I am not a fan of Christmas, I have low spectrum autism so I find it incredibly stressful. I chose to have children, however, and there was no way that I was going to do anything but make it live up to their expectations (atmosphere-wise, I'm not the Bank of England!). Sat down with my children 5 years ago when my youngest turned 21 and said 'Babies, the Christmas memories I have with you are some of the best of my life, look at you 3 growing up year by year😍But do you mind if I squirrel those times away in my happy place and never do a festive period again?' I can't cope with it. I don't understand why people dread this time of year so much yet still insist that it's the best time ever, when if they're honest with themselves they're actually stressed to fuck, can't afford it, under pressure to make it twinkly and perfect, and breathe the BIGGEST sigh of relief when it's all over. It took a year or 2 to not automatically start getting stressed at the start of the Christmas period (October, alongside the Hallowe'en decorations), but now that I'm used to it, it's blissful, and it's having a knockdown effect on my children too. They DO put up a tree in their homes, but they aren't running around around like blue-arsed flies trying to fit a commercially projected ideal, they are chilled about it, and it works. Anyone else out there who has decided that Christmas is for other people and is happy and comfortable with it?