If you could eliminate one thing about Christmas what would it be?

[Nonplusultra]

I think if I could change one thing I’d eliminate the presents - just have a lovely season of coming together for meals and companionship, without the stress and expense of buying gifts for a certain day.

I quite like giving gifts - I’d just rather do it as and when, instead of trying to find something thoughtful by a certain date within a strict price range.

What one aspect of Christmas would you change?

The dinner. I can’t stand having to cook it and yet I do because my parents & grandparent want it!

The commercial aspect to it. Which I don’t buy into anymore (see what I did there..) Do the family stuff if that’s what you want (and don’t if you don’t want). Have a nice relaxing day or two with loved ones you actually want to be with. Take the pressure off, and enjoy.

I don't want to get rid of presents, but I'd get rid of buying and choosing them. Father Christmas brings the presents on Christmas Eve in my fantasy.

I'd also make sure no one was alone.

I think the complaints here about ending too early (as well as starting too soon) are really spot on. January is the most depressing, bleak and freezing cold time of year in the northern hemisphere. We should have fun stuff like gatherings and festive lights from late Dec through January to help us all get through a difficult time of year.

Presents are an utter bore, and I’m so glad my family and I are mostly present-free these days.

Christmas is my favourite time of year. I absolutely love giving gifts so I’m not getting rid of those. I love the music and the food and wrapping presents and Christmas films.

I’d get rid of the stress. Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy the whole time without stressing about money, travel, cooking, high expectations…

Something else I’d get rid of is alcohol. My family don’t drink a lot so only get to the merry stage at Christmas but DH’s family drink to excess which is significantly less than fun for me as a tee-totaller. Also, I see the damage of excessive drinking on abusive relationships through my job. Christmas is one of the worst times for this.

The commercialisation of it all.

The raging commercialisation of it all.

It creates unnecessary expense, work, and environmental damage. It's the root cause of so much unhappiness too - we're all being conditioned by retailers to want the "perfect" Christmas that can only be achieved if we buy all the stuff they're selling.

One thing?

The "Fuss" of it all.
From the cheap tat being in shops in November, to the big expectations of Instagram perfect Christmases that seem purely based on American TV show Christmas Specials.

I think the 'heart' of Christmas has been lost under several tons of sparkly plastic crap.
Bring back family and friends gathering to exchange small, personal, loved gifts. A nice dinner together and celebrating the end of a year or the birth of Christ or whatever good has happened over the 12 months.

Father Christmas, Christmas Dinner and hosting our our parents, siblings and nibbling x 2 every year!

...and new year's eve.

Great thread idea OP. It's hard to choose just one thing, but I would ditch the hype. All the 'perfect Christmas' and 'most wonderful time of the year' crap. It's the most overhyped thing ever. No mention of it before December, and tone down all of the adverts, shop displays etc by about 50%, so it becomes a celebration, and not an outbreak of mass hysteria

Elf on the fucking shelf!

Those of you mentioning presents.... This is the year to.... Not. Buy. Anything. Try it. I'm pretty sure the world will continue to rotate.

The adverts! I can see why, from a commercial perspective, they start so early but I am tired of them already and there are another six weeks to go.

Obligation, that's what I'd get rid of, obligation to to do things you don't want to, see people you don't want see, spend money you don't want to spend and anything else you do because you feel obligated to do it.

The pressure compared to the past - so much to remember. Gift giving that isn’t necessary though would be my main one - teachers, work secret Santa etc

Three actually:

The commercialism.

The naff music.

The rearing and slaughter of millions of creatures just so people can sit round a table and eat them. They would be appalled if their "fur babies" were treated the same way.

'Those of you mentioning presents.... This is the year to.... Not. Buy. Anything. Try it.'

I started this a couple of years ago. Told the adults in my family that we would only be buying for 6 year old nephew, so please don't get us anything. Some were fine, some were pissed off, but I was massively relieved and the world did continue turning. I couldn't stand the waste, none of it was really appreciated and my mother is impossible to please

Nothing. Love it all.

Trying to come up with ideas for presents.
The kids seem to need a dozen ideas at least, parents, Santa, grandparents, Aunties & Uncles & a couple of stocking fillers.

The main gifts I don't mind, and the stocking fillers. But I hate trying to come up with ideas for others and manage expectations of kids. No you can't ask granny to buy stuff at silly money.

The expectation falls on me every year to cook Christmas dinner. Parents on both sides too elderly. My sisters house is too small and she prefers to just stay at home with her antisocial husband and my selfish sister in law fucks off to her mums down south every year so the responsibility falls on me every year and I have three young kids. I hate it. I see my friends enjoying Christmas dinner at their parents or sharing the responsibility and feel resentful. I am not much of a one for roasts either.

Present buying - my kids both have great jobs and buy everything they want themselves, I’m tired of racking my brain for good ideas, especially when one doesn’t like clutter and has a one in one out policy on stuff - plus both kids are very very thoughtful present buyers themselves 🎁

Stop people spending more than they can afford, on things that nobody could possibly want. For people that they don’t even like.

The office Christmas party. During covid we all got vouchers instead. I wish they had carried this on.

There is nothing now I would get rid of. We got rid of (or never had) things we didn't want.

• DH and I don't buy each other presents
• We have the food we enjoy
• We don't travel for Christmas
• We don't expect grown up DCs to travel to us unless they would like to but they are invited
• We don't spend a fortune on presents
• DH starts the shopping early to spread the cost

We have streamlined Christmas. DH and DS both work in retail so we try to make it relaxing time off.