Does anyone else not have a huge family to celebrate Christmas with .

[hattie43]

I'm starting to see more and more
' chatter ' about Christmas events and planning the day in the media and online and it all assumes everyone has a huge family and lots of people coming around .
Does anyone else feel a pang of regret about having small / no family left or a twinge of envy of those with lots of big busy family Christmases .
This year it seems I'll only have one elderly relative left on the day and it seems tragic and not sure what we can do to have a nice day . I have a lot of events with friends during the month but they all have extended family and I'll be left with one elderly parent .
Maybe I'm being ungrateful and there will those who will be totally alone on the day and I wondered what they do . Perhaps they treat it like any other day .
I am not enjoying seeing the decline in family as I have no children and the oldies are dying off .

Glad people had a nice day. I too worry about future christmases alone, but trying to remind myself not to think too far ahead into the future. It’s all done with for another year now anyway (well, another 11 months anyway!) phew !

My family is tiny. Parents are now gone and my siblings have lives of their own and are quite emotionally distant. Husband's an only child so his family is even smaller.

Christmas is pretty much a non event in our household and I have little interest in it really, other than eating some different food and having a bit of a break. One day I'll rent a small, remote cottage somewhere and just spend the whole week walking.

Hi
I have my husband and 29 year old daughter. I hate Xmas and feel very envious of friends with large families and lots of activities. I find Christmas really depressing. I don’t know how to improve Christmas at all. My husband is at the hospital every other day for dialysis so going away is not an option.

I saw a stupid thing which really upset me earlier.

On Facebook, someone had posted 'Is anyone spending Christmas alone without a family? If so, please let me know as I need to borrow some chairs.'

I know obviously it was meant as a 'joke', but it hurts so much to someone for whom Christmas alone could be a real possibility, especially as an old person.

These people don't realise how lucky they are that life circumstances mean they don't have to face the possibility of a future alone. Although I guess to some extent they do - laughing at others misfortune could come back and bite them somewhere down the line.

I agree that that Facebook post is really bad taste @Strawberriesandpears

Thank you. I am not easily upset or offended by things usually, but that was just so thoughtless and hurtful.

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.

I felt quite sad this year, if anyone facies a lovely day next year you're welcome to mine! Lots of booze & food.

Haven't had a big family Christmas in years and that is just how we like it. It's too much hassle and I used to work everything but Christmas Day. This year may be easier cos I am not working but trying to find a day when we were all free and who was happy to travel where. Mum lives a good two hours away and my husband won't always agree to go and I can't drive. We managed NYD last year but one year we didn't exchange presents til March.

My husband has a big family, so Christmas is always a huge deal on that side of the family. I find it incredibly stressful. I honestly hate the excess of it all, and the money spent. Everyone gets given lists of what to buy each other and it all adds up and seems ridiculous really. I don’t see why we can’t stop doing gifts (especially as even the young ones are in their 20s) and just focus on other aspects of Christmas instead. If I had my own way I’d go abroad over Christmas and not bother to celebrate it at all.

For people struggling and feeling lonely, have you ever considered volunteering on Christmas Day? I have done it in the past and it’s great fun and actually feels more in the festive spirit than sitting at home with family. Meeting new people, everyone all with their own unique reasons to not be at home on Christmas Day.

No I dont. Every year since we have had kids we only have Christmas with just us we love it. There are so many people on here that complain about having to go here there and everywhere or have to have people over.