No pressure this year

[Maddison29]

My MIL always makes me feel like I'm under lots of pressure at Xmas time. She says stuff like when shall I come round to collect our presents (meaning the gifts we buy her) and since made it clear that were supposed to buy for everyone in her family. The first year when I met dh i only got gifts for mil & step-pil and was told by mil after xmas that she had to open them quietly so dh's nan, aunts etc didn't see as we didn't buy for them I love the way this is my responsibility and not dh's! So after a few years of buying for people I never see as I feel obliged to I'm trying to keep it simple this year. Last year I done a million shopping trips like a crazy person buying crap people probably didn't want. This year I have

• already done my food oder at m&s.
• used the 15£ molton brown code to get most peoples gifts. So even if they don't want a black pepper body wash set at least it's quality over qunity and looks fab
• all dh's aunts etc will get a candle with their initial on from m&s
• used the argos 3 for 2 and got all the kids stuff

-got some loccitaine gift sets for £13

What do you feel the most pressure about at Xmas?

I still can't quite get over your MIL demanding that Maddison! That is absolutely ridiculous. I would have politely reminded her that they are DH's extended family and that you can only apologise profusely for the fact that he forgot - and that maybe she could remind him in good time before next Christmas?

You sound SO organised! I've got a lot to do but a lot of that is on hold until mid-November unless it's stuff I can buy online. All most of the gifts I buy will be online. Gift shopping is usually where I feel most pressured at Christmas. This year I've bought a few Yankee Candles when doing food shops at Asda, so that's already a few gifts down! I am trying to take some of the pressure of by writing lists. I have lists coming out of my ears.

I can't believe you met her demands that she dared to make!

I generally don't feel pressured at Christmas other than perhaps allowing to feel pressured to attend some Christmas lunches that I would prefer not too.

I usually get pressured into spending every element of Christmas with the ils. They always want it don't their way at their house. Even last year when we were supposed to just visit for an hour Christmas morning (we were having my family for dinner) we got dragged into having to do things their way. They insisted on seeing us every single day and gatecrashed our Christmas eve plans. Fortunately, they went too far this summer and now, after almost divorcing, dh has finally realised how hideous it is for me having to indulge mil and is in agreement that we need our own family traditions. The pressure is off because dh is on my side.