Really struggling to feel the Xmas spirit

[Endofmytetherfinally]

Its my 7th year living abroad and I've always struggled at Xmas time. It's just not the same (summer weather) and the country I'm in whilst Christian don't celebrate in the same way as the UK and northern Europe and the US. There's different traditions which I've tried to embrace but it always feels like any other weekend day.

My DH has decorated a tree and put up outdoor lights. We went to see love actually with an orchestra last night. He's always generous with presents and remembers small things like how much I like an advent calendar. His parents will cook a roast and they go mad buying presents for our little one.

But what can I do to to get in the Xmas spirit?? I don't want to bring anyone down with my "yearning" for Christmases past. I was thinking maybe home alone and wrapping some presents? I can't drink but mulled wine burns off the alcohol so I could cook up a batch. Maybe sort a stocking for my daughter? I think she's too small for a visit to Santa and is asleep by nightfall so we can't drive round to see Xmas lights. Any other little traditions MNers can recommend?

-Christmas crafting- a wreath or garland.
-Make personalised cards or gifts with your LO (loads of ideas using foot or handprints on Pinterest)
-cheesey christmas movie with a cheese board and some.more mulled wine.
-hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows.
-a Carol service ? Some places do carols by candlelight.

I come from a ‘warm Christmas’ country but live in the UK. I like both warm and cold Christmases for different reasons, and a warm Christmas made it much easier for children to go out on their new bikes etc, family play cricket in the park/play in the garden with new toys etc to work off Christmas lunch etc. When it’s all you know growing up then you don’t know any different, but I can see that you would find this difficult if you prefer a cold Christmas as it may feel more traditional to you etc. I’m not sure what would help to make you feel more festive, and it depends on the age of your DC - maybe build and ice a gingerbread house/men, put on some carols and wrap gifts with a glass of mulled wine. Sometimes you just need to change your mindset that Christmas is about who you are sharing it with, and it is what you make it. I hope you can find something that makes it feel good for you and your family.

I’m also struggling to get into the Christmas spirit but for different reasons. The icing on the cake was DC testing positive for Covid yesterday so we’ve had to cancel going to visit my family for 5 days before Christmas; it feels worse because I haven’t seen them around Christmas time for 8 years so I feel so dejected.

I'm sorry, we missed Xmas last year for the same reason. All tested positive so there extra pressure to enjoy this year. LO is nearly 2.

Any Carols services or Christmas food markets near you? I think yet again we have managed to miss our local ones 😁 We watch Christmas movies every night, we have a list of favourites. It took me years to get used to a warm Christmas but I am there now, mind you it is unseasonably cold here in Sydney so I don’t think I have to worry about it being too hot to have the oven on - the worst Christmas was when it hit 40 degrees so I delayed the Christmas meal and everyone (we had guests) drank way too many cocktails in the pool and it got messy. I would have a riot on my hands if I didn’t do the full on turkey and ham thing even after 15 years!