To think life would be better without Christmas

[MyDogsPaws]

I really hate Christmas, I know I’m probably in the minority but it’s October and I’m already worried and stressed about it and I suspect I’m not alone!

If it was just a case of putting a tree and a few lights up and having your family round for dinner in the 25th I would absolutely love it, I’d start thinking about it in December and look forward to having a nice day with my family. Unfortunately it’s not like this, there is fucking Santa and all that entails, school Xmas shows and needing to get time off work for it all, the cost of everything and being skint for the entire winter because i have to spend every penny I earn on presents or visiting Santas ducking grotto, or buying outfits for Xmas parties, and all the rest of it.

Yes I could just tell my kids there’s no such thing as Santa and all they’re getting is an orange and a book this year but that’s not going to stop them feeling left out when everyone else in primary school got a iphone 15 or whatever.

I really believe that Xmas makes life less enjoyable, not more and I’d quite happy ban it it, tinsel and all, for the rest of eternity, AIBU?

yanbu

Oh for christs sake, with all that's happening in the world

Bah Humbug!

I guess it depends on your experiences growing up. Personally I love it. I'm middle aged, and it's still a magical time. But my OH is very cynical about it, because his mum never made it special for him.

Just don't get dragged into all the commercialism, you really don't have to. You can still enjoy the festivities you want to enjoy without having to get involved in everything. And don't believe your children when they say 'everyone' has the latest iPhone or whatever

As a kid I was sad about not celebrating Christmas (we're Jewish) - as an adult and a parent, I'm very glad we don't! But I do get a lot of people do love it as well.

I love Christmas!!

You’re being insanely melodramatic. Give fewer presents. Wear clothes you already own to parties. I don’t think I’ve ever taken DS to a Santa grotto. How many Christmas shows can your children’s schools have to necessitate all that time off?

You don’t have to have a materialistic Christmas if you don’t want to.
It can be the ‘lights and time with family’ that you long for. You can turn down the parties or wear what you wore last year. Avoid Santas grotto and Christmas fairs. Give your child less expensive gifts, it won’t ruin their life, promise.

You could try not fucking Santa (and all that entails) as a start?

Can you not just dial it back a bit?

There’s no way around Santa presents but I do think we should all sit down and tot up what we would comfortably afford to spend on other adults and then go buy ourselves exactly what we want with it. When I am elected supreme leader it will be one of my first decrees.

Also I know I’m patronising and twee but my kids are older now and I really do miss a good nativity. They’re such good comedy value and they try so hard love them. If anyone needs me as a stand in for a primary Xmas show they can’t get to let me know .

Strip the unnecessary shit back!

No one's got any money at the moment, so this is the year to do what you want, to the extent you want.

But where are you supposed to magic all the extra time and money from? If I could do that it probably wouldn’t be so stressful.

I really wish I could enjoy Christmas like everyone else does but I really find it very difficult to see where the enjoyment is.

I love Christmas, including Father Christmas. He never entailed anything but a stocking full of cheap little bits and bobs for me tbh. I don't remember ever buying my dc (now 15 & 18) new outfits for Christmas parties either. We don’t spend loads on presents. My dc have never expected or wanted designer stuff, iPhones etc. Christmas makes life better for me, not worse.

Mine have never been to a grotto. Just pick the bits you want to do.
Presents and food get bloody expensive, so I feel you on that.

It's a day to enjoy yourself, not a competition of who can take on the most! I'm reminding myself of that btw, not preaching...

I bet "everyone else" doesn't enjoy it as much as you think.

I’d enjoy Christmas more if the commercial part was about every 3 years and we could just have the family dinner and some carols every year!

When I was a child it was much more simple. A couple of small presents and a nice Christmas dinner with something a bit special for dessert.

It’s all a bit much nowadays.

Yabvvvvvvu!

I suspect many people feel the same OP, they just go along with it because everyone else does.

I’ve had some great times as a child & adult. However, it’s become far too commercialized for my liking & I no longer celebrate.

I should say my kids don’t get presents that most people would consider extravagant but it still all adds up when it’s all at once. At least birthdays are spread over the year!

Agreed, I’ve always said it should be every 4yrs like the Olympics! I find it mega stressful still, even though my kids are older now. The endless stress of what to buy etc - it’s such a massive relief when it’s over

I don’t go to Christmas plays - delegate to dad/aunty etc. I hate it, so boring.

I love decorating so do that and get excited.

Presents - kids like things You can make/do together, something like make a board game together, rather than a present. Or let their present be an obstacle course you have to go through and they can make really difficult.

I don’t buy Christmas jumpers, I stick a bit of tinsel on a normal one. Who cares.

food is just going to be a roast. Go to church, they get all the atmosphere right, then it’s very little for me to really do on the day, make sure I’ve got tonnes of crisps in and chocolate.

you can make it so much smaller op, and you can say no to things too!

You don't need to go to the school show or the grotto or buy outfits for parties - none of that is needed to make a magical Christmas

And you don't need to spend lots - and make a stocking full of essentials like pants and an apple

Watch a movie , set the kids to make some paper decorations and keep it minimal

We only put a tree up and have a family dinner. The rest is Christmas films, cooking nice things, frosty walks and a few pressies for the kids with a bit of magical 'getting ready' on Christmas Eve.

You don't have to do all the peripheral stuff. Christmas is what you want it to be.

For us it's just cosying up and having a bit of sparkle at mid-winter.

(Baileys, cheese boards and chocolate oranges are a welcome bonus!)

But you said it in your OP? Lights, tree, family.

It is possible to be happy without spending money.

Icing biscuits to look like snowmen doesn't cost much. Neither does cutting snowflakes out of paper. Learning Christmas songs and singing them in the bath is free. Sprinking some breadcrumbs and glitter on the grass as ‘reindeer’ food isn’t expensive, or a carrot to leave for Rudolf is even cheaper. There will be Christmas films free on the TV to watch.

Okay- there presents and food for Christmas day is extra. But just buy for your kids and special food for Christmas day. The rest of the time just enjoy feeling grateful for the live in your life and do some good deeds for others. That’s what Christmas is really about.