Why do you look forward to Christmas?

[MoonshineandMagic]

I hear (or see on here) many people talking about starting to get excited for Xmas at this time of year and I don’t really understand it.

I find Xmas quite stressful - juggling all the family, pressure to overspend, too much food and drink and then just the winter to look forward to when it’s all over. I don’t get why other people enjoy it so much - I like the break from work but other than that it’s always a bit of an anti-climax.

I’m sure some smartarse will be along to say ‘surprise - people like different things’ but I’m well aware of that. I just can’t work out why they don’t find it as stressful and depressing as I do.

Non practising christians? 🤣 ok. The same as people who get married in church so they can get lovely wedding photos and those that get their children christened with no intention of ever taking them into a church again. Oh except at Christmas when it looks prerty.

Keeping it simple. Less presents, cards only to some elderly relatives who like them and not feeling pressure to have lots of Christmas trips out and activities.
Usually organise one thing like the panto or go out for pizza, which is a treat for us. It's the one time of year I can take annual leave and stay at home for at least a week depending how Xmas falls, so I really most enjoy the doing nothing and having few commitments.

I enjoy Christmas but keep it very, very simple. Hate the commercial side so long ago gave up exchanging gifts (DS is an adult now so only wants cash) - only one under 18 left in the wider family - cash.
I love Christmas church services (I do go to church all year as well) and enjoy looking out for different Carol services.
Food is straightforward and traditional, after years of cooking a Christmas roast I don't find it difficult.
I am not embarrassed to say 'no thank you' to social invitations that don't interest me. No interest in Panto or other 'paid for' entertainment.
I love writing and receiving Christmas cards.
I am fortunate in that I can afford to have I Christmas I want so no getting into debt or going overdrawn.

I'm not sure why you're laughing - there are plenty of Christians who for whatever reason can't or won't worship in church. It doesn't make their faith any less, church worship is just one part of how you can follow the teachings. A Christian is simply someone who believes in the teachings of Christianity. That person can choose to practice their faith or not, but that doesn't alter their beliefs.
Why the need to so angrily (and incorrectly) gate-keep?

I’m genuinely struggling to think of anything less Christian than trying to stop people coming to church because they’re not Christian enough. There are whole Bible passages where Jesus explains how he’s there for everyone not just the “good” people. (Matthew 9:10 onwards, for example).

It's my favourite time of year, it's probably from nostalgia of having more family time and the feeling of a bit of magic being about when I was wee. I like that it reminds me of that feeling.

I don't find it hugely stressful, I plan well in advance to afford what I need, I enjoy present shopping and while I try to get each person something they'll love I don't tie myself in knots over it. I love cooking and hosting and dh is very good in the kitchen too so I'm not left doing it all alone. I like the social aspect and the traditions and that I can pass those on to my kids now. And I like the dark wet nights and having everything cosy and candles lit etc watching all the old movies or doing board games. I love the decorations and seeing other people's houses lovingly decorated as well. I always feel a bit sad in jan when it's over.

I'm an atheist and go to church at Christmas. I do it for lots of different reasons. My dc went to a CofE primary and I liked to go and watch the Nativity and to listen to them sing Away In A Manger by candlelight. I adore Christmas carols and sing in church with my choir at Christmas. I also go to Christingle and carol services sometimes. Partly because I love the tradition, partly because the vicar sends out invitations to the village and says everybody is welcome. He was saying last year that he loves it when people come for a mince pie and a cup of tea and enjoy the season. He positively encourages fairweather attendance. I'll let him know he's Vicaring wrong next time I see him!

Completely sums up my adoration of the season.

I love Christmas! It's my happy place! I love planning and prepping. Booking things to do and buying things I know people I love, will love. I love advent and the build up. Doing Christmas stockings and putting up the tree. Twinkly lights and being warm inside while it's chilly outside.

Being in church and thinking about the story of Jesus's birth. (And welcoming people who may only come once a year but clearly want to be in church to hear about the Nativity story! We welcome everyone with open arms and a joyful heart! Cardinal rules, love God, love one another, not just when it suits!)

November 2020 we'd just lost our baby boy in traumatic circumstances, Christmas day was the first time I'd felt able to smile in six weeks. Christmas 21 we lost our baby girl but wanting DS to enjoy Christmas quite literally kept us going. It's all for him!

I've just bought some smart plugs to be able to remotely turn on the Christmas tree lights, so I'm looking forward to using them too! 🎄

I dont, it’s too hard work and too expensive, dread it every single year.

I love Christmas but for me it is a season and not a day. I love giving gifts, choosing gifts, and getting gifts. I love the food. The repetition and tradition of the time means that little thought or decision making is done- everything is the same as the year before, so the decorations and food and events for us are all the same- seeing the nutcracker, eating baked Brie on Christmas Eve, writing and sending my cards on the 15th, choosing the tree on the 20th, etc etc. all set in stone for us. It's cosy and a comfort . Everyone gets time off and no one judges you for staying in for days on end. I love it all. I am very lucky though , as money and privilege make all of the above possible.

I don't look forward to it.

Hate it, would rather shut myself away with wine and chocolate.

Why come on the Christmas board and post on a thread about what people are looking forward too at Christmas?

Perhaps because it's a discussion board?

@HairHeGoesHairHeGoesAgain im very sorry to hear that 💕

I loved it as a child, teen and single 20s. I got time off work and school. The otganising was shared with my mother.

Since having dc and continuing to work full time, it is a burden to prepare, cleaning, presents etc when I don't have much free time. Shops are crowded, even to get basic food shopping I have to allow extra time. Traffic is a nightmare going from a to b as well as doing full time hours.

I am gradually starting to enjoy it again now that dcs are tweens. I try and save hols for the weeks leading up to Christmas so that I can put up decs, shop, clean etc.

The nicest Chriatmas as an adult was ehen I was on maternity leave as I didn't feel rushed..

I envy people who are retired, work part time and have teens. They have time to look at lights, go shopping at their ease.

Why are you calling it ‘Christmas’ then? You’re not celebrating Christmas, you’re celebrating your own winter festival, whatever that is. Very strange.

Plenty of people celebrate Christmas without being Christian or celebrating Christ's birth, @LegendsBeyond - I'm sure @ShowOfHands is by no means the only one!

It sounds horrible, but I love it because so many people mask their mental health issues and put on a happy face. It's so selfish of me, but it helps my mental health when the people around me are smiling. It doesn't last forever, but December feels lighter to me because everyone pretends they're fine. And that makes it easier for me to pretend I'm fine.

@ShowOfHands That’s beautiful. Yes, it’s magical x

Nostalgia I think, in the main. I had really happy times at Christmas and over winter as a child which I think generally helps how I view that time of year. But I also massively prefer autumn and winter and when people complain about darker nights coming I’m always really looking forward to it.
I do think family dynamics and sizes and disposable income / amount of free time play a big factor in how stressful or not people find it.
I’m lucky in that I have a small family so not a huge number of presents to buy, I don’t have any demanding relatives who expect lavish gifts and everybody gets on well.

To pp saying it's Christian and everything else is meaningless, I couldn't disagree more! There were pagan winter festivals at the same time long before Christianity came to these shores. We like to have fun together and feast, it is a nice celebration during what is otherwise a difficult time of year. It doesn't have to be materialistic

I call it Christmas when referring to it because that's the accepted shorthand in this country, this is the Christmas board for example, supermarkets and shops sell all sorts of things called "Christmas items" and they have bog all to do with Christianity. It's just how language works. 95% of my friends are atheists. 100% of them celebrate "Christmas".

I also call my vacuum a Hoover, despite it being a Shark. I use "biros" that aren't manufactured by Biro. It isn't strange at all.

It has been stressful regarding family but now I've put some boundaries in place, it's great!

And, generally, I love Christmas....particularly the build up, the food...... mainly the food 😂