be a spy for whether they "deserve" Christmas presents and it doesn't work like that: all children deserve Christmas presents. So no need for us to have an elf. Father Christmas loves all children even if they are finding things difficult.

Typing that is 60 seconds of your life you'll never get back.

@HootOwlStrikesAgain that's really touching. What a lovely thing to say to your children.

Just watched the stupidest one of all on hallmark and blubbing my eyes out

Which one was it? I find a good cry cathartic at times!

@HootOwlStrikesAgain

So well said re the older traditions (and the bloody elf)

A thousand likes for your posts

Thank you. I never know if I am doing the right thing with parenting!! I just want them to feel happy and secure and not feel judged for being who they are. Which is fantastic, kind, funny little people.

Ditched all but the meal about 15 years ago. Bliss.

❤️🎅🏼🎄⛄️❄️

Went to asda yesterday and in front of us at the checkout a young woman had 3 bottles of Jack Daniels and a half price Christmas tree.

My Dh, looked on wistfully saying "my sort of Christmas " which made her giggle.

Now there are no children under eighteen I’ve ditched cards (well I did that a few years ago), stockings, all decorations except the tree, special Christmas Day clothes (not going out). I’ve also bought a much smaller turkey (crown) but got other meat as well. I will buy tins of chocolate though as I love digging in to that.

I dont think that suitcase went awol so much as it was probably stolen - either by someone wanting to keep alcohol and pork out of the country or by someone desperate for booze and bacon

That’s really lovely. I’m glad to say until a week ago I’d never heard of this elf on a shelf practice. Glad it wasn’t part of my children’s growing up (hopefully I would have not bought into it).

Living alone as I do, I "do" Christmas how it suits me. No big tree in the house since the cats moved in, but I always have a couple of little ones dotted about & a battery operated one hanging from the rear view mirror in the car. I usually get round to lights in the window (must do them this evening!) and sometimes have a wreath on the door. Have tinsel in my hair if I'm working.

Stock up on plenty of seasonal snack & party food to replace meals, and have been known to just have the "trimmings" for Christmas dinner. DSis & (adult) nephew no. 4 come round Boxing day and the party food comes out again along with films on the TV & presents exchanged. It's what suits ME.

We did used to have fantastic traditional Christmases when I was a child with a good mix of mid-winter traditions (e.g. yule log, mistletoe, greenery, decorated tree), slightly more up to date things like the turkey dinner with trimmings & crackers, stockings, fairy lights etc;, and a dash of Christianity. But some things these days that appear to be "traditional must haves" weren't around then e.g. XMas Eve boxes, Elf on the fecking Shelf, chocolate in Advent Calendars (only started in the 70's I think), over priced "German" markets, matching family PJs, houses with the outside smothered in so many lights you can see them from space, "Santa please stop here" signs outside every house.

In which case, I rather hope it was the latter & someone's tucking into ds's PIBs & enjoying a dram 🤣.

We do have both pork (pricey & poor quality) & booze (you could run a small motorbike on most of it, though) here, so unlikely to be any sort of moral crusade.

I'm not attributing to conspiracy what can be explained by baggage handler cock up...not yet, anyway!

If you eant to have a normal party day, have a normal party day.
Everyone can spend Christmas time as they wish to. As long as everyone is happy, that's the main thing

Dare to be unconventional. Break those boring traditions and just do you.

It mlre likely didn't fulfill customs rules rather than some conspiracy about keeping pork out😂
You usually can't take large quantities of meat and ither foods willy nilly.
Most likely just a general fuck up with losing suitcase which is now chilling in Hawai😂