Don’t all come at me, but has anyone else found the day a bit boring?

[Readyforarefrrsh]

I generally love Christmas, but as I’m getting older they seem to come around so quickly.

The dc are teens and an almost teen, we’ve been doing the same traditions since they were babies.

I absolutely love watching them open their presents, but apart from that it all felt a bit flat this year.

Dh has been saying for a while it’s felt a bit samey. Eldest ds was definitely bored but he was appalled at the idea of maybe doing something different next year 🤣

I’m not complaining as we are so fortunate in so many ways but I’m wondering if anyone else has felt the same?

Has anyone done things a bit different and enjoyed it?

A few years ago my mum was killed a week before Christmas. Since then, no one wishes me a merry Christmas, they say things like "I hope you find it manageable." I know they mean well but I don't want a manageable, sedate Christmas, I crave something high octane and busy. So... today I booked Disney for Christmas next year and I am ridiculously excited!

This has been the first Christmas I’ve really not enjoyed and found myself willing the day to be over. My cat died very recently and I had him before all my children and now have this enormous hole in my heart. I miss him so unbelievably much but can’t really talk about it to anyone as it just sounds so crazy how much I’m grieving him.

It’s really hit me today when the kids all disappeared to their rooms to play their various gaming set ups, chat to friends on calls, basically normal teen things, and whilst I’ve been busy cooking dinner (my husband has clear instructions to stay out the kitchen on this day only!) I’ve not stopped thinking about how much i miss my little best friend, who loved me without expectation (maybe the odd dreemie!) was always around and today I’ve almost felt like I’ve had empty nest syndrome, ridiculous as all my children are in the house, just not wanting to be around me anymore. I never noticed it that much before and today really hit me. So after dinner I sat on the couch, not knowing what to say to my husband who probably thinks it’s one of my peri moments.

The kids have had a lovely day, but for the first time in a long time I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I’ll be fine tomorrow and remember we’re all healthy and be thankful, but this Christmas made me realise my kids don’t need me as much anymore and I (stupidly) never saw it coming.

Where are you going ?

I understand with kitty, same here 😔

We’ve had a difficult year with the death of DS17’s best friend and my cousin and an old Uni friend both dying in the past couple of weeks in their 50s. And my family has been shitty and useless throughout it all.

I was prepared to be dutiful yet again and have a family Christmas for the sake of DM who is 90. But my brother wanted to dictate everything as usual, carrying on as though him being busy at work was the most important factor in everything. So I though fuck it, told him he can host mum and we accepted an invitation to join Christmas with some friends. To see my lovely DS roaring with laughter playing a game with other young people after the dreadful year he’s had was so worth it. Christmas was fun again and that’s going to be a priority from now on.

I actually thought of the Mumsnet 'our little family Christmas' yesterday at about 9am. Present-opening was great but done by that time. And I realised I was so glad we were off for a busy day...lunch at one side and tea at the other as it would have been really flat to just spend the rest of the day at home.

Having said that, by 9pm I was definitely running on empty and ready to come home! And we do have a quiet lego and snacking day today.

I definitely feel like I have the best of both worlds as family on both sides both local so it's short bursts and waking up and going to bed at home. But everyone is different!

I would love to have Christmas aboard one year ….

I do highly recommend. We did it a few times in my teens and went to the Canaries. Spent Christmas Day on the beach and the sunbed attendants all wore Santa hats!