Anyone just not feeling Xmas this year?

[MutedUser]

I just don’t know what’s wrong with me this year. Im usually Mrs Xmas . But something just isn’t clicking this year. I don’t want to shop . I don’t want to think about it. I’m usually all done by now . I normally have lists of lists with timings and food I need etc. I’m actually thinking of leaving it all to December . The kids don’t really need anything . I can’t be bothered to buy them stuff that they don’t really want so they have piles of stuff that I will then spend the rest of the year decluttering. Has anyone else felt like this and managed to get out of this funk before the big day. It just seems like spend , spend spend and I don’t want to buy things that get used once .

I really want to cancel it, h left earlier this year and I can't be bothered, we've agreed present budget and he'll come around (quite amicable) but dc's are adults so wondering what is the point

Book a restaurant now for xmas day. Go low key...maybe new pj's slippers dressing gowns for boxing day. Lots of cold buffet stuff. No other gifts exceot party games. Recharge your batteries . merry Christmas.

I don’t know how people with young kids have much time to think about it before December when there’s so much else going on this time of year!
Last week my DD’s had a Halloween party at rainbows on Wednesday, trick or treating on Thursday, cake sale at school and Halloween disco last night. We’re going to a bonfire display tomorrow. Next week is ‘anti bullying’ so we have stuff going on at school for that. Week after is children in need so they have a variety of events for that. DD’s are 5 and 4 and we have at least one birthday party every weekend.
I’ll think about Christmas when all that is done!

I’m not doing it this year. DS who is 6 will get presents on the day but not doing a tree or celebrating.

It’s been a terrible year, out of work for 6 months and back into a job with low salary/no prospects.

I’d asked DSs father to have him this year (we alternate), but he’s not keen so will have to go through the rigmarole in terms of Santa but that’s all I can cope with.

We won’t have a Christmas meal - pointless as DS won’t eat it. He’ll go to his fathers house on the 27th, so he’ll have his real Christmas there.

My grandmother died this year.

I'm not going back home- because it's never really been a happy place anyway and i'm tired of pretending.

Apart from sending my sister a gift which arrives on monday. I'm not doing any other presents.

No, but then it is early November. I usually feel Christmas-y when work is winding down, middle December.

I'm not in Christmas prep mode, I'm still coming out of half term/halloween/bonfire night (+ DS bday for us!)

In general we'll be cutting back on presents and we're having low key buffet food on Xmas day. I don't really need to get going with it yet, so don't worry about it.

Get down to John Lewis. Guaranteed to make you feel festive with all their decorations and festive bling.

So sorry to all those facing Christmas without loved ones or those having to deal with family members with illnesses.

allthegoodusernameshavegone - "OP you need to get a social life."

Hmm well I have no children but a healthy social life, yet I am practically finished all of my Christmas shopping, so you're wrong on that score. It is possible to be capable of concentrating on more than one thing in any given month, I can plan Christmas and socialise! (I also do all of my mum's shopping for her because she has mobility issues and isn't internet savvy.)

We have a massive family and Christmas is a big deal for us, we start early because there are so many to buy for and so much to organise, I don't find it stressful though, on the contrary I thrive on it, I love organising etc.

There's nothing wrong with starting early, equally there's nothing wrong with not starting until December, to each their own!

OP I can't relate to your situation because I am fully in the swing of Christmas already but I do hope things turn around for you soon.

I never look forward to it. Every year is the same and I feel annoyed about the extra expense. It makes me sad as I used to love Christmas but now I dread it and can’t wait for 1st January.

I'm the same. Have decided I'm not doing a Christmas dinner this year and just buffet food.
I cba with any of it just want it over and done with.

OP this could be a good opportunity for you to reset your Christmas expectations as it were- have a low key Christmas and I think you will be pleasantly surprised about how nice it is.

Don’t get me wrong - I absolutely love Christmas, there’s me and DH and DS9 and DD6, and we do fairly low key as DS has ASD so we need to keep some balance of routine, not have too much noise/colours etc, so we have a tree and windowsill decs but that’s it, so you could do a tree and then some paper-chains.

We have a lot of lovely food, but even that is pretty much what we eat all year round - so lots of fruit, a fancy roast dinner with all our ‘favourites’, ice cream, a chocolate cheesecake, and then for Boxing Day a buffet that has all of favourite party food - sausage rolls, cheese and pineapple, picked onions, egg butties, crisps etc!
You don’t have to go all out, every meal doesn’t have to be special- just focus on things you like.

And presents - we don’t have mountains of presents here, we do a few little bits each (cuddly toys, barbies etc) and a ‘main present’ (usually Lego or toy kitchen etc) we also ask for books/annuals/colouring/craft from family.
So for grown up children you could do a few nice bits related to hobbies/interests and some fun bits - grown up games like escape room boxes etc.

Well I hope that has given you some ideas. We love Christmas in this house!

I'm usually in full swing xmas planning by now, but not this year. Money has been tight. I just started a new full time job after being a sahm for a decade and DH is waiting to find out where he'll be posted next so time is limited.

Add to that work forgot to pay me, so childcare has been stressful & expensive (hence the tight money referenced earlier).

I've made lists & things but I'm thinking this will be the first year ever that I'm still sorting xmas out in december.

Well I'm never in the mood this early anyway, but I kind of feel 'meh' about buying a shit tonne of 'stuff' this year. My kids just have mountains of plastic shite and I just can't cope with more, so I'm kind of stressing about what I can get them.

However, on the other hand I am looking forward to getting together with people, Christmas fairs, mulled wine, starting to think about nice food and all that kind of stuff.

Me too. Am broke and stressed.

I used to love Christmas, it was my favourite time of year until about 6 years ago, now I hate it, it's a depressing time for me. I'm pregnant and due 3 days before Christmas too so can't make any plans this year.

I was feeling really Christmassy. I’d bought DD a couple of gifts already now I just feel really meh about it.

I need to get my Christmas mojo back...

I'm the same. I was saying to DH at the weekend that I wish we were in the USA because then I'd be able to focus on Thanksgiving to put off having to deal with Christmas. Normally I've got my Christmas cake on the go by the end of October, gift spreadsheets abound but nothing this year. I just can't be arsed thinking about it and it's not like me.

I can't summon up any real interest till mid November. Just starting to think about it a bit now.

Xmas is over rated imo. I decided to stop wasting money on presents that the kids don't play with. Would rather buy them something during the year that they really want as a surprise.

Because it's not Christmas for ages. You should not be feeling Christmasy on 4 November😂

I feel the same have done for the last few years to be honest not even sure what we’ll be doing as I can’t even be bothered to discuss it feeling very bah humbug

Christmas doesn't start until I'm a celebrity finishes! Its only the 4th November. Its also too mild. I'm glad that the shops are reigning it in. I think they are in part, responsible for my lack of Christmas spirit.

It's not about feeling Christmassy in the chestnuts roasting on an open fire and squee-ing with excitement. It's more "feeling Christmas" in the being prepared, and feeling able to handle preparing, or even thinking about preparing.