What do you love and what do you hate about Christmas?

[Blablabla1984]

I love the build-up, carol services, wrapping presents, sitting in the evening with the tree on, sorting out christmas cards, the lights and decorations in the shops, thinking of lovely things to do with DD. Love it! :)

Hate organising Christmas food, which makes me anxious; and especially hate all the family arguments and fuss.

I love the long build up to Christmas, I start to get excited as soon as the kids are back to school

I work in retail so love seeing the change from Back to School, to Halloween, to Christmas. I get so excited when the first Christmas chocs come in. (Don't like it when the Easter eggs are delivered on Christmas Eve though)

I look out for the Christmas songs first being played on music channels and will watch them constantly I promise I don't record them to watch again in January when I'm depressed

I love wrapping presents whilst drinking baileys late at night when everyone else is in bed.

I love putting on my Xmas pjs and reading the Christmas stories to my DSs. Even though they're 15 and 10 they still enjoy it too cos I really ham it up.

I love putting up the tree and I'll do it as early as poss, usually the 1st December but last year ended up being a bit earlier.

What I hate most is the moany anti-Xmas brigade who pour shite all over my festive buzz.

And I hate when it's all over. I have even been known to get miserable on the day because I know it's over.

And I really hate January.

I found a trick to help me wrap a couple of years ago - I started standing up at the ironing board. It helped my back enormously, and I was up and down constantly from the table anyway so sitting wasn't great.

Just adding that for the folks who hate wrapping!

I love so much about it, the anticipation the build up, the atmosphere.

I adore decorating the house the tree, I love our decorations
The tiny kids stuff at school, nativity, paper angels and silver tinsel and I am addicted to the smell of tinsel.

The first glass of champagne with starter of smoked salmon as we sit down to Christmas dinner. Christmas morning, the "has he been" is so special, so special.

what I don't like so much is xmas eve always a bit flat I feel miserable when I hear people going to pubs with loads of family and having meal with carols. DH has worked so just me and dc, but this year he is off ( disney on ice).

I dont like the obligation of seeing family members so much, dh family ruin xmas for me, make me feel miserable. Hate the guilt trip over all of that, always demands on our time and yet when we get there we are never asked how we are, what have we done, any questions over it. I feel obliged to make conversation, shant bother this year.
Dislike the way DH cousin grunts at a gift I have gone out of my way to get her. Dislike sil and cant bear her awful non gifts to DC.Eg book with half cover ripped off. I wanted to hit her round the head with it.

It makes me feel mournful for the family I have lost and miss.

I always have loved xmas, but it's so different now.

Small family - we all used to round Mum and Dad's xmas eve - there would be 10 of us and we'd have a great 4 days... eating and drinking and going for walks.

then it all fell apart 2006. Dad died and I emigrated, Dsis had a baby and started staying home. It all ground to a halt. Poor Mum.

We're going back for xmas for the first time this year and we can't wait - will be lovely. Different, but lovely. Mum's thrilled

I love the build up and the anticipation. I love shopping for the children. I love Christmas Eve.

I hate that they/we have no extended family so nobody ever to share it with or to visit. All presents and celebrations come from us.

All presents and celebrations come from us.

^^ the bulk is left to us too. I believe people have to make an effort to make it special my own DP were BRILLIANT at this - DF used to dress up in a white tux, maroon velvet dickey bow dm used to glisten in lovely dress and earing etc.

Dark, candles, fire, glittering away.
AND MUSIC.

Pils is flat, no convo no one makes an effort, no dressing up. no music.

NO HUMOUR

sweet bless your mum.

RockandRoll can you not make some new traditions for your OWN family? You and DH decide what you would like to get out of the day/season for yourselves, and then set it in motion. If you want to stay at home and cook a meal yourselves, at a time that suits, wearing Santa hats and enjoying good music and a crackling fire - DO!

Perhaps arrange a different family gathering another day in your house which is different - maybe a games evening, or a Christmas picnic or a leftovers curry (we have a "leftover ham sandwiches and glasses of Guinness" tradition in my parents house) or whatever.

But it doesn't ALWAYS have to be the same, especially once your DH now has his own family. (It might not happen this year, but you can always set the ball rolling on getting DH to think the unthinkable about changing and maybe next year might be different).

I love the build up!! The kids get a small hamper on 1st December with Christmas books, DVDs, blankets - it's the same stuff every year!! We are big Elf on the Shelf fans here so he delivers said hamper. I love shopping, wrapping, hiding presents. Decorating the house and tree while watching a cheesy Christmas film. Sitting in the living room with just the tree lights on. Christmas music - who doesn't love Shakin Stevens?! Last year we made a gingerbread house which was great fun. Visiting Santa, I was an elf in a local Santa's Grotto last year - it was lovely seeing all the excited little ones.

I hate when the schools finish late - this year my dcs don't break up until 23rd I hate the lull after New Year, I would rather get back to work/school on the 2nd if possible.

And I hate all the Christmas haters that come into the Christmas section to slate us all!! Don't click on the Christmas topic if you don't want to hear about the festive section!

I teach Key Stage 1 and Christmas for us starts in October. We have a lot to do before we break up in early Decembe and I love it all! Lower school do the Nativity and Upper school put on a very old fashioned carol service in church, we take the children to a local old people's home in their Nativity costumes to sing to the residents, a special Christmassy school trip, our Christmas fayre, plus all the usual stuff like making Christmas cards. The only thing I don't like about the Christmas build up at work is having to trim up my classroom by the end of November, then having to take it all down on the last day of term!
At home I love buying presents, but hate carrying it all to the car. I love wrapping gifts but hate the achy knees. I love doing Christmas things with my children. I love having Christmas songs on during the day. I love festive special drinks at Costa and Starbucks! I love going to church on Christmas Eve. I love all the festive food, but I hate the weight gain!
I hate bloody, sodding January! Miserable weather, back to work in the dark, and nothing to look forward to!

I love the run up. The Christmas jumpers, the Christmas in July. The planning

I hate january

I don't think I can bear Christmas this year.

We used to have huge family celebrations, but my grandparents, great aunt, brother, dad and mum are all dead now. I had a daughter in Nov 2015, and my mum had been thrilled to have a reason to celebrate and enjoy Christmas Day again, but she died really suddenly in April this year and now I don't know how I'm going to get through the day without her and thinking about how it all should have been so different.

So please spare a thought for those of us who say we hate Christmas - there's usually a reason for it.

Love- the build up. Socialising, Christmas jumpers, wrapping gifts, Christmas songs.

Dislike- family dramas (we're NC with DH's family so something always pops up).

We'll have a (roughly) 4 week old this year. I'm so excited about having Christmases with our own little one.

I love Christmas (I'm an atheist but I love the festive atmosphere). Love the fun up and Xmas and Boxing Day but hate the no mans land time in between Xmas and new year.

We celebrate Yule which has nothing to do with Christmas How do you celebrate Yule - how would it differ from a typical British Christmas? Genuinely curious.

lostlala

My dds school breaks up on 23rd too. Don't know what idiot thought that was a good idea.
Not a clue what I'm meant to do with her until 9th Jan

Love - build up and excitement of ds!

Hate - family politics of it and never getting to have a drink and relax due to driving about seeing everyone

Love - build up and excitement of ds!

Hate - family politics of it and never getting to have a drink and relax due to driving about seeing everyone

Tootsie

The things I love:

• the food - flipping through the Marks and Sparks catologue, good housekeeping recipes, right down to chopping the veg on Christmas Eve.
• the music, particularly choirs singing carols
• the weather. I hope it's colder than it was last year, really love a chill in the air.
• the lights and decorations. I live in York and it's beautiful at Christmas time (albeit busy!). I've got my perfect Christmas tree and am building a lovely collection of decorations.
• time off work for both dh and I. We usually break up on the 23rd and back on the 3rd January, and it's just so much more chilled than our summer break.
• present buying when I've got a good idea. Hate it when I can't think of anything in particular for someone though.

Things I dislike:

• that feeling on the 28th when you've eaten and drank too much, are unsure of the day of the week and might actually die if you see another mince pie or piece of Brie
• social obligations. Don't get me wrong, I love a get together but last year most days some family member or close friend were having a gathering or open house. This year we will see close family only.
• trying to see all members of mine and DH's family on Christmas Day. Again, not going to happen this year; we'll do one lot Christmas Eve, one lot Christmas Day and then Boxing Day relaxing at home.

YY to the wrapping on the ironing board, much easier.

I also recommend a good quality sticky tape on a dispenser (I buy the multipack rolls of Scotchtape from Costco, IIRC 8 rolls regular and gift tape which is 'invisible' )

Now that my DC are older , their presents get smaller and ££ with age . I wrap in giftboxes with tissue and ribbon.
Again Costco (they sell huge rolls of brilliant quality wrapping paper too.) and gorgeous patterned tissue paper.
They start selling Christmas stock in September.

Present wrapping isn't one of my 'Loves' either and I'm not organised enough to wrap as I buy, so I set aside an evening, ban everyone from the room, watch rubbishy TV and drink coffee.
When I used wrapping paper, I had one pattern for DS and a different one for DD. (Same with the boxes)

Tootsie I am so sorry for your loss.

I do one thing at Christmas which I haven't already mentioned - I set aside one quiet evening when I lie on the floor of the sitting room with only the tree lights on, a glass of something lovely to drink and take some time to contemplate. Thinking of the year just gone - the good and the bad. And taking some time to remember all the relatives who won't be around this year - DFIL died in November reasonably suddenly (was ill for 5 weeks), 3 of my DGPs died in recent years (1 in 2010 and 2 in 2012 - the other had been back in 1998), and a good number of friends, colleagues and wider relatives in recent years too. I find it extremely peaceful to do this (I've been doing it since I was 16 and babysitting my younger siblings!) and to make time for that quietness. I also try hard to find some performance that I can get to which involves music - choral music or orchestral music or a carol service in a church - not the "Christmas hits brigade" but where music can "speak to my soul". And where, if I cry my eyes out, it can be for the beauty of the music or other reasons entirely, but I always find that the music does help to calm me in the stressful season and let out some of my woes.

So yes, it is different - and it is all still so raw and new for you. But hopefully your DD will be full of wonder, and your DP/DH can support you as you work your way through it all. This year is a transition for you, from the family you grew up with to the new reality of the family you are growing together. I'm not saying you will love it, but hoping you can look on it as a time of peace to take time out as your new family, take time to remember the good of the past, and have a quiet season this year. Your DD is still small and that gives you the chance to shape it as you want - not everyone wants glitter and sparkle.

And I am really not ignoring that you hate the season - I am just trying to say that you don't always have to. Be kind to yourself.

Love - the lights everywhere, looking at the trees in people's Windows, the music, the build up, the cheesey films, the decorations, buying / wrapping presents, receiving cards.

Highlights - I have a 'wrapping night' where everyone leaves me alone. Lights on, muppets Christmas carol followed by elf, something nice to drink and I do all the wrapping.
Also, have a day where I mooch around the nearest city, no need to buy anything, just wander, enjoy the bustle and drink hot chocolate.

Hate - trying to please everyone (PILS are not together and live in opposite directions) Last year we ran away for Christmas. This year I'm not leaving my house.
Also hate the people who moan about Christmas. I understand people who don't get excited like I do but not the people who make fun of me / comment about me for enjoying it

Tootsie

from me too. As Biddy says - be kind to yourself. Losing those we love is hard, and it is harder still at times such as Christmas and birthdays.

((Un-mumsnetty hug))

One of my favourite things last year was making my son some custom action figures as some of his favourite superheroes don't have figures in the line he wants. It takes a few days to do as there is a lot of drying time between stages. So each night I'd put him to bed then sit in the kitchen with all my crafting tools and paints, Christmas music playing, an elf hat on my head and work for a couple of hours. I felt like one of Santa's elves come to life. This year he doesn't want anything that doesn't exist, so I have come up with an idea for non-existant toys that I know he'll love, that will go in his stocking. I'm going to do something similar each year.