Page 7 | DH going to the gym on Christmas Day!

Wifetobe21 · 2025-12-22T22:11:38+00:00

For about 1.5 hours mid morning. A couple of his mates usually go and have roped him in. He is into his fitness but surely people can give it a miss for one bloody day?!

Roobarbtwo · 23/12/2025 00:43

wouldnotswapwithyou · 23/12/2025 00:34

I see your point.

But for Catholics, Christmas is so much more than what you’ve listed. So I couldn’t imagine Christmas Day without my DH and DC in tow for the whole day.

Each to their own.

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Sorry what. What has being Catholic got to do with this - do you think Catholics don't go to the gym on Christmas day if they are open. Come on now - that might be how it is for your family but you don't speak for all Catholics

The Catholics I know celebrate Christmas the same way non Catholics do

ChattyCatty25 · 23/12/2025 00:47

It entirely depends on whether he’s using the gym to skip parenting and family duties on Christmas Day.

Namechangerage · 23/12/2025 00:48

If you didn’t have a child I’d think maybe. Not while the child is so young. It’s a family day and he should be helping.

bluesunnyskies · 23/12/2025 00:48

He probably should give it a miss for one day. Everything has to move around him including meals and opening presents if he does step out. I think it would be different if you had a DC that was older. I’ve got a 3 year old DD and would be annoyed if DH left in the morning for 1.5 hours.

Roobarbtwo · 23/12/2025 00:49

Zero to do with being Catholic. Lots of families celebrate Christmas together. My family do and we aren't Catholic - right. You have to be glued together all Christmas to celebrate it properly - what?

Dontgochasingrainbows · 23/12/2025 00:49

wouldnotswapwithyou · 23/12/2025 00:41

We understand the true meaning of Christmas and we celebrate it by being together.

Everything else, such as the shopping, presents and decorations are just a way of showing it’s a celebration. Like you would do for a someone’s birthday, just this time it’s Jesus’.

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LOL. Are you praying all day together. Please stop with the sanctimonious drivel. You are not speaking for the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world. You are speaking for your own family only. You are most certainly not speaking for me.

Roobarbtwo · 23/12/2025 00:50

Dontgochasingrainbows · 23/12/2025 00:49

LOL. Are you praying all day together. Please stop with the sanctimonious drivel. You are not speaking for the 1.4 billion Catholics in the world. You are speaking for your own family only. You are most certainly not speaking for me.

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Exactly. What tosh

wouldnotswapwithyou · 23/12/2025 00:50

Roobarbtwo · 23/12/2025 00:43

Sorry what. What has being Catholic got to do with this - do you think Catholics don't go to the gym on Christmas day if they are open. Come on now - that might be how it is for your family but you don't speak for all Catholics

The Catholics I know celebrate Christmas the same way non Catholics do

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I’ve never known a Catholic to go to a gym on Christmas Day. I’m not saying it’s wrong though, I was merely pointing out that Christmas to Catholics Is more than just presents, shopping and decorations - this is just fluff!

I’ve been swimming on Christmas Day and last year was on the Ski slopes - having attended mass first of course - but I wouldn’t do these activities leaving my DH and DC at home. We simply just celebrate together for the whole day.

As I said, each to their own.

Dontgochasingrainbows · 23/12/2025 00:53

wouldnotswapwithyou · 23/12/2025 00:50

I’ve never known a Catholic to go to a gym on Christmas Day. I’m not saying it’s wrong though, I was merely pointing out that Christmas to Catholics Is more than just presents, shopping and decorations - this is just fluff!

I’ve been swimming on Christmas Day and last year was on the Ski slopes - having attended mass first of course - but I wouldn’t do these activities leaving my DH and DC at home. We simply just celebrate together for the whole day.

As I said, each to their own.

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Celebrate together on the ski slopes. Roaring prayers out loud Father Ted style as you all fall over together. Blessing yourselves as you jump into the sea together of course.

Will you stop. You are embarrassing fellow Catholics.

Roobarbtwo · 23/12/2025 00:55

wouldnotswapwithyou · 23/12/2025 00:50

I’ve never known a Catholic to go to a gym on Christmas Day. I’m not saying it’s wrong though, I was merely pointing out that Christmas to Catholics Is more than just presents, shopping and decorations - this is just fluff!

I’ve been swimming on Christmas Day and last year was on the Ski slopes - having attended mass first of course - but I wouldn’t do these activities leaving my DH and DC at home. We simply just celebrate together for the whole day.

As I said, each to their own.

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I worked in gyms for years age and I can assure you Catholics go to the gym on Christmas day

Some Catholics I know don't go to mass either at Christmas Surely it's about personal preference?

As someone else said you don't speak for all Catholics. Some won't see the presents as fluff -you do clearly and that's fine but you aren't the mouthpiece for all Catholics surely you must know that

Roobarbtwo · 23/12/2025 01:01

It's apparently ok if you all go swimming together but how dare someone go to the gym for an hour on their own ?

Some people work Christmas day Catholic or not. I used to work in homeless units and they didn't shut for Christmas.

I worked with Catholics who worked Christmas day in said units.

Don't make people feel bad because they don't do the same as you

You can pray every day of the year and go to mass any time you like. The notion that a Catholic won't go to a gym on Christmas day is absurd.

wouldnotswapwithyou · 23/12/2025 01:02

Okay fellow Catholics, keep your wigs on - I stand corrected!

Going to mass and being together on Christmas Day - no matter what we’re doing - works for us!

You do you!

MungoforPresident · 23/12/2025 01:02

Pearlstillsinging · 22/12/2025 22:32

Which poor souls will be working on Cristmas Day to keep a gym open? It's hardly an emergency service!

Some people do not have any family, like me. I always work Christmas as I hate this time of year when it is all people talk about!

CrazyGoatLady · 23/12/2025 01:09

Whatever is this shite about how families should be spending Christmas Day glued together when they don't do that any other day? That seems unnecessarily prescriptive and a bit suffocating tbh.

I don't see the problem at all with everyone getting a little bit of the day to themselves. As long as that's fair and equal and DH in OP's case isn't using the gym to duck out of cooking/childcare and OP gets the same amount of time later in the day to decompress away from parents and small children should she want it. We've always allowed our DC time away from the main fray when we've had visitors/been away visiting family for Christmas. At times we've needed it ourselves too. DH is Jewish, so he didn't grow up with Christmas being a big song and dance, so a big Irish family Christmas with that side of my family was a shock to his system!

Enforced togetherness isn't everyone's idea of a good Christmas, and compromise is sometimes needed to ensure everyone can manage the demands of the day.

Power26 · 23/12/2025 01:29

To be honest I need to do this. My house is completely stocked with food, it’s not even Christmas yet and I’ve probably already overdone it. Gym actually sounds like a good way to offset eating extra as you do
over Christmas

Ponderingwindow · 23/12/2025 01:29

There have been times in my life where this wouldn’t bother me at all. Right now it would be mildly annoying.

When dc was a toddler, we needed to keep to a toddler centric schedule and that meant flexibility. adding a fixed time trip to the gym would have been infuriating.

user1492757084 · 23/12/2025 01:49

It's fine, but selfish if it means he will miss helping when it is crucial.
I would suggest that, for Christmas, he should make it special and invite DD and his father-in-law along for fun.

Leaving you and your mother spending a lovley hour together.

Make sure you give DH a written list of chores that are essential that he does before midday Christmas Day- for the day to function well. You wil hold no resentment.
He will be fit and cheerful and DD will have had an outing with Grandpa.

SchrodingersKoala · 23/12/2025 01:54

I couldnt get worked up about it, if that's what he wants to do, plenty of people go for a run on christmas day. There's nothing worse than that horrible feeling after a few days of doing nothing but eat and not moving much over Christmas. He will feel much better if he does his usual routine and probably much more pleasant than if you cage him for 24 hours with his in-laws. It's a good excuse to get out the house for a break, I hate that caged feeling stuck with people you don't necessarily like.

Isittimeformynapyet · 23/12/2025 02:02

Makemeanonymous · 22/12/2025 22:25

I'm not a great one for Christmas but we do try and make Christmas day special and have our own family traditions on that day.

I think it's sad that your H prefers to go off with his pals an do an activity he does regularly throughout the year rather than spend the day with you.

It sounds as though you don't count for very much in the pecking order if his friends and the gym are more important to him than you on Christmas day

Edited

Why would you say "more" important?

If OP and her DH are awake for 16hrs, that's 14.5hrs together and 1.5hrs at the gym.

Does that help put it in perspective?

Thoseslippers · 23/12/2025 02:03

You needed to put that you had a toddler in your OP..
My dh told me he was going for a run on christmas morning abd I told him in no uncertain terms that he was not. We have 3 kids.
If you have young kids that's what's prioritised on christmas day. And family round too! No he doesn't get to fuck off to the gym.. do you get to go off for a few hours with your mates? No. Because you have a child and some guests.
He's being an arse.
If it were just you two no kids or family visiting then fine. But he's being massively unfair here.
We will be all going out for a walk as a bit of excercise. Together as a family. Because if you have a family then its a day spent together as a family.

Heygirl88 · 23/12/2025 02:08

As this has been posted on mumsnet I’m going to assume you have a child/children. If so, I can understand you being narked that his gym session is eating into your family time, but unless this is a regular occurrence that’s part of a bigger issue, it’s not that big of a deal and I wouldn’t let it get to you.

It’s only 1-2 hours and if he’s there for the important moments (present unwrapping, prepping dinner, washing up!) there’s nothing to really be annoyed about. I sometimes go out for a run Christmas morning if the weather allows, and I’m gone for an hour. I would be very unimpressed if my partner got annoyed at me for that, as at the end of the day I’m doing something for myself that benefits my health and wellbeing on my day off. Going to the gym for 1-2 hours isn’t much different. If anything, be thankful your man is taking care of himself!!

Just make a deal with him that if there’s something you would like to do for yourself on Xmas Day, that you get to do that too. No matter what it is.

Isittimeformynapyet · 23/12/2025 02:10

BendingSpoons · 22/12/2025 22:40

I go to The Gym and it's closed on Christmas Day.

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No, you go to a gym and it is closed Christmas day.

I remember an identical thread last year with page after page of people arguing about whether gyms are open or closed on Christmas day.

The fact is, some are and some aren't. It's really that simple.

Thoseslippers · 23/12/2025 02:11

CrazyGoatLady · 23/12/2025 01:09

Whatever is this shite about how families should be spending Christmas Day glued together when they don't do that any other day? That seems unnecessarily prescriptive and a bit suffocating tbh.

I don't see the problem at all with everyone getting a little bit of the day to themselves. As long as that's fair and equal and DH in OP's case isn't using the gym to duck out of cooking/childcare and OP gets the same amount of time later in the day to decompress away from parents and small children should she want it. We've always allowed our DC time away from the main fray when we've had visitors/been away visiting family for Christmas. At times we've needed it ourselves too. DH is Jewish, so he didn't grow up with Christmas being a big song and dance, so a big Irish family Christmas with that side of my family was a shock to his system!

Enforced togetherness isn't everyone's idea of a good Christmas, and compromise is sometimes needed to ensure everyone can manage the demands of the day.

But that's the issue isn't it?? It's NOT equal. It's always the fucking men.
And whi has to sit there entertaining the kids and relatives?? Who has to get everything ready?
And they might say to you 'well you could go out for a few hours later on' and think that's fair. But you won't be able to because of all the things you have to do. And also you aren't going to want to leave your young children for several hours on christmas day.. well part of you might want to but the biggest part of you is going to feel that duty to make it a special family day for them.. which involves not swanning off to do as you please.
Honestly it grinds my gears so much.
It's like you are caught in a trap. Supposed to just be cool with it when you would never in a million years really be able to do the same as it would be judged and you'd even judge yourself for it.
If I went to the gym with mates for a few hours whilst my ILs were round and my young kids were there on christmas day they would think I was a terrible human being. Because im a mother.
But when it comes to men no one bats an eyelid. And you can say as much as you want, oh just do it, just do the same.. but its ridiculous because it isn't the same at all.

Dontgochasingrainbows · 23/12/2025 02:18

Thoseslippers · 23/12/2025 02:11

But that's the issue isn't it?? It's NOT equal. It's always the fucking men.
And whi has to sit there entertaining the kids and relatives?? Who has to get everything ready?
And they might say to you 'well you could go out for a few hours later on' and think that's fair. But you won't be able to because of all the things you have to do. And also you aren't going to want to leave your young children for several hours on christmas day.. well part of you might want to but the biggest part of you is going to feel that duty to make it a special family day for them.. which involves not swanning off to do as you please.
Honestly it grinds my gears so much.
It's like you are caught in a trap. Supposed to just be cool with it when you would never in a million years really be able to do the same as it would be judged and you'd even judge yourself for it.
If I went to the gym with mates for a few hours whilst my ILs were round and my young kids were there on christmas day they would think I was a terrible human being. Because im a mother.
But when it comes to men no one bats an eyelid. And you can say as much as you want, oh just do it, just do the same.. but its ridiculous because it isn't the same at all.

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You are falling into the martyr trap.

I can’t imagine anyone I know (other than one controlling friend) thinking there is anything wrong with each adult taking an hour out.

Try it so you’ll realise the world won’t fall apart without you overseeing everything.

greenbuckets · 23/12/2025 02:20

Must say I'm looking forward to Christmas Day parkrun...going to a gym session doesn't sound that bad objectively, but if it doesn't work for your family and he's being a bit cloth eared about your objections, you're not unreasonable to be a bit put out.