Seriously, f*ck Christmas!

[Eurydice84]

• I am working until Xmas eve. My entire family is staying over, but my Mum/Dad/bro refused to babysit when I will working because "they're too tired"
• DH and I are doing all the cooking. Every. Single. Year.
• No one drives so I will be the official chaffeur for the holidays
• I have been wrapping up presents for two weekends in a row
• I spent an entire day making a gingerbread house yesterday and it has v predictably collapsed on itself
• Pre-school party tomorrow, of course in the middle of the working day
• Just got soaked to the bone delivering Xmas cards around the village

Hitting the Bailey's hard today. How is this the most wonderful time of the year?

So take the opportunity this year to say I'm not doing this again next year. Who is going to host next year? Be very definite and say under no circumstances are you going it next year so they can fight amongst themselves and decide. Stay out of it. If going elsewhere doent suit you, do your own thing. And do not change your mind.

I had to do this last year, and this year I'm not doing it on my own as I have for the last 5 years. Told them after it was all over last year, a years notice, someone else could take the lead.

Sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how terrible it must be for you. 💐

I am, however, not talking about bereaved people or people who for various reasons have a traumatic time at Christmas.

I am talking about people who start posts about turning themselves into martyrs for the Christmas season and then complain about it.

I also meant back to normal as in no more lockdown and restrictions and didn’t mean anything deeper than this to offend people who are bereaved / suffered trauma or any other situation whereby Christmas is difficult.

I also lost a grandparent during the pandemic hence the sentiment of being grateful for having grandparents who care. This is the stage of my personal grief that I am at - sorry if this offends you.

Sorry, my previous post was meant for Blackhearts girl but I don’t comment often and did it wrong

Fck that. Do not host next year.

Plenty of advice given already but don't make life too easy for your guests.

If they won't help then for minimal washing up - use paper plates/plastic cutlery.
Hit that Baileys - you are not available to drive for the duration of the holiday - get a taxi!
They want a snack - they prepare and clean up - if they don't - dump the stuff on their bed until they do.
No guests (in my view) should show up and then do nothing to help or make life easier for their hosts.
I have had guests over Christmas and been a guest at others and have always had help or offered help myself. To the point that I have made the hosts sit with a drink and then tell me where stuff belongs or cleaned up and left stuff so they can put it where it lives. How can people be so self-centred, selfish and ignorant?

I definitely wouldn't be throwing out invites next year - and if they show up or invite themselves - give them the number for the local hotel - and arrange to be elsewhere - like a restaurant for Xmas lunch!! No cooking or washing up or cleaning up!!

You don’t have to do any of those things on your list.

For god's sake making a gingerbread house?
Most people buy a ready made one and just decorate it

Stop doing it. They’re taking the proverbial and you’re allowing them to.

So you want to be a martyr but want to complain about it? Just uninvite them. 👍🏻

You are trying to do too much. Why make a gingerbread house when you are already busy with everything else and feel exhausted.

You need to tell people that you need their help. In future I would be thinking about inviting fewer - or no - people and having a more relaxing Christmas. Either that, or make sure those you invite are forewarned that you are no longer willing to do everything yourself - allocate jobs for them to do.

Oh, GOODNESS! I think your problem isn't so much Christmas as it is all of the things that you have committed to. I highly suggest that next year, you declare, early on, that that your little nuclear family (yourself, DH, DC(s?) will be celebrating at home, alone. That you love them all, but you cannot host with no help from them.

You will still have to cook, but on your own schedule. There will be school functions for the foreseeable future, but that's just the way it goes, and your chauffeuring drops down to "school functions."

With all due respect I did all this long ago
With no return respect . I don't think we should be
Slaves to others unless other's help out why put oneself In this stress its not
Worth it for any

Sacrifice

Simple. Concise. Correct.

Fk that… You need to learn the word ‘NO’.
tell your house guests that if they can’t help with childcare they can’t come until you’ve finished work. They can stay in a hotel if necessary.

That sounds like hell OP.

Make this THE LAST TIME. Let them all know politely this year in passing to make the most of it as you fancy a change next year/holiday or some such. Why should everyone else has a lovely time except you???

UK family but I remember making them as a child in the early 80s. It's a tradition in other countries my Dad enjoyed with us.

We used to make one as teenagers in the 90s but my parents part in it was limited to buying the ingredients. We made it and tidied up the Chaos! Loads of fun

Seriously plan something different for next year. I have decided KFC on Christmas Day and meal out on Boxing Day. If others don't like it, they can do the organising.