Christmas things not worth doing

[charlieinthehaystack]

you know the things you think you have to do then after you think why on earth did i bother?
many a time i have spent hours carefully putting the stickers on toys bikes etc to complete it then two minutes after kids open it all the stickers are ripped off!
you risk life and limb not to mention driving miles to get that toy that your youngster has begged for along with most of the kids in the UK but on Christmas day its played with for 2 minutes then discarded never to be seen again
similar to above you have that one guest you want to impress/who is awkward so you spend ages finding food you know they like at great expense then find out when they visit they no longer like it!

Christmas Dinner.
I'd rather have a sandwich and go back to doing more interesting things than a meal.

Sending cards to all and sundry. This year my list is down to 6 (from dozens!!) and the rest are getting a greeting on FB or Watsap.

You’ll get some grinch come along and say ‘all of it. We don’t bother anymore’ 🤣🤣

mine would be, Elf in the Shelf. Bloody tedious thing to do every day, I nanny and I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been asked to do this ‘fun’ activity for other people’s children. I refuse to even do it for my own 🤣 I hate that Elf’s stupid face. No child remains excited by it after a week or so.

I agree with Elf on the shelf….but at the same time, I actually enjoy seeing what parents come up with! Would never do it myself cos I think it’s a waste of time but still

I never send cards either.

Mince pies, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding ugh!! No thanks, I hate them all.

What is worth doing though is being nice.

I don't get why people do it and didn't do Christmas pj's. Christmas eve boxes, elf on the shelf, inviting people over then complaining they have to do it every year. Loved spending every Christmas with just me hubby and kids. Didn't go visiting others either. You don't HAVE to do anything you don't want to

Secret Santa.
I never get anything I like/need/want. Usually sits in a cupboard for months until I take it to a charity shop.
Yet I spend weeks and weeks stressing about what to buy for my person because I want to get them something nice.

I would skip Christmas dinner in favour of cold meat with bubble and squeak.

Christmas Eve boxes

I think a 1st Dec box is a bit better to get use out of it. Xmas pjamas for Xmas Eve... should be given earlier in the month I think

Trudging round a Christmas market, with eleventy billion other dead-eyed souls, in the pissing rain just to pay £15 for a burnt sausage and look at some overpriced tat.

Fuck that.

Elf on the Shelf always seems like such an unnecessary hassle to me.

Markets. Same old wasteful tat and overpriced mulled wine/hot chocolate etc. I like the idea of it but the reality is crap, and I don't actually want any of the rubbish they're selling

I'm "some grinch".

Virtually all of it as far as I'm concerned. Obviously others are free to do as they want.

Those bloody Christmas markets in city centres. Groups of little wooden huts set up in the worst location ever usually. Overpriced, mediocre food that sounds nicer than it is, eaten while standing in the drizzle while getting barged into by other people. Everyone looks miserable.

Elf on the shelf. Seems to be yet another thing for parents (usually mums let’s face it) to either beat themselves up about as they forget to move it around or get super competitive about.

I have to save up for the whole year to afford any presents. Everything else is not a priority. I don't have children, otherwise I would probably feel different about the extra stuff.

Christmas Dinner on Christmas day. We decided when our eldest was 1yo that it turned what should be a fun family day into a big stress. So we binned it. Spend the day with the kids, playing with presents etc and then have the Roast another day

Santa's grotto for very young children (toddlers and babies) if they are very shy and it will just stress them out.
Elf on the shelf (it's just not my thing)
Matching pyjamas
Christmas markets
Visiting Hamleys up in London to see the Christmas displays - it just isn't as magical as it used to be, and I don't think that's entirely down to me being 40 and not 4 years old, the customer experience is just a bit crap and I can't hack those crowds with little ones in tow

Even worse than Elf on the Shelf are the (usually) mums who post about their elf’s zany escapades on SM. Oooh look he’s spelt “I pea’d” with actual peas, the hilarious little scamp, how very original of him. JFC. 🙄

My kids were little before Elf on the Shelf, Xmas Eve boxes, Dec 1st treats and all that became a big thing. As far as I am aware, none of them have suffered as a result of not having any of that. Now they all look forward to the Big Dinner and getting together, which seems to be the important stuff and everything else can basically be stripped away.

I wish I hadn't bothered with decorating multiple rooms. Living room with a tree and decorations would have been enough, rather than having regular strops over trying to get decorations for each bedroom, hallway, kitchen etc.

Amazon voucher! They can buy what they what, problem solved!

I love Christmas, I've got plum pudding for a heart and brandy in my veins....but I draw the line at Elf on the Shelf, Christmas Eve boxes and family pyjamas.

A weird one though is that I remember being really bothered about my MIL and SIL buying the kids quite expensive pressies, my side of the family only really exchange thoughtful little tokens with each other, and I didn't like that the kids 'main gifts' were not really coming from us. However, a few years ago I decided to just let it be as the kids honestly don't care, and it doesn't make them love our smaller santa gifts any less. Plus it saves me a few pennies so I just pour a Baileys and let them get on with it!

My personal ones but don't care what others do, as long as you and your kids enjoy it then that's all that matters!

-Spending time with people you don't like, on a day where you've gone to so much effort.. and not enjoying it. it's bizarre.

• elf on the shelf
• constant outings
• driving round for hours
• making everything from scratch.. prepared food is amazing these days

-sending cards

• buying for extended family

Christmas Cake. I would spend ages making it and feeding it with brandy. Then throw most of it out come Easter.

I wish I hadn't bothered with decorating multiple rooms.
Wow that must be hard work. Living room is enough.

Another newly converted (well a couple of years now) Grinch. Completely.

Hosted for years, did all the usual stuff. Fed the Green Bin for days, bought enough sellotape to wrap around the world, you get the drift.

Free now from all that, so will be far away in the sunshine for 3 whole weeks. I'm happy for everyone who just loves Christmas, but I don't. I actually find it quite depressing, especially from Boxing Day on. So no more of that for me now.