Worst time of the year

[SHxxxxx]

Christmas should stop. It's killing parents mental health and finances. I absolutely hate it. Kids being fed a fantasy of Santa whilst we all get in debt because capitalism is battering us senseless to the awful tunes of Mariah Carey, the Pogues and Wham! I loathe Christmas and are deeply depressed until January arrives.. if you love Christmas, there must be something seriously wrong with you.

You don't have to feed into the consumerism; it's not compulsory. I agree about the Christmas music though.

Agreed. I bloody hate it! But I do love Christmas dinner!

I fucking love Christmas. There might be several things wrong with me. I don't go into debt though, that's stupid.

Speak for yourself! I don't get into debt for Christmas and I love it. Not at this time of year though, it has to be in December.

I'm not getting in debt for Christmas. I can provide what we can afford.

Why not cancel social media then, instead of Christmas!

I save up for Christmas all year so I'm never in debt, I even did this on a part time minimum wage as a single mother. I don't go massively overboard with "stuff" but I decorate loads and play Christmas music as soon as Halloween is over. I adore all of it, everything about Christmas. It's my absolute favourite time of year.

Ahhh - I guess you won’t be missed at our Christmas party.

YABU for moaning about it in September 🧑‍🎄

We don't get into debt but we do enjoy Christmas,
I refuse go get drawn into the Advent boxes, the ridiculously priced Santa events, the Christmas Eve box and the Old Father Time gift at new year but we do have our own little traditions and enjoy Christmas as a family.
And I do love a bit of Christmas music! 🎶

I was in B&M the other day and it’s already full of shit presents to give people that no one wants. I can’t believe people are still buying all this crap.

I find Christmas deeply depressing as well. For personal reasons.
I also hate the consumerism.
And the falseness: because people are just as unpleasant at Christmas or sometimes more so, even though it's supposed to be the " season of good will."

It's not Christmastime. There's a full quarter of the year to go until it is.

You’re the one bringing it up in September.

No one is forcing you to spend what you can’t afford or do anything you don’t want to do. Doing it while complaining about it is a choice and an unhelpful one at that.

I love Christmas, my mental health is tip top thank you.

If I was in power, I would ban any mention of it until Dec 1st.

We’re Christians.

Christmas for us is spending time as a family and being thankful for all our ‘blessings’.

Christmas for non believers seem to base the day around presents.

If you’re not religious just sack it all off if it’s causing you stress. If you feel your DC will miss out on presents just take them shopping on Boxing Day and get a few bits that they actually went in the sales.

You can make your own traditions that don’t cost a fortune. Baking cookies for neighbours, going to a Carol concert, Xmas light switch on, building gingerbread houses, making paper chains/decorations.

I put my 12yr old plastic Christmas tree up mid Dec (still mostly the same decorations as when I bought it). Buy a couple of presents, but certainly don't go into debt and prep for a roast dinner Christmas day. The oldies who care get Christmas cards (max 5/6)

Honestly, it doesn't need to be stressful if you just drop refuse to engage with the social media consumerism crap. It's actually really enjoyable having a chilled, pared down Christmas

I love Christmas. I loved Christmas as a child when we didn't have much money.
Just don't spend more than you've got.

I love seeing family, cooking, playing games.

I mean, if you're buying into the consumerism of Christmas then it probably is stressful.

I don't. We buy enough food that we don't need to go out for 3 days. We don't like Christmas dinner so we don't cook one. Even if we did, it's only a fancy roast. We don't buy a ridiculous amount of presents for the kids - just a few nice treats. I buy for my family and DH buys for his because we're financially able. If we weren't, we wouldn't.

No Elf, no Christmas boxes. We spend time together decorating and reading Christmas stories, watching Christmas movies. We go for long walks with hot drinks. Poke about the Christmas markets. I don't buy anything from B&M, and I much prefer choral music.

It's about snuggling down with family for us. I see the Christmas stuff in the aisles in Sainsbury's and I don't even register it. I'm not buying it, so why would it bother me? I'm also a coeliac but manage not to get offended by the bread aisle.

My mental health is great, thanks. 😁

I totally agree with you op.

I dread it.

It's about snuggling down with family for us

I genuinely don't understand what this means?

It’s not really fair for adults who don’t have children to buy loads of presents and get nothing back though.

Nobody is making you do it. I haven't done it for years and people stopped asking me.