To feel like there's so much pressure to make Christmas magical?

[Tinselandturnip]

I feel like I can't keep up with everything you see and hear plastered over social media. I'm always worrying that I haven't done enough for DS and that it's not going to be special enough once I see what other people have planned. I haven't done elf on the shelf, nothing particularly exciting was planned on Christmas eve, no cardboard train to put presents in, hadn't even heard of a north pole breakfast until the other day. We have a simple tree, lots of nice gifts for the big day, and spent some nice time at home making cards, watching some Christmas films, and having nibbles. A lot of this is probably my own insecurities and feeling like I'm never doing enough, but it really does feel like too much expectation to make it magical for the kids. I feel sad this evening that I didn't think to buy DS a special Christmas cup after seeing something silly that a friend posted! And I know that shouldn't matter at all! Please tell me it's not just me?

I know how you feel OP, I have done none of the usual Santas grottos and days out this year. We had a third child and DH had surgery on Monday and TBH I have felt incredibly guilty that I’ve done the bare minimum this year but I am
so overwhelmed with two very clingy, needy, younger ones. BUT..,….

What were your favourite Christmas memories as a child because I can honestly say I remember the snack bowls put out on Christmas Eve and being allowed to open one pressie the night before…..mums homemade stuffing and bread sauce with dinner. Those are the things that made Christmas for me, still do. Your DS will remember the traditions you create, not the magical memories pedalled by recent social media. Merry Christmas, enjoy.

Christmas is magical for children all by itself if the basics are in place. Loving family, a few decorations, nice dinner, some presents. This has been the stuff of happy memories for generations.

Sod all the commercialised social media shite.

Its all stupid bloody commercialism that has nothing to do with Christmas, its designed to part you from money you dont have. The only Christmases I loved were those with my grandparents in the 1960's. I got things like an orange etch a sketch some pretty cards and a book of children's poems and I was thrilled with those. Christmas dinner was at 1pm and then we opened our gifts. We always went to church and at some point out for a walk.
There is nothing about christmas I Iove now. Its all about spending a ton of money and nothing about community. I long for those simple days back again.

I’ve given up on social media and I think anyone who posts on Christmas Day will stop by this time next year. I see less and less people sharing on the likes of fb and instagram. The bubble is about to burst. Get ahead of the curve and stop looking and definitely stop posting online.

Or spend more ..magical usually has a price tag.

I've been thinking about this today as our Christmas day has been a much simpler affair than usual and I've wondering whether it was "flat" as a result. But my youngest is four. I just want him to feel loved, warm and safe at the end of the day. He saw his grandparents, he opened presents, we played together. I'm disabled and chronically ill so we're not able to do a lot of the big ticket events you see on Insta etc but hopefully it's enough.

A loving home is something money can't buy.
Happy Christmas.

Well a thought is dont parent by social media? A new fangled concept it seems and cant beleive people cant work it out for themselves yet here we are

If somonw ia mature enough to be a parent why are they not mature nor intelligent enough to do things their own way and not the way social media tells them?

How was your Christmas OP?

I agree with the PPs and corporations and brands should really just call the holiday for what it actually is for the vast majority:

💫✨ Festival of Consumption ✨💫

but it's a bit too revealing and then you might catch on...so they just keep calling it Christmas in the hope you'll play along

Not unreasonable exactly, but this is capitalism and consumerism at work doing what they do best. It’s all becoming culturally saturated to the point where we are quickly reaching the glass ceiling, capitalism can only pull so many new things out of the hat…It’s all become an absolute circus. I saw an fb post from the range earlier - they’re already pushing plastic easter tat like the consumption dealers are 😆

A positive of being a grumpy sociologist is that I find lots of morbid humour in those type of posts 😆

ive never done elf on the shelf, I've just done nice Christmas pyjamas , baking that sort of thing. We do go to see Santa but honestly i don't think it is all that and will maybe do one or two more years of it.
im a mum of 7 & 4 year old and recently come to the realisation i want to spend more on big experiences and trips away rather than spreading our money out over weekend days out all the time spending £50 / £100 a time! That's what they will remember really!
I used to over buy throughout the year constantly , not for social media I think maybe to keep them 'busy' I read something the other day that keeping them entertained all the time is probably actually more damaging and too fast paced! Sounds about right