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.

I hate it, I dread it and put off thinking about it for as long as possible. Then grudgingly do something because you’re meant to.

No need for the non believers to turn up to church though is there?

@Worriednanof1 Good grief, what an awful and completely uncharitable and unChristian attitude. What a shame for you to feel like that.

Ten days off work but by only taking 3 days annual leave and the rest of my company is also obliged to take leave so the whole global org pauses which means it's the only time there isn't a huge catch up on arrival back from annual leave.

I'm a glutton by nature so it's the only time of year I let my strictness with food intake relax.

My kids although late teens get unfeasibly excited by the annual traditions such as choosing an Xmas tree and getting the decs down - they now take full responsibility for blinging the house up and buying a turkey etc.

I'm staunchly atheist but love a good carol sing-song in the local church plus the community spirit of the towns lights being switched on.

And there's the meet ups with far flung friends as they travel back to see their family.

I do find it stressful, but it's mainly my perfectionist streak that causes that.

I now get sorted early so that the whole thing is much less stressful.

The lights. I LOVE the lights. Also some cracking choral music.

I love seeing all the lights and decorations, they just make me feel nice.

I don't find it stressful, never have. I enjoy all the shopping and running around. I don't overspend and we don't over eat either.

I enjoy the sense of anticipation, and the chilled out joy of xmas morning. We never do anything crazy, it just feels like the world stops for a minute and the only world is within my house. Nothing else matters in those 24 hours.

Last year was hard, as it was the first year without my sister but even that day was still joyful remembering all the Christmases I spent with her before.

Absolutely bloody hate it.
Sooooo much work - pretty much all for the benefit of other people.
Sounds selfish, but I've been doing it sooooo long.

Year 12 of hosting both sets of parents and I find Christmas incredibly tiring/exhausting and tedious. I put the tree up on Christmas Eve and take it down as early as possible. I hate buying and wrapping presents for everyone, and having to buy all the food. I work full time and have a second weekend job .... it's all such hard work on me. The parents stay for at least 3 days so it is beds, sheets, endless food shopping and cooking.

On a happier note .... I do love it when they leave and it is only once a year!

I like all the seasons and appreciate the dark, cold time of year. I have a warm coat, a decent umbrella and waterproof boots and I do a lot of walking in winter. The lights and decorations fill the gap filled by sunshine and flowers in other seasons.

We don't decorate much beyond the tree, but my tree is a thing of beauty. I'm an expert charity-shop rummager and have collected all manner of traditional, Victorian-style baubles in red, gold and green. I like hunting out a couple more each year. Other than that, we just have holly, ivy, mistletoe and a string of cards. Not a lot of effort to put up and the cost each year is small. I love seeing the house dressed up.

I'm a hobby artist and a crafter, so I sit down in early December and draw my cards for my nearest friends. I also enjoy making a few little gifts for friends and something a bit more elaborate for my partner - but crucially no one expects me to do this and there's been years I didn't get around to it and that's fine.

I like all the events: festive get togethers, carols-by-candlelight, the solstice, my mother's incredible Christmas Eve party, Christmas dinner with immediate family, Boxing Day walk. Neither me or DP have to go back to work until after the new year, so after Christmas we hunker down for a week of reading, crafting, gaming and general hibernation, with a few walks thrown in.

It probably helps that my family are all adults and we're all easy going people who get on. Nothing has to be perfect and no one has to spend a lot of money.

We’ve been doing things the same way for years. give or take a new person visiting, I look forward to the traditions. I have 2 dc who I love making it magical for… it won’t be long before they don’t believe so I’m holding on to that. The music, the food… yes I know you can play music when you want, eat what you want but it’s the way the year plays out and I’m okay with that. One year it might not be the same and I’m cherishing the traditions we have like I remember when I 2as a kid and my mum when she was a kid.

I like the presents and the decorations but now I'm a single mum, it's very hard work. I hate cooking and we all like different food so it's a PITA.
Plus my kids are to-ing and fro-ing. They are still sad we aren't together I think and occasions stir that up.

I wasn’t expecting so many replies but there are some lovely posts here and it’s given me lots to think about.

If I’m honest with myself, my dislike of it is centred around a particularly difficult family member but I do like a lot of the other things people have mentioned. I wish I could put some boundaries in place and focus on the good bits but I’m not really sure how to.

Sorry that a few other people find it difficult too x