How do you really feel about Christmas this year?

[TwinkleLights24]

Are you excited? Feeling meh? Dreading it?

As we are only one week away I was wondering how others feel about Christmas this year.

I’m quite sad to say that it doesn’t feel like Christmas to me. I’ve spoken to people in real life and we all seem to be going through the motions, I can’t help but think there’s so many other things going on and Christmas is an inconvenience.
I’m sure Christmas Day will be enjoyable but as I get older I think about those who are lonely or having a difficult time. I read so many stories on MN from others having a tough time, many of us feel lonely or are unwell and yet Christmas is still happening regardless.

There seems to be very little festive atmosphere around this year. Am I alone in thinking this way and you’re super excited?

Meh this year. It's just so much work and zero rest now I'm the one "creating the magic". Marital resentment is at its annual peaks

I couldn't give the slightest shit about it. I look at lights and decorations and it all just seems so silly and arbitrary and utterly pointless. I just think about all the misery and can't get past it. The old people who are cold and lonely, the homeless, women and children living with abusive men, the excess consumerism.

I find it dull, very repetitive and hugely over commercialised.

That’s lovely !

I am really looking forward to it this year as we are going away for the first time in 20 years together. Going to a remote holiday home with a log fire (we don’t have one at home) our teen DD, her BF and our dogs. It will be super relaxed as everyone is really easy going and I’ve got my books ready to pack.

ive got an absolute ballache of a couple of days of work to get thru first but the break away is keeping me going.

This is lovely, congratulations, enjoy and treasure every moment and take millions of photos.

Your post and the one from the lady who was having chemotherapy last year are so lovely and hopeful. I hope you both have a wonderful Christmas.

Same here OP, can't be arsed. Marriage is in a bad place, so not a great atmos, no money, have to work through most of it. Everything I'm looking forward to is in January.

Same, I find nothing festive about this year at all. People don't seem as merry as they were in previous years and I'm not in the festive spirit one bit. My child has not been well recently, so very unorganised and still no tree up and little santa gifts. I used to love Christmas and the magic but dreading it this year

I wish we would all stop buying presents. We do a secret Santa amongst the family so only one person to buy for but even with work secret Santa and my own kids, it just feels like I spend so much and no one actually needs anything so the mental burden is a real headache. Buying for the sake of buying is such a chore.

I love the tree and decorations. I wish more people would have outdoor decorations to make the area feel more alive and festive.

I hate the cooking and cleaning.

I wish we could afford to go away and ban all presents and faff.

The weather and just non stop grey is a struggle and makes it difficult or get in the mood.

Overall in my heart I'm not feeling it one bit and want to hibernate until April.

I find the festive spirit in small, unexpected things. I definitely don’t find it in shopping centres or at work Christmas parties. I felt it when a car drove past me with a Christmas tree tied to the roof and last weekend when I was helping to fix the fence in the garden and saw a robin. I feel it when I walk to the local church and look at the Christmas star facing east. I will feel it when my eldest dc arrives home for a few days. It isn’t in the commercial stuff or the tinsel.

I am looking forward to it, but not super excited. I feel a little bit sad about how unexcited I feel these days. Since my DC were in their mid teens I haven't been excited really. Me and DH are both off from this Friday, to 3rd January, so we are looking forward to having 2 weeks off and tootling around the shops, and going for some nice long walks, and going off on a couple of little day trips (to cities) to look at the sales.

We are seeing the 2 (adult) DC on 22nd December when they come to our house. We will swap gifts and have a big Indian takeaway. Then they're spending Christmas day with their partners (DC and their partners live half hour drive away.) They will see their partner's families 26th-27th December for a meal at their house. (They only live 5 minutes drive away, and will drop off their presents for Christmas day around 21st December.)

DH and I are going out for a Christmas roast meal at a restaurant on Christmas Eve, and we're going to chill all day Christmas day and have a buffet (that we'll cook and prepare early morning,) to have in the afternoon with some glasses of port, then we'll open all our presents, and then watch a couple of Christmas films.

Boxing day fairly similar, but will go on a nice long walk. 27th, the day trips out starts (and we'll pop in and see a few extended family members for half an hour or so on one of the days.)

New Year's Eve, village pub.

Nice enjoyable time that we're looking forward to, but as a pp said, no matter how much effort we make with tinsel, decorations, and twinkly lights, and Carol services, Nativity plays, and Christmas music and Christmas films, the magic is no longer there.

And as another pp said, quite a lot of effort is involved, but we do have a nice time. And we don't spend too much money.

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I am not a fan of Christmas at all. My mission is to make it nice for our family especially the grandchildren. I cannot remember the last time I actually enjoyed a Christmas dinner, I seem to have spent months thinking about it, shopping for it and cooking it. I have lists everywhere for presents, food to buy, things to do etc. What I really wanted to do is just me and DH to go away in our bell tent with woodburning stove, put some christmas decorations on the trees, hang out some bird feeders and have nice food such as meats and cheeses, duck pancakes etc. I was outvoted again. Next year we will have my DDad again as we take it in turns with my sister and I wouldnt miss that for the world, perhaps the year after I need to put my foot down a bit.

Obligated and guilty. Guilty because I feel obligated. I cannot wait for it to be over and to be able to come home from the Obligations.

I also dislike the over consumption of food / hate the fact my normal foods have been taken off sale in order to accommodate shit profiteroles and trifles. The beige buffet offerings, peanuts, chocolate and mince pies can all get in the bin (I don’t buy any of it).

Did I mention I can’t wait for it to be over?!

I’m excited. My son is at a lovely age for Christmas and I’m pregnant so it’s his last as an only child, and I want it to be really special. I love the time together, the slow down, the gentle days.

I feel so much for people dealing with grief, burnout and overwhelm. I’ve had those christmasses too and it’s very hard to bear the burden of so much public celebration when it’s the last thing you personally want. I hope that for anyone struggling to find joy this year, there can at least be times of rest and peace.

@NunyaBeeswax wealthy people grieve loved ones they've lost too. Having money doesn't make all of your problems go away

Can't wait for it to be over

I work in education and am really grateful for the pause at the top of the year and the gradual return of the light.

I don't know how I feel. I've kind of put it to the back of my mind until now. I just feel stressed. I want to be left alone to be honest but my partners constantly making plans with his family and it's all just draining the shit out of me. We have a 1 year old who doesn't sleep, I'm tired and got a list of jobs coming out of my arse.

I've just put the decorations up and I just want to take them down and tidy the house. It's strange as I was quite excited about it about a month ago. I'm wishing it away and feel guilty for my kids. To be honest I think I'm depressed and have just been getting on with everything for too long.

Christmas brings the worst out in people including myself. I'm fed up of rude people in shops, inconsiderate cunts on the road, family I don't want to see multiple times in a month. I'm done with it this year. I just wanted to enjoy it with my baby and it's now this over complicated shit show.

Sorry for ranting
Bah fucking humbug.

Sad.
My DD21 died 6 weeks ago.
It won’t be the same without her kindness, smile and fun.

It's a massive expensive drag that I really don't enjoy anymore. I've felt that way for a while but I agree that this year there's been very little festive feeling amongst the people who I mix with.

Historically Ive found it emotionally upsetting and I have always had a meltdown and MH flare ups re triggers from grief or trauma. This year I’m feeling ok just my dp and I on the day and I didn’t really want to put up the tree but my dp coaxed me into it last night. I wish we hadn’t though, it symbolises how much I miss people I lost too soon and I find it all very overwhelming and stimulating. I just want to embrace things being different and for the first time ever leave the upset and sadness behind.

Gosh I am so sorry. 😢

Stressed really.
Sick of in-law and family politics, sorting out who to see when, spending too much money on everything, putting on weight by drinking and eating too much.
But can't wait to see my daughter's face on Christmas morning.
Also will be nice not to go to work.

I was feeling pretty good about Christmas but I just went down my Christmas card list and between the people who have died and the people who I no longer speak to, I'm left feeling rather sad. I am sending cards to people I would love to have spent some time with this year but haven't been able to because of my health.

Really looking forward to relaxing and having time off work. Nice to have just over a week off and know your inbox when you come back will look the same as when you left.