What will you do different next Christmas?

[MsMiaWallace]

Mine would be a different venue for Christmas Eve dinner.
We went for carvery this year & the place was scruffy!

I'm going out for Christmas dinner next year, I'm not spending another sodding year cooking.

I'll keep a record of what I've bought for the children. I picked bits up along the way and ended up with far too much!

Made a good start on birthday gifts from the ones I didn't wrap though.

Prep some stuff the night before (having said "why the hell would people prep the night before? It's only a roast").
Improve on presentation, eg by having new plates and serving bowls etc. A nice tablecloth. No Christmas crackers as pure wastage.

We’re going to have the big Christmas roast on Christmas Eve and have a chilled Christmas Day opening presents and chilling out in pyjamas. I love hosting but it’s full on MANIC (cooked for 11) and I don’t really get chance to sit and chat or see everyone opening the presents properly. It’ll be a nice change 😊

I'm not cooking a dinner next year.
Party food, pizza etc for me n DH.

We're going away and I'm cooking a full dinner.

We did a buffet this year because three of my nieces and nephews who were here yesterday don't eat roasts and making them sit through a meal isn't fun for anyone ASD.

It was a pita to be honest, spent nearly as long in the kitchen anyway and no leftovers for bubble and squeak today!

Going away! To a fully a tarred chalet somewhere with snow and stuff to do.. saving now!

Catered

Just have the 4 of us at home.

Another year with the same guest who arrives, has a drink poured for her and then proceeds to spend the next 4-5 hours on her phone or eating whilst ignoring everyone, not asking if we need any help and not lifting a finger when everyone else is clearing up.

Should have bought more bread as we're about to run out.
The Christmas dinner was perfect, next year my parents will be with us so hopefully I can replicate it.
Put Santa's mince pie up higher because the dog ate it and dh had to rush her to the vet on Christmas Eve.

Hopefully have xmas day as just the 5 of us again.

This year we had family visiting from abroad and whilst it was lovely I missed just laying about in pyjamas and worrying about nothing but ourselves.

Go away for a holiday on Boxing Day - it's been my most miserable day of the year since my divorce 15 years ago.

Oh and read the email that says we're not doing family presents except nieces and nephews. Could've saved a lot of money and bother buying 10 presents more than anyone else ( as the only one whose not retired).

Stay at home and have a proper Christmas meal.

Went to SIL who produced salmon steaks while the rest of us took veg, wine and pudding. She had roast turkey and all the trimmings today. She basically only wanted to feed her 5 and not an additional 2

Go on holiday

Next year I am bulk buying a nice panettone and bottles of plonk and everyone is getting this. No more wracking brains to come up with special gifts.

This year I started to educate myself on our Christmas traditions and what it all means and this has made me think very differently about it. I think moving forward it will be more about traditions, food and events and less about Santa and a mountain of gifts.

Not having my mil here. She did my nut in this year.

Not host. Win the lottery and escape to a snowy ski chalet with a private chef, nanny and driver.

Not take part or get a new family bitter

Of course, these thoughts will pass as my feelings process. But if you can't say that on an anonymous-ish forum where can you say it

I’m not hosting family over multiple days. I’ve done Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the 28th - hosting different family members. I don’t mind Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but unless they start to return the favour on the other days we just won’t see them. It’s just too much - too much money, time, energy - everything really.

Do all cooking on Christmas Eve! We did this for the first time this year and we enjoyed Christmas Day soo much better as we didn't spend half the day in the kitchen stressing and sweating - the day felt much longer which was nice !

Not have flu- and be unable to see recipients open any of their gifts or eat a crumb of food or a drop of drink. Truly rubbish.

Staying home just DH and I and switching phone off. Have had to deal with DF dementia and DM having meltdowns because she can't cope and won't put him in a home. Christmas has been shit

Not pour hot goose fat on my bare foot just before serving up

Every year I moan that I’m not doing Christmas dinner ever again and everyone can sort themselves out next year because I will be off on a Caribbean cruise.
Finally, this year it became a reality. Today is the last day and I’m currently sitting in departures at Grantley Adams Airport.
Definitely doing this again next year.