If men were left to organise Christmas themselves

[Fiddlesticks32]

AIBU to think it would be an absolute disaster?

And what would it look like?

No tree, no presents, no decorations and no lunch. Pot noodle at about 3pm and hours of boring crap about how Christmas has been commercialised. He's on a one man mission to decommercialise Christmas through non participation

My husband would do a fantastic Christmas Dinner (he's cooked for his family for Easter before) but wrapping and cleaning the house wouldn't be as good. I'm realising now he would probably have a much happier time because he'd only do what he wanted and not things he felt like he should do.

Hm 🤔

Mine would have bought the bigger house we want, purely to fit in a bigger tree. The present piles would be bigger and we’d have even more outings.

Other than that, the fundamental elements would be the same and it would still be amazing.

oh and every present would be beautifully wrapped because I can’t wrap for shit 😂

I'm in the same position - first Christmas without him. (I've been on your storm threads under another name).
He was very good at presents, and wrapped them beautifully. The Christmas dinner was wonderful - shopped for and cooked by him - and he knew how to set fire to the pudding. The table always looked gorgeous. He had nice music playing. We went for Christmas day walks and looked at all the trees in the windows in the local area. He had supplies of chocolate and nuts and good wine all around. He was good when neighbours popped in for a drink. He delighted the kids and made me feel special. He celebrated the Winter turn of the year with walks in the woods or the park. It was low-key but lovely.
This year we're going away because I honestly don't know how else to deal with it.
Sorry - I know it was meant to be lighthearted but it just caught me unawares.
Not all men are useless - and sometimes their way is better.

It's an interesting question -
I think the first-year dinner would be made from M&S, he'd then try eating out, and then a very simple roast dinner before declaring the whole thing a nonsense and just have champagne, prawn cocktail (maybe), charcuterie, olives, bread and a very large cheese board. The house would be a tip - unless he had employed a cleaner.

The food, drink and presents for me and the cat would be fantastic.

Presents for the rest of the family would be a disaster 🤣.

Find if my DH was doing it, if it had been my Dad it would have been cancelled as he hated Christmas.

We would have all the things required for a huge roast dinner, the pudding, cream, etc. Very few other fancy food bits, probably no things like Baileys or Pimms but plenty of wine and beer.
The tree and house decorations would be basic and the dressed mantlepiece wouldn't happen, because it wouldn't occur to him.
The table wouldn't be dressed up, runners and centre piece and that.
The masses of candles and greenery that we have to celebrate the Solstice wouldn't happen, because it wouldn't cross his mind.
i think presents would happen. Christmas cards definitely wouldn't; we squabble about doing them every year.

😢

actually i think my husband would put on quite a good christmas showing - he does all the cooking 😂 i do all the decorations. Presents tho - he would be not so great at that, he would probably do a decent job at putting up the tree but there would absolutely be no theme and it would be a mish mash of baubles. Gahhh that alone fills me with horror 😂 There would defo be good wine and cheese too.

DH always cook the Christmas dinner anyway.

But if he was to organise the whole "event" it would be loads cheaper as he wouldn't buy as many pressies for our son, or our families.
Not as many decorations, trees and inflatables.
I don't think he would think to book any pantomimes and meet Santa and days out

But he would cope and it would be nice, just not as "Christmassy" as when I organise it,

Stereotype alert.

Love that this thread is 90% positive. Just reminding myself of the last few years where my energizer bunny DH starts getting ready for Xmas.

Me: are the decorations and tree in the spare room or attic?
DH: I'll have a look.
Me: no rush, just can't remember...

10 minutes later every single Xmas box is at the end of the living room. From there, it's all systems go and the tree is going up as are all the lights, DDs tree for their room, outside lights, festive displays, singing Homer, Xmas Carol statue and so on. Like a proper kid he is. He won't chill until it's done. I love it 😀

I think my Dh would be fine but, because I love cooking, he might struggle a bit with timings first time around. He's (undiagnosed) adhd and autistic so he'd probably hyper focus on food, maybe to the detriment of other things, but I don't think that would matter. When he cooks he likes to try out new recipes and would enjoy that and I'd probably have a great time eating it.

As I was overseas, DH organised last year. There were no decorations. Literally, none. Presents were shop bought hampers at great expense (4 times our usual budget) for extended family. No cards were sent (I usually send about 60).

I arrived home in a very stressed state from overwork, to a very ordinary house and no sense of the season. And an empty fridge.

This year, I am making him come to me. I have bought tree decorations and will buy a tree next week. I brought my garland from home so will put that on my balcony (as I have no stairs). I have bought half the presents and will get the rest in the next few weeks. I have my cards bought and will write those soon. I have some festive treats bought and I will have a full fridge when they arrive. (Dd is also coming from uni in a different city).

Once was enough for a lifetime!

There would be no tree no decorations no food in etc! DH doesn’t really celebrate Christmas-

This is a sad thread isn't it? So many men not pulling their weight, including my own DP. He'll do what I ask him to do, but all the brainwork and planning is mine and mine alone

Why is it a sad thread?? Many, many men who pull their weight and could easily handle Christmas on their own if needed.

If DH had his way it would be those dated trimming things hanging from the ceiling, horrible flashing coloured lights on the tree, too many presents and he'd absolutely cook a roast dinner no problem. I'm the one who tries to keep clutter and tat down to a bare minimum!

Er, no, this thread has gone very much against that lazy trope.

It would be fine, it would just be different.

We wouldn't get a tree or any presents. But there would be plenty of booze and cheese.

Actually, I should defend DH as well. When I am at home, he tends to be very involved once it is at his own pace. He does a lot of shopping once we've talked it through and he has very good ideas about things. He does a lot of the cleaning and cooking.

But last year was particularly stressful for me, and also for him. So me not being around to quietly nudge and support, was very noticeable.

To clarify - I didn't start this thread as a man bashing exercise. I love men and all my men happen to be helpful and capable. Christmas just isn't really their forte.

I think the essentials would be perfect.

I can't see presents for anyone but immediate family and friends ( not a bad thing). Less inclination to visit/invite family members for the day.

There would be a distinct change over from Boxing Day to bit in the middle, to New Year.