Have you made Christmas plans yet?

[Rainbowsponge]

I haven’t, just intrigued when everyone else normally does it

Well, usually one side of the family starts asking about plans every 4 seconds from about March onwards, the other side won't be nailed down until mid December. I would prefer a middle ground of let's get to autumn then sort it. Then, I do actually want to see all threads of the family and spend the 25/26th with the key ones having a lovely wholesome time.... It normally partially works out like that with a lots of stress and juggling along the way and it can get quite overwhelming for the 5 year old.

I vividly remember thinking last year that it wasn't worth it, and in 2024 we should just see both sides for a booked event or normal day time visit in the days leading up then opt out of the uncertainty and make our own plans/go away somewhere for Christmas.... Maybe summer is the time to get in there and make it happen... 🤔

I don't usually make plans as it's just me and DS.

Agree. Although mine is the 1st Jan - the exhale as everything returns to normal (& the ‘twinkly lights and snuggles’ can be out to pasture) is a real thing for me.

Those posters saying this thread might upset people who are grieving because it’s in AIBU…I am incredulous. AIBU covers literally any and every topic. If you tried to avoid anything that might trigger grief , you’d never be able to post at all. And telling me to “use my imagination”.. no I wont draw up “what if” scenarios thanks very much. If OP wants to ask a question about Christmas in July she’s perfectly free to do so without being told off by the big girls in sixth form.

I have started, but I have difficult logistics: My three DC take turns which family they spend it with, their DP's family or their own. Last year I had all of them, this year I may actually have none and may be on my own on Christmas Day. In which case Christmas will be transplanted wholesale to the days around New Year's Day.

I have also started my Christmas shopping.

Oh for goodness sake. People can talk about what they want, whenever they want. I have hardly any family to spend Christmas with, I don't expect everyone else to censor what they say.

Yea! Having the day at home with kids and DH, no visitors and we are getting an Indian delivered. Can't wait. 🎄

Booked a premier inn as usual for a night after Christmas.

I’m not sure the OP thought she was “special” by asking, just curious!

I've decided that there's going to be no presents this year. I'm sick of stuff.

I want good food, my family around me and that's it.

So stress about expectations and no wasting money.

Lol ‘you think you’re so special by asking Christmas plans’ because it’s ‘triggering’ has to be the most Mumsnet reply I’ve ever seen!

Depends what plans you mean, in terms of booking things, many things go on sale in August.

I usually start thinking about Xmas and discussing plans and gift ideas with my parents around October time, as we have a few birthdays in November and December. Last Christmas my parents had been on holiday abroad early December and my Mum was bedridden with Covid a week before Christmas so I was stressed with the uncertainty of whether we would have to change our Christmas plans last minute. For some random reason the other day I started thinking about when I did an Iceland delivery at the time to make sure I had everything and decided this year I will do the same but plan ahead so I feel more prepared!

Can you please direct us to the section in the talk guidelines which states what topics are and are not allowed to be talked about on this public board on this public forum? Just so everyone can avoid posting things that annoy you personally in future.

No. There's not really anything to plan. My mum and MIL take it turns to come to us, and it's my mum's turn this year. When the time comes I'll buy presents, decide what to cook and put the decorations up. That's all the planning that's required for us.

A basic one yes - because we have always lived away from family so have to plan in advance where we will be (at pur home or travelling to extended family) and to link up with plans of overseas siblings who may travel home (or not).

This year, even more complicated because DD and I are both abroad in 2 different cities (me on a 3 year work posting - she's hoping for a uni course when results out next month). So we had a family discussion (the 3 of us) after her exams, and led by DD, have decided that DH and DD will travel to me instead of us going "home" and all travelling down to extended family.

We might even get a New Year trip somewhere by train or cheap plane compared to at home. And get nice snowy weather there.

I've also started both shopping and crafting for presents - because I need to buy and wrap for about 60 people and will now also have to ship most of those. But I've only bought about 3 small bits (not full presents) and made 1 thing of a list of 27...it's more about buying when I see something perfect for a person (especially in sales), and that crafting takes time but I don't get a lot of that, especially in Oct-Dec every year.

I will need to buy a tree here, and lights. I should have enough decorations. Food and beds are easy. Food won't necessarily be traditional British/Irish feast but will be nice food we will enjoy.

DH will need to book flights and DD a train (flights are expensive for me but should be cheap for him in reverse that time of year, and trains are super easy here). He will probably do the flights in Sept once DD starts uni and trains I will probably book for her in late November/early December once she knows her dates to get good times and book seats (probably a Eurostar rather than local train service).

And this year, apart from the work events I will have to do, I want to get to some cultural events here too - music concerts and get to Christmas markets in other cities, that sort of thing. But that will only be possible much later in the autumn.

Ok, I am assuming that while there may not be explicitly written guidelines, posters will 'police' themselves to post in vaguely the appropriate section
However, while there may be some parts of the Venn diagramme that cross sections, more will not, thus having dedicated sections
This post has no overlapping with aibu
So then what is the point of separate sections? It will just be one amorphous thread, making it hard to wade through stuff you aren't interested in

We have booked for the Kew lights because we want to go the day school breaks up and the time slot we have booked is already sold out, so have to be on the ball with that one. We have also booked pantomime tickets as they were half price if you booked them before a certain date. I have ordered the DC a Lapland advent calendar as we are not going there this year. That's all though, which I appreciate it a lot more than others have done, but with somethings it pays to plan ahead!

I would LOVE to be able to make my Christmas plans but they depend on my adult children's plans. I'm also about to start a new cancer treatment so I don't know how I'm going to feel. I'm going to leave it to the beginning of September, when I will have a better idea of whether I'm going to be well enough to host/be a guest/go away for Christmas, and then chase them for an answer.

I love Christmas.

I won't talk about Christmas until m&s opens its food orders - sept/oct.

Currently trying to convince DM (90!) that she should finally stop hosting and cooking Christmas dinner for our entire family - she’s incredibly stubborn and is having none of it..

COVID was an eye opener for DH as he realised he prefers Christmas just us (we don't have kids). We used to go to his parents for Christmas Day and then host Boxing Day at ours for his parents / whoever wanted to drop in from my family. We are always welcome at my family's for Christmas Day, but there are LOADS of us, so we didn't make a difference number wise whereas his parents only have DH and his brother really.

Anyhoo long story short DH has realised he doesn't actually like his parents very much for various very valid reasons. We have quietly gone LC without any drama and have started going away somewhere lovely with our dog for the festive season. This year is a cottage with hot tub in very rural Wales which we booked in Feb because we've stayed before and loved it.

Yes! Booked the Polar Express for December 16th last week and had to book premium seats as all the standard seats were already gone so I’m not the only person booking ahead!

@Ponkpinkpink15 Seriously, it was quite clear from the title what the thread was about, if you don’t want to read it just don’t. You have issues, sorry but stop with the dumb posts trying to make people posting on a lighthearted thread feel bad. Blocking you now so don’t bother responding.