What is Xmas about for you?

[Toptopsy]

I did not grow up with Xmas, in fact I did not really grow up with any religious festivals. Now that we have kids, I am just not sure how/what Xmas is about for us as a family. What is it about for you? Family, faith, tradition? And how do you make it meaningful for you if you didn't grow up with it but also have no other faith that takes precedence?

Food

DD's happiness, then actually getting to spend some time together without routines and rushing around, then food.

Getting together with friends and family (on my own terms I might add). Food. A rest from work. Die Hard (the film).

Family. Everyone's home and it's great.

Gratitude.

Tradition, but the bits of tradition i like - rest for as many people as possible, spending time with people you love, going outside, great food to share, making your home look different and special.

Marking the passage of time. Time is important. I am distressed every year around the anniversary of a bereavement- there's no real logic in that when you think about it, but it's very real. Christmas is a comfort because it's always there.

Family
Friends
Time off work
Giving gifts (not overly interested in receiving them)
Food
Lazing in front of the TV for once.

I think it's mainly the first two, everyone makes much more effort to meet up over Christmas. If your friends and family don't really do Christmas either it's less likely this will happen for you.

My children being happy

Food and a trip home where it’s about 30 degrees warmer than where I usually live.

I’m actually a practising Christian but Jesus was not born on the 25th of December so I’ve never really associated the two in my mind. I sing carols etc, but don’t think more about the birth of Jesus at this time of year, than I do in the middle of summer.

Food and a good amount of sunshine is what Christmas is all about.

Same as pp, happy kids. All I ever strive for in life really. This isn’t necessarily to do with presents.

Family

It’s a time of year when a lot of society is suspended and I really value that stop in deep winter. A bit of a mini hibernation, and a helpful reset before the new year.

Also it’s built on much older midwinter festivals - finding a way to create light on the darkest day is important I think - a reminder of spring to come, the way things cycle, the seasons, and the importance of protective the earth.

I love the nativity scene at the local church, love hearing the church bells play out on Christmas morning, love that my family come safely together, live giving thought to presents I know they'll enjoy, I love the story of baby jesus, love the idea of joy to all men, love that people all around the world are sharing the day with me, loved watching the Queens speech and the positivity she exuded. 7

For me it's about family and faith. And I need quite a lot of faith that god will get me through a day with my family. 😂

Midwinter celebration with lights, comforting food, family and friends. Being grateful and sharing gifts. Staying warm and cosy in slower days, while looking forward to the spring.

Having fun, spending time with my ds and other family.

Eating lovely food, trying new recipes, letting our hair down and treating ourselves after a tough year. Putting them first. 😊

fun, magic, snuggles, films, appreciating family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues, silliness! Blowing away the winter blues.

For me it's family, community and tradition. I'd say I'm quite strongly a "cultural Christian" (not a lot of belief anymore but I like the institution and traditions and sense of belonging of the church) so there is also a religious element. We won't get to church this year and it doesn't feel that same.

Same wavelength @Luredbyapomegranate 🌱🌞🍁❄️

I’m a HCP so I work some time over Christmas but generally for me it’s time to slow down, be with my wonderful family, eat, drink, rest and be grateful for what I have. It’s mainly about the children although they are older now they still get excited.
This time of year I always like to take a little reflective look at my
life and think about what I would like to do more/less of next year and what makes me happy.

My childhood was so messed up, I didnt really have positive experiences to carry on with my children, so over the years we have built Christmas traditions essentially from scratch as a family unit.

For me it reinforces the family bond we have. we always do at least one charitable thing as I think its important to show that not everyone gets the same breaks in life. I love the games we play and the fun of making dinner together, the petty, in jest squabbles. Feeling like a normal family.

I was brought up Catholic, so there is a strong religious element for me (I almost cried watching the old stop motion Little Drummer Boy for the 30th time tonight. Not 30 times in the one night - in my life I mean)!
Anyway it means family and tradition, and now memories. It was the one holiday we'd all get together no matter how far apart we lived. And my parents always invited a few people who didn't have any family close by. My dad and I always went out to pick a tree, and it was my happy job to decorate it.
Now my parents are long gone. As is my husband (died suddenly at 51). And so since the kids were very small I've had to create new traditions.

Family!

I wasn't brought up in a church-going family - my parents only attended for weddings and funerals - so religion hasn't ever played a big part in Christmases past for me. Whwn I was married and especially when both my in-laws were alive (they were both lovely people) it always seemed that Christmas meant arguing with my Mum about why we didn't always go to her on Dec 25th or have her to dinner - we used to go to them'have them up to us one year on Dec 25th with my in-laws on Jan 1st and the other way round on alernate years.
Christmas and the New Year always seemed to me to mean lots of cooking and washing up afterwards, and also arguments with my ex about how I decorated the Christmas tree and put up the decorations. In the end, after our daughter left to go to Uni, I simply refused to put up any Christmas decorations at all if my ex was always going to be so critical about how I did it.
Since being separated and now dvorced, I've not bothered with Christmas decorations at all.

Family, love getting presents but I equally enjoy seeing people open the presents I got them and then it's just the family time between now and new years where you play board games or other games/ activities nobody ever really considers outside of this time.

Food and hugs and a bit of Yuley thoughtfulness.

Family celebrating together. Magic for children. Cheering everyone up through the most dismal, dark part of the year. Laughter, food, wine, decorations, presents, and most of all spending time with people all together, hibernating from the horribleness of winter. Not having to leave the house for a week!