Weirdest, least christmassy Christmas ever

[Eyeswithoutafacey]

Did anyone else feel like this?

Someone posted this on threads & I totally agree

I can relate. I’ve lost far too many loved ones in the last couple of years and have really noticed their collective absence this Christmas. It’ll never be the same, the magic really is about who you spend it with (for me).
More generally I agree the build-up probably starts too early, and re cost of living. Also the political and economic climate feels awful going into New Year. But it’s the personal side i think for me. Solidarity to others feeling flat. X

I don’t think OP meant the weather on Christmas Day. I think she was referring to the run up. It was unusually mild for weeks, then dropped a few days before.

Christmas Day hasn’t felt like Christmas for years!

It feels like Christmas to me but that's because my son was in hospital last Christmas and despite making the best of it, it didn't feel like Christmas at all. No Christmas tree, no time at home together, no Christmas dinner.

This year has been perfect. All together at home, a Christmas tree, Christmas dinner and no more hospitals.

The telly has been absolute rubbish, which doesn't help either. Bring back Top Of The Pops and The Two Ronnies.

Mixed feelings. We had a lovely family Christmas i(hosted n-laws) in some ways, with short walks, family board games, carol service, midnight Mass, nice things to eat and srink and a house that was decorated in a way that should have :felt like Christmas.'

DCs are now old enough that there is no early morning scampering down the stairs to retrieve stockings - I appreciate the extra sleep but miss the irrepressible excitement of Christmas morning when they were young.

Mainly I feel nostalgic for my childhood Christmasses with my parents, both of whom are no longer with us. It's not that there's something wrong with our family Christmas and traditions but I miss my parents and the tiny little things that were part of what we did every year. Mum and I used to walk into town on Christmas Eve, listen to the local brass band while drinking hot chocolate in the town square, then walk through the Christmas lights on the way home. Sometimes I manage to do the same, albeit in a different town. But this year there was no real gap between the end of school term, my last day at works, and in-laws arriving. Making a mental note to self to carve out some time to myself a few days before!

This is very true, the Christmas tv these is very below par, you can’t match the 70’s/80’s/90’s . I got very nostalgic this year until I read the radio times, I’ve pinpointed it to that, I felt very deflated, no repeats of the tv old. Was very disappointed. Only thing I managed to find was the goodness gracious me Christmas special. Which I throughly enjoyed 🙃

So pleased to have found this thread. It has felt very different this year. The weather, the sheer state of the world and the uncertainty of 2026, the cost of living in the UK and yes, the relentless consumerism that means shops start pushing mince pies and Christmas cards in August. I really hope it is different next year.

None of the consumerism and Christmas stuff available in August/September is new... The weather is the same as always...

I think it's social media is the problem.. constantly being shown the "perfect" Christmas, more and more events/"things" being created.and perpetuated by social media
Christmas markets are now "a thing"
light trails...

Massive over produced "visit Santa" things that cost £££ (Lapland UK),

Matching pyjamas...

Christmas jumper day...

North pole breakfast.... 1 Dec boxes,, elf on the shelf... Ridiculous advent calendars (and the inevitable unboxing videos)... Christmas Eve boxes....

all sorts of people showing you how they do Christmas... Making you feel like you're not doing enough.

When actually kids are just happy with maybe seeing father Christmas on a charity float, eating chocolate and looking forward to presents!

I felt like this as well

That’s great news 🩵🩵

Yes, I said it felt like we were pretending it was Xmas eve and day. I presumed it was because my kids are older now and the previous Xmas excitement we used to have from them wasn't there anymore.

Yep our Christmas didn't 'gel' somehow. Presents were nice, Food & drink was good, tasty and a variety. Pleasant meet-ups with wider family
TV total Crap. Netflix will be discontinued soonest. Either we get actors just cruising, Adrian Dunbar at 80% effort or a new tough Cop show with the F word in every sentence. NO NO NO.
As soon as last visitor leaves we start declutter ready for some work on house.

Same here!

I also find that most of the the Christmas activities are overpriced, crowded and disappointing.
Honestly, people complain about COL but they then queue to buy overpriced hot chocolate, mulled wine or mince pies, that will without fail disappoint.
They then pay a large amount to queue to see Santa and receive a plastic toy - the best Santas in my experience are the free ones!
Same with party food, I used to buy some but it is never amazing, and you can easily cook a better version for a fraction of the price.

The only paid-for activities we do are the Christmas at Kew walk and one afternoon of ice-skating. The rest are festive crafts and baking.

We usually have a quiet family Christmas but this year definitely felt very strange. Even as we were doing the final preparations on Christmas Eve we agreed that it still didn't feel remotely Christmassy.

I agree, this Christmas has been perfectly nice and DH has tried really hard to make it enjoyable for me as he knows I love Christmas but I’ve been faking the enjoyment all the way through.

I’m in the middle of a serious mental health crisis, signed off work but have to go back in January and I’m already having panic attack about it. 2026 isn’t looking to be any better and I don’t know how I’m going to make it through.

We’ve had a few social events but all our friends have done is complain and bitch about each other. I hate bitching and my philosophy is that if they’re bitching to you, they’re bitching about you so it puts me on edge. We haven’t had a single meal out as I think we’ve forgotten about eating out due to the COL crisis.

And Christmas TV was crap this year. We ended up watching Mrs bloody Doubtfire in the evening 🙈.

Tomorrow we have a New Year’s Eve party at our village hall and I’m dreading it. I CBA to get all dressed up, hair, makeup, nails, fake tan, shave my legs etc. I just want to go to bed early but DH has basically organised the whole thing as no one else bothered so we have to go. Ticket sales are wellllll don on previous years too so the whole thing could be a massive flop and I think it reflects the mood of everyone.

DS (16) has had a wonderful first Christmas with his girlfriend though so that’s good and the puppy had no clue what was going on but there was food and presents and a run on the beach so it was the best day ever for him.

We had a nice Christmas and Boxing Day. Lovely presents, nice food -but I get what people are saying. It has seemed oddly un-Christmassy. It's also flown by -the actual day seemed about 5 minutes long.
I can't really put my finger on what was weird about it this year. I think it's because nothing we do at Christmas is particularly special now.
In the 80s when I was a child, Christmas was a time when we had all the things we never or very rarely had throughout the year. Special chocolate and sweets saved for the day, a side board full of treats like nuts and dates, baby cham, satsumas. The TV with it's 4 channels and circling what to watch in the Radio Times. Everything that was SPECIAL is so available all the time now.

Christmas used to be short and special. I really miss shopping in town and all the department shops decorated and everyone would be in a good mood.
Now you get to drive to a retail park and everyone’s pissed off.
It’s weird how there are more decorations around now but it feels less because they used to be so special.
Christmas has been spoiled by stuff and curated ‘experiences’ for everything.

I kept trying to find my Christmas spirit in the run-up, but nothing was working for me. I tried my favourite Christmas music, films, food, going all-out with decorations, but it did nothing for me. I mostly just feel exhausted. I really hope that’s not it for me enjoying Christmas!

I meant to add our nearest city didn’t bother decorating this year. There’s an ice skating rink in the square every year and I couldn’t put my finger on why it looked so grey and depressing this year then I realised there were no lights in the trees and the town hall and memorial statue weren’t lit up. On my on trip into the centre this year, I noticed there was no Christmas tree, no large decoration and just a few plain, warm lights up. How miserable!

I agree, we no longer watch much terrestrial tv so we don't see Christmas programs much or any Christmas ads. We no longer bother with turkey or cards either. I can't say I miss all the fuss.

This thread makes me so sad. I had a great Christmas and I am really enjoying the ‘middle bit’ now. I do have two young children so perhaps that’s why?

I had a lovely Xmas. I wasn’t hosting for the first year since time began so I gave it no prior consideration. Hosting gift bags and lots of nice grandkids’ gifts plus a slimmed down set of cards were my only jobs! No need to decorate the house as none of us was there. Brilliantly relaxing! Less is more. HNY.

No, not at all. Our Christmas looked and felt just like all the others. We dont change the formula much!

I enjoy it, but it does come round a little bit too often these days. Every other year would be great.

Ours was good. I think it helps that we don’t do or eat anything festive until Christmas Eve so it’s nicely compressed into 3 or 4 days until all the food and booze is gone.