To hate Xmas?

[WinoTime]

Things I hate about Christmas:
Obligation to cater, host and see family
Enforced jollity
No time alone to just sit and read my book or watch crappy movies

Things I like about Christmas :
Day Drinking

YANBU - Same here - I too am wishing for a cosy space with a tv and a wine fridge to hide away

YABU - shut up you misery guts and appreciate that you have family who want to see you

I think you are being unreasonable, because I think you do actually see that it's good that you have family who want to see you.

YANBU.

I can’t be arsed with it. I like the time off work but that’s literally it. I can’t even articulate what the problem is; I just cannot stand it.

I hear you
I'm the same

Me too! Opting out is impossible in this country. It’s fucking everywhere. Not long, OP!

Yanbu
I fucking hate it too- loads of noise, expense and stress. Throw in a couple of neurospicy teens and the arguments that result from the different routine and over stimulation. The fact the mental load all ends with me.
My family are scumbags and nothing drives it home like Christmas
i honestly can’t wait until boxng day

We're not even acknowledging it these days, because we don't have anyone. No kids, we've both lost our parents within the last few years, so it's just us and dog and cat. No tree, no decorations and we're teetotal vegetarians, so no special food.
I hate all the bling and flashing lights everywhere, will be glad when those are gone, but aside from that it's just a non-event for us.

But you don’t. I’m 63 and one thing I have learned is no one else is more deserving of a nice day than I am. No one trumps my own immediate family, and if not convenient then it a big ‘no’.

YANBU. It’s Xmas Eve so I’m quite excited as it’s nearly over. It’s basically over by 12pm on Christmas Day. I hope it goes quickly for you

You can’t help think they’d be happier if you kept your miserable puss at home. Unless you have hemmed it the sackcloth and the ashes will be a bugger for them to Hoover.

I cook a roast and drink alcohol all day Christmas day

I absolutely fucking hate it, it is a hugely triggering time for me for very personal reasons and there is no escape from the sodding adverts/songs in shops/other shit that starts earlier and earlier each year. I could cry with gratitude that it's almost done.

It's ONE DAY. How hard is it to make a bit of an effort?

I don't have anyone at all - no partner, no parents, no kids, no siblings - and yet here I am with a decorated tree and lots of yummy food. I think it's rather sad that people can't find a bit of joy in the season.

My exact thoughts

My exact thoughts

We find joy in the season in a different way. We love winter walks. We have a garden filled with trees. We eat "yummy food" every day, not just because it's Christmas when everyone feels obliged to overindulge.
Tinsel and turkey by yourself seems far sadder to me than an understated, peaceful midwinter.

No one is forcing you to host or be jolly … you have a choice. Don’t do it if you don’t want to. Plus, you can read your book and watch TV anytime.
one day you might not have anyone to spend Xmas with 🤷🏻‍♀️

YANBU, I was just thinking yesterday that Christmas should be an enjoyable time, but stress and obligation suck the joy out of it.
I enjoyed yesterday because it was just me, DH, teen DCs and dog. Even the hours of cooking was less stressful because I wasn’t also hosting and entertaining guests. No travelling, no socialising. Much less pressure. Some years we do have family round but it was lovely to just have a more peaceful day this year.

Why are you catwring, hosting and spending time with people you actively dislike? That's the problem here.

Can't you read your book in peace or watch crappy films on Christmas Eve or Boxing day?

I like the things you want to do too, I just do them on a different day.

I hate the waste and excess, the FOMO that results in 35 different boxes of chocolates and cakes, the mountain of plastic tat and gifts no one wants or needs.
The stuff that is purchased just to be rubbish: cards, crackers, wrapping paper. Waste food because God forbid the supermarket is closed for a day.

I just dont recognise this.

I don't buy peole tat and no-one buys tat for us, either. We buy each other nice gifts that the recipient likes (books, prefume, jewellery, games etc.). We have extra food in that we don't usually eat (because we're usually healthy) but enjoy on a special occasions. We eat what we have, we don't throw stuff away.

I always feel like people jump on this bandwagon about 'tat', 'gluttony' and 'waste' to justify them not enjoying it. They take the worst case scenarios that are probably in the vast minority and pitch this as though it's the norm - it's not IMO.

I like Christmas but do struggle a bit with the lack of time to myself. DH has a habit of overscheduling us whenever he is off work. I enjoy spending time at home but he's constantly trying to find places to go and people to see. New Year's Day will be our next opportunity for a quite day at home.

Absolutely! Currently sitting at DM’s counting down until it’s polite to leave! Every year we say we won’t visit but we always do!

Have christmas your way!! Its actually an excellent time to curl up with a book because there's no work and no pinging emails or expectations to go out anywhere.... Last year we catered for 13 guests and this year I was adamant I was spending the day in pjs or leggings and watching some tv with a gin. So that's what we did, had some lovely food cooked exactly the way we wanted, a nice dog walk and then plenty of crisps, chocolate, tv and a bath with a book :-). See family on other days leading into the 25th if you want to/feel you need to (we saw SiL mid Dec and then other family members boxing day and will see some over the next couple of days)

In theory you’re correct, but things like obligation, peer pressure etc come into play in real life.

I don’t think I’ve ever done Christmas exactly as I would like. I went from living with my parents who obviously decided how we spent Christmas…then moved in with my partner who had obligations to his parents as well so we used to take two families into account when deciding on plans, and that carried on into eternity.

Not once have we gone “fuck the lot of them, let’s do what WE fancy”. It’s our own fault, but I think a lot of people are in the same boat and don’t want to upset other family members.

Even now, we end up bowing to the pressure of our adult dc who enjoy a particular kind of Christmas Day.

Do you only have the obligatory visit at Christmas? You should be visiting them all year round anyway if they're elderly and alone. I'm not saying you need to become their sole support but a half hour visit every month would be a start.