A chilled, happy Christmas thread

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Just to mention first this in on the childfree board before I get accused of being smug or whatever

I'm childfree not by choice and always had that melancholy around this time of year, I've always had that 'this time next year I'll have my baby' daydream too but this has lessened this year.

I'm just enjoying a chilled few days off. No stress, just nice food, crap tv and exchanging gifts with family. Have caught up with friends, got my hair done and looking forward to a lie in tomorrow.

People seem to look shocked when I say 'yeah' when they ask if I'm ready for Christmas. Guess you're supposed to be stressed out, crying on the kitchen floor whilst your husband disappears to the pub and kids behave like ungrateful horrors. The threads on the other boards are an eye-opener.

I might feel differently tomorrow, I may have that longing for chaos, noise and mess but for now all is OK.

I hope everyone has a decent Christmas x

I’m childfree by choice so I don’t get melancholy around Christmas but I really do have a lot of sympathy for you for that and I can imagine it’s a very difficult time of year so I’m really happy for you that the feelings have lessened this year and you have a fab Christmas planned. I hope you have a wonderful time!

i had the sadness for a decade followed by a few years of seasonal sadness. a couple of years ago i had to pinch myself as no sadness all christmas and that has thankfully continued.

i hope it continues for you too. x

My Christmas 'issues' are generally to do with my Mother's expectations rather than anyone else's.
I'm having a great time so far with all my siblings here to share her. DH and adult DC help with food and dishwasher as soon as asked so 2 days in I'm calm and having a great time! Chilled and Happy!! It's just like hosting a group of adult friends.

Originally childfree not by choice. Had a lovely chilled Christmas Eve just me and DH. Not doing lunch tomorrow, going to DB’s for dinner by 4, so tomorrow will be nice and chilled too. Breakfast in bed, opening presents, etc.

Having a lovely chilled time in our new pyjamas after a dog walk. About to open the Bucks Fizz. Amusing myself currently by reading through the angst and stress caused mainly by having kids at Christmas on AIBU. 😂

Goodness knows I don't wish a miserable Christmas on anyone, but the number of threads about the day being 'ruined' over something....😧

Have had breakfast, opened my pressies and now chilling with a whisky.

Agree.

Am enjoying Chambord in my tidy, non-chaotic house with a fire, indulgent food treats, pretty decorations and Christmas hymns/carols playing. Have had several gift exchanges and will meet friends later for drinks. Several old, classic Christmas movies later.

No screaming, crying, chaos, mess, stropping, diapers or food issues. Quite pleasant.

Alone by voice. Invitations to crowded houses- no ta. Still in pyjamas. Will do as I please.

We are listening to Bach's Christmas Oratorio, and flicking through our Christmas books. Prior to this we have enjoyed criticizing Carols from Kings (practically a tradition in our house)

Pudding is made, dinner is having a minor disaster so postponed to 7pm but neither of us mind.

Cats are also happy as they are eating junk they aren't allowed the rest of the year.

I'm happily childfree and have always enjoyed being able to escape the "tyranny" of a traditional Xmas. Sometimes that means going away, which is my favourite.
Today I stayed in bed until 11am, reading. No roast dinner to prepare, no stroppy kids, no fuss, total calm. Perfect.

I have Radio 3 turned up nice and loud (neighbours are away).

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain our neighbours are very long suffering and put up with DH's opera frankly more than I would.

Childfree by choice.

Get the visiting family all out of the way by Christmas Eve, usually get home quite late so a chilled start to the day is being had as I type, with ginger tea and a tangerine ...

We will get up at noon, ready to go out with champagne opened for our traditional Christmas Lunch cooked by a dear friend and ex-chef. I shall do a little light waitressing and otherwise enjoy the meal.

Home for coffee, perhaps something sweet in the afternoon followed by cheese and biscuits much later on.

Long time low carb-ers, for the actual Christmas Day all bets are off and I eat exactly anything I fancy. There will be ice creme at some point no doubt. This is such a special treat and has entirely put the magic back into Christmas for me.

Got home at midnight last night as I was on call and it was a busy night. So slept in this morning while my partner made scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for breakfast, which we have just had with a glass of champagne.
Now lazing on the sofa reading about other people's chaotic lives and feeling smug that I have some much needed silence - am knackered due to work (junior doctors strike and just general NHS insanity). Off now til Wednesday so enjoying the peace.
Presents shortly and then more champagne, a bit of watching TV and cuddling dogs. Eating crap and my partner cooking lasagne for dinner later. I might stir myself to take the dogs out later, but they aren't bothered about moving their arses either and both pretty elderly. So sofa, booze, crap to eat and TV today. Did I mention I'm knackered?

We are in a hotel just waiting for our lunch to be cooked for us

My DH is absolutely loving it, and it is the most relaxing Christmas we have ever had

We got up usual time, I fed the cats, we then started pruning the Lime Tree which is outside the back of our house. I've chopped most of the prunings for next year's kindling, and then I came in to make stuffing. I've made 6 balls of it. I then peeled and parboiled some potatoes and got those into the oven, and prepped the veg into cold water on the hob.

We don't do much at Christmas as we live in Rural France away from people, and I've had a phone call with my mother who is off to have dinner with my brother.

Eat at 2pm, in 45 mins. Then panetone and custard for pudding with a coffee. I'll finish off chopping and bagging the remaining prunings, clear out and set the woodburner and go see to the cats later and settle down on the sofa.

We will avoid the usual Christmas TV though, just watch box sets of whatever to avoid the jingling versus news of whatever horror has occurred around the world since yesterday.

Home alone, and having a lovely time. Will see family in a few days time, which I prefer.

Have got a few things lined up to watch, nice food, generally just enjoying relaxing.

Thank you for the thread. I describe myself as 70% child free by choice, 30% by circumstance. That 30% only ever rears its head around this time of year when I wonder what could have been. However, I also agree that what I see and hear from others sounds horrificky stressful and on balance I'm fine and happy with life.

We had a gloriously chilled Christmas eve, involving a trip to the Christmas markets and the ability to wander around without being pulled in a different direction by whiny, bored children. Drank very boozy hot chocs and even had a go on the helter-skelter- because fun is not just for kids! Then home for wine, cheese and Die Hard.

This morning has been very chilled. Waiting for MiL in pick us up soon for Christmas with DH's family. Always a test of endurance but likely to be even more so this year as MiL finally broke her 20+ silence last week and told me how disappointed and heartbroken they are at the lack of grandchildren. I knew she felt this way but without it being voiced, I could choose to ignore the issue. Feeling even more dread than usual at the thought of Christmas day with the ILs now. Might start a proper thread about my thoughts around all this rather than derail this one.

Lovely thread idea. Just me and DP, in our own house, neither of us feeling 100% but it's fine because we don't have to feed or entertain anyone else. Done yoga, been out for a walk, will help DP with the roast chicken and potatoes in a bit. Can watch whatever we want on the telly and go to bed whenever we want. And no expectations about anything being 'perfect' or 'magical'!

'Amusing myself currently by reading through the angst and stress caused mainly by having kids at Christmas on AIBU. 😂'

Not proud of it, but same here!

'I describe myself as 70% child free by choice, 30% by circumstance'

I love this - I'm similar. It's not a neat and clear issue for all of us

What a shame that your MIL felt the need to dump her feelings on you. I can imagine that must have been painful x

MiL finally broke her 20+ silence last week and told me how disappointed and heartbroken they are at the lack of grandchildren

So of all the times of year she could have chosen she chose this one - the time of year that a lot of people think is for children and meaningless if you don't have them. I wonder why she did that after 20 years?

Might start a proper thread about my thoughts around all this rather than derail this one

I think that's a good idea, because I suspect there's a lot for you to unpick here going back over the years. I mean, it could be that she's finally vocalised her disappointment that time seems to have run out and it's not going to happen, but dumping all that on you is out of order

Just me, DH and 3 cats at home this year. No travelling 350 miles to stay with his sister and family this year. Missing them but I'm enjoying the peace.

We're just chilling. Dinner tonight is roast beef. TV has not yet gone on but we're going to be watching DHs American football later. Festive, huh?

Happy Christmas.
sitting by the fire , glass of champagne, , Joni Mitchell playing , dinner all prepped for later …oh and my DH by my side ….bliss x

I'm watching Mog's Christmas 😄

I'm in full cooking mode. A bit paranoid as I can't tell if my sister's top oven is actually on - top oven, doesn't feel as warm as the bottom oven where the bird is. Of course, she is in the pub so I can't ask her 😃