Can't help feeling Christmas is already ruined by late break up

[ChristmasTidyings]

Anyone else feel the same? DC break up tomorrow lunch time. They generally need a couple of days to recover at the end of time so that's Christmas with exhausted, grouchy and over-excited children. Meaning everyone will be in a bad mood including DH who will be annoyed with their behaviour. Plus we have no time to do nice Christmas stuff like baking or making gifts for the GP's or pottering around town for the day. DD even had 1.5 hours of homework set yesterday to hand in today. The DC are exhausted and only 13 of DD's class were in yesterday, the rest are "ill".

Ah I’m sorry. That is shitty.
My kids broke up last Friday and we have had a lovely week getting their rooms sorted, visiting Santa, pantomime.
I can understand how you feel rushed and unprepared.
Hopefully next year, you’ll get a decent run up.

At least, like some poor families, you don't have flu in time for Christmas. That's really shit

I recall one year when we were working in Germany, broke up at 3.30 on the 22nd, into the car, drove to the ferry then the same distance again to our house, we then had to start decorating the house, buying most of the food, though we had a lot of the German goodies, pre Alsi and Lidl days. It got done though, just a bit manic!

We’ve all been off since last week and I’m looking forward to Christmas Day. It does seem a while to get to it

Ruined seems totally overblown! Cheer up and enjoy yourselves.

I feel for the teachers most. With DC just get them into PJs for an early night. Let them have a lie in tomorrow. Make Christmas biscuits for grandparents in the morning and then watch Christmassy films in the evening.

It'll be fine. Calm and Christmassy.

You mean like most adults who work? Lots of jobs don't have the luxury of any time off around Christmas and many have to work Christmas day/boxing day

The timing of Xmas this year is dreadful. Usually it falls during the week so we finish the previous Friday. But with it falling on a Sunday this year, everything is continuing as normal until Friday 23rd. Very inconvenient.

I think most children will recover with one days sleep and a day off

It's not the ideal time off but Christmas isn't ruined. If your DC genuinely will be too exhausted to enjoy Christmas then I think you need to take them to the doctor or reign things in day to day

It is shit though if they are primary and have homework and tests in the lead up to Christmas. And a bit odd. What teacher wants to mark 1.5hrs homework x30 2 days before Christmas?

No we've been off for a week, however Christmas has been ruined because we've all come down with flu.

Yours would be much preferred!

It was actually really silly timing for schools/local authorities going so late. A lot of people, especially in cities, travel for Christmas and a lot of people will have taken kids out early for this. Will only negatively affect their own attendance numbers, exemplified by the fact OP's DD only had 13 in their class.

My kids are home educated. But I remember that awful time. Winters with so much sickness. With fevers. Sore throats coughs colds and the like

i remember the incredibly over tired children that literally have 8 days off or so before the whole thing starts again

i don’t envy you.

Probably crying with joy at not having to eat sprouts

Schools in Scotland always break up later than in England and we manage to have lovely Christmases up here! Even when Christmas is not at the weekend it's common for kids to be in school on the morning of 22 December and some years the 23 Dec!

I much prefer finishing really late.
We've been off a week and have basically spent it shopping and prepping/ faffing.
I'd rather rush now, and have a week after new year to relax.

Yes. I've yet to meet a child for whom the absence of sprouts provokes tears.

I was glad when I heard it was so late this year so they got extra time after Christmas but the reality has been very difficult and everyone is tired and grumpy and my house is still chaos! Roll on 3pm tomorrow I suppose.

There has been a lot of extra things that have added to my stress though, I finish work tonight for a week so I'm really looking forward to being done for a few days but it's going to be manic tomorrow.

This! The late break-up IS crap, but don't go in assuming Christmas is ruined, otherwise you are practically ensuring it will be.

Does it not give you more time to plan? Yeah you might not get as many days out or activities done before Christmas but you'll have all your shopping and wrapping sorted and you've plenty of time after Christmas to do other stuff. If you've got a roof over your head and food on the table I would count yourself lucky. Christmas is not ruined.

It does seem a short break this year. My son finished on Tuesday and is back in on Weds the 4th, so it's not as if he has longer off afterwards.

I'd have rather he finished on the 16th and had more like 2.5 weeks.

My DS finished two weeks ago tomorrow- it was so early that I’m waiting for Christmas to be over!

Worth a watch if only to remind ourselves NEVER get involved in litigation. It's embarrassing listening to what Vardy said and what her actions were. An expensive case about nothing but she was constantly manipulating the situation. The seating for the matches so she could be photographed etc. A fantastic payday for the Rooney QC as he was then.

I hate a late start and late return to winter break. There is always a nice build up of anticipation and flurry of activity in the days before Christmas. Parents have lots of tasks to complete as well.

If you are an office worker, there tends to be a degree of understanding about it being Christmas and things slow down a bit. Jan 2 it’s back in full force whether the kids are back in school or not. If you have kids who still have another week or more of break at that point, it’s a challenge. It’s just much easier when the break skews more before Christmas than after

That was in the wrong thread. Should be TV. Sausage fingers.

Oh wow this does seem late. I'm overseas and our schools finished on dec 9!!!