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.

Bollocks to that.

For me personally, the most wonderful time of the year is spring, when the weather's improving but too roasting hot, everything's coming back to life again after the barren months of winter, and the air just feels fresher and lighter. Bluebells in the woodlands. Lambs gamboling in the fields. Bird song and butterflies.

Christmas? It's songs you've heard millions of times before, rubbish weather, overrated food (there's a reason we only really eat turkey and Brussel sprouts at Christmas) and the general stress of making sure everybody's 'happy'.

I love Christmas. I even love the stupid Christmas songs playing in shops though it's definitely not my kind of music. A lot of Christmas traditions don't cost much. Making paper Christmas decorations, decorating the house, baking Christmas cookies, singing Christmas carols, reading Christmas stories (from the library), looking at Christmas lighting together, etc. It doesn't have to be just about presents and even there you could start a traditional of exchanging home made presents. Of course nothing wrong if none of that appeals to you but if you want to celebrate Christmas there are plenty of inexpensive or free things you can do.

Dd told me one of the things she is looking forward to thr most is walking around area after dark and looking at everyone's Christmas decorations in the windows.

I love it. I'm fortunate that my work place shuts down over Christmas, for me it's about family time and food!

We don't do elf on the shelf or Christmas boxes. I have 2 kids and try and keep father Christmas gifts to under £100 per child. Gifts from us are £20-£50 other than that I only buy for my husband (but often we buy each other tickets for shows), niece and nephews (£15 ish each) and my parents/his mum.

We tend to see a lot of family as both sets of grandparents live close by.

Usually we take the kids to a pantomime too (which we all love 😂).

Obviously it's a more expensive month but I usually start buying gifts in October 🤷‍♀️.

I don't do social media (a part from Mum's net 😂) so perhaps that helps me not feel to bombarded by it all...

Thanks!

We don't get into debt. Santa brings a stocking and a small present, we get another few presents. No elf on the shelf, Christmas experiences (our tradition is going out for a hot chocolate and a new bauble and making gingerbread houses), Christmas eve boxes. We spend lots of time with family who we don't get to see that much. I like the music, it reminds me of happy times.

The weather is shit though, and everyones ill, that's the worst thing about that time of year. If they moved it to spring or summer I'd be very happy

Absolutely every word of this.

I don’t get this though… why do you eat turkey and brussel sprouts at Christmas if you don’t actually like them? I don’t like turkey either, so we don’t have it. We tend to have a really nice rib of beef for Christmas dinner, because that’s what we all like. It seems weird to say ‘I hate having to eat things I don’t like’ when you can actually eat whatever you want 🤷🏻‍♀️

I love Christmas, ignore it until after Guy Fawkes, buy presents end Nov and then, from Dec onwards, enjoy the build up and actual event. No big stress and no getting into debt, small family gathering only. It’s a lovely time of year at work too, nearly everyone in the festive spirit. I often take a few days off but as the kids are now grown up this isn’t needed, it’s just to relax from all that cooking, which I enjoy as it’s just once a year and everyone appreciates it.

Well if that's how you do Christmas then I'm not surprised you hate it. I love it. Our Christmas is time for family. We don't spend a fortune, it is NOT about consumerism and spending money we don't have, it's about love and us being together. My parents are retired vicars so there is the religious aspect for them.
It's a time for grace, love and light in our house. It's a time when everywhere rings with laughter and we have time to be together.
No overpriced plastic tat here.

Because you often don't get a choice in the matter, 'it's tradition' so you end up with it whether you like it or not. And at the risk of seeming impolite, you just have to go along with it. Like most other things at Christmas.

The weather is shit though, and everyones ill

Yes the illness! Every year! That's another thing I dislike about that time of year ...

Like a pp, I absolutely love spring. So much hope!

We cook at home so I always get a choice in what I eat. I suppose if we went elsewhere I’d have to suck it up if they decided they were making turkey, but I guess that’s always a risk if you’re accepting someone else’s hospitality. There’s no way I’d be cooking something I don’t like for the sake of ‘tradition’.

Well, only if we are going to also ban other religions major celebrations too…
There is no need to get involved in an orgy of consumerism if thats not your thing.
Although we are not church goers, it’d be a bloody long winter without Christmas to look forward to, the lights, the parties, the food! And it marks for me, that its nearly time for the days to begin getting lighter and spring is on the way.

This. I was a single parent of 2 for years. They knew from very young what was within the budget and what wasn't. You don't need to overspend.

Christmas is what you make of it. If you don't like turkey then don't eat it. If you don't like the consumerist side of it then stop buying so much shit. I don't really understand the moaning when we are adults and able to make a choice. We don't celebrate Valentines day but I don't moan about the presents, cards and flowers out in the shop. Obviously someone is buying all the stuff that I think is tat.

Just be aware of how your actions may impact those around you. My mother always acted like christmas was a massive chore and sucked the joy out of it. I don't have that many fond memories of christmas. Now if finally got my DC I am looking forward to starting some family traditions as I don't have any and making fun Christmases based around baking, cooking and getting outside as much as possible.

Christmas brings light.
I’ve woken up this morning and it was cold and dark. This is the worse time of year but at least Christmas brings something to look forward to.

I love Christmas. It is the time of year you need a huge feast, the house decorated to the hilt and give gifts ( not necessarily expensive ones) to your family and loved ones. My tribe will be treated to great food , play endless games and watch lots of corny old films and hopefully go home with a warm glow. Father Christmas will come to everyone in residence on 24 December, even though the youngest of us is 30. I hate this judgement about what is on sale, I won’t be buying ready made gift packs but some people like them. You are of course entitled to be grumpy if you choose but really I just want to say fuck off you grinches.

Honestly thought this thread was going to be about the excessive rain we're having.

Can we not just like or dislike things without having to shame and name call other people for the stuff they like and dislike? I'm currently teaching this to my 5 year old...feels like a pretty basic block of being a decent human no? Just...you do you...?

But you don't have to do it like that.
You can celebrate it in a way that you and your family enjoy. You absolutely don't have to go in debt for it.

That would be quite brilliant- except what about the families with no men?

I think there is a great manipulation around Christmas particularly when a lot of people don’t seem very religious to me but I think it would be bleak to have nothing between dark Nov and Jan. The thing I like about Christmas is the lights and decoration. Even a kebab shop looks better with a bit of tinsel.

I think that is the point isn’t it? Most traditions seem to have a festival of light in their darkest months, and didn’t we steal the date for Christmas from a “pagan” festival or lights?

The lights are my favourite bit so this obviously speaks to me on some level.

Christmas can be a really tough time of year for a lot of people for various reasons.

I agree that it is far too in your face nowadays and hard to avoid unless you're a recluse.

That said, it shouldn't take from the happiness and joy it brings many. I guess it comes down to finding a way to switch off from it, if it isn't a time of year you enjoy.

I once went to Scandinavia in December, honestly so SO lovely. All gorgeous decorations, soft lights, every house had big cardboard/paper lanterns up. It was so tasteful. Considering they have periods where there are maybe there's 4 hours of daylight it felt like they were making the most of the dark 😍

I've not read all the previous posts but this is my take on your post .

I completely agree that Christmas has become far too commercialised and children get far too worked up about presents. But there are ways to do your own thing and not be sucked into it all.

1 Your children should be taught the reason for celebrating Christmas (religious) and if they and you are another faith, fair enough, but they still need to understand its origins - which is not Santa Claus and gifts.

2 You need to explain to them that any gifts will be within your budget. They won't get everything on their wish list.

3 You should not feel pressurised into spending more than you can afford. It's not about getting loads of gifts.

As a family we'd be considered 'well off' and now my kids are adults, they too are earning 6-figure salaries. We put a limit of £20-ish per person on Christmas gifts because we refuse to enter in the panic-buying consumerism that it's become.

We treat it as a day of the year when, we hope, we can all get together over lunch. It's not about gifts and never was- even when my kids were young.

Try doing the same and you'll be a lot happier.