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?

Starting so bloody early. No need for Xmas stuff to be in the shops before Halloween never mind before the kids go back in September

Shitty Christmas movies, music and vulgar glaring lights. Honestly, it is so tacky

@Justleaveitblankthen a longtime ago on my side my sister said let's just buy for the kids. Although we've since returned to buying token gifts, chocolates, bottles of wine type gifts. Easy stuff.
Then we did the same with DH siblings as soon as the kids came along cut the siblings out.

It takes a lot of stress out of it.

The ridiculous consumerism.

Oh and Christmas Eve boxes 🤢😂 tacky

Presents for anyone I dont live with. I enjoy the food, the carols, the office parties etc, but find the shopping stressful.

Shopping. Both for gifts and for food but ESPECIALLY the food. My god, it’s so stressful.

Just realised that I didn't answer the question OP - for me it would be that anything to do with Christmas shouldn't be seen or heard until 1st December!

Presents. So many families struggling to make ends meet, it's such a pressure to have the additional spend regardless if it's large or small amounts. And having to spend ages looking for the best deals on everything to keep costs as low as possible, it's time consuming and stressful.

Posters saying don't do it then, would you really not buy your children presents? And if so, how did your children react?

The waste.

The cleaning up before and after! And maybe the stress from trying to make sure my kids have a great time ( their Dad died when they were small so often on our own and for the last three years in a row due to covid and exams as family live abroad).

All the Christmas TV ads.

So cringey,! 🤮

Elf on the shelf.

The thousands of tons of decorations in the shops. Having said that, dd and I noticed that there do seem to be a lot more wooden, ceramic and glass ornaments about this year. So any move away from the avalanche of plastic tat is better than nothing.

'Shitty Christmas movies, music and vulgar glaring lights. Honestly, it is so tacky'

The season that taste forgot 😁

Work Christmas parties - I worked in one (multinational company) where it was 'tradition' that all new people had to have tequila poured into their mouths and if they refused they were squirted with canned cream. I refused but refused the cream too - I was wearing nice clothes and didn't want it stained. Got back to the office next Monday and there was a rumour I was pregnant and I got asked for a meeting with my manager. Horrible toxic place.

I'd also eliminate spoiling children with an excessive amount of presents that they are usually not grateful for.

All the extra ‘traditions’ the UK has imported since my 18 yr old was a child. By which I mean, the Elf on the Shelf and Christmas Eve Boxes etc. Any tasty foods from Germany etc. can stay 😂

Yep presents. I tried to suggest last year that I bought gifts for the kids only as money was tight. I was shot down in flames. Certain members of my family almost went into full tantrum mode. Think, stamping feet and saying, I want a present!
I backed down and regretted it. Spent money on presents I couldn't afford, would rather have spent it on heating.
When it came to it, the presents I received in return were re gifts (some of which I'd given to them years before). It made me very resentful of them tbh. They all earn far more than me and I was left upset and totally disallushioned by the whole thing. This year they're getting what they're given and stuff them if they think it's not good enough

Traffic jams! I love seeing family (including in-laws) over the festive period, but hate that a 90-minute journey will unexpectedly take 3.5 hours, meaning plans and meals are disrupted and everyone gets peed off.

I do know that we are part of the problem whenever we are sat in a traffic jam 😳

Elf can stay on the Shelf and Eve Boxes are a waste of space but German Gingerbread biscuits are the best.

My primary school did a bit of language teaching (unusual for the 80s) and the language teacher brought German biscuits for us to try. OMG it took me years and years before I got another one.

@sarahh96 definitely cut back on gifts. Token only or regift what they gave you.

Probably the "C", as it would be funny hearing people trying to say happy Hristmas!

Charity shops having less space for normal stock for two months because they're half filled with Christmas tat no one wants

^^This! I’d eliminate presents, apart from small token things - stocking presents for kids plus a couple of small items only from immediate family; plus no gift-giving outside immediate family. A focus on ordinary, nice Christmas experiences, like a walk to see lights and trees, church services and carols if you like, a nice meal, seeing friends, and giving thanks for the year. Understated decorations - lit trees, greenery and paper chains rather than houses covered with LEDs! I like the Icelandic book flood Christmas Eve tradition - that would be nice. And I rather like sending some Christmas cards - a little bit of connection with distant friends and family (as long as they are recyclable!)

But I’d get rid of the rampant commercialism, the plastic decorations and flashing lights, the pressure on “doing Christmas” with lavish experiences, the massive gift exchange with extended family and friends, the constant Christmas music, the November run-up in the shops, the rubbish Christmas “specials” on the TV, the pressure for Christmas dinner to be a massive expensive lavish production. Sort of Christmas in the 1930s or late 1940s would do me - pre too much American commercialism, much less pressure, bit of carol-singing and a community Panto and a little bit nicer than usual Sunday roast with family. Only updated for today!

That was going to be mine! Now you've dealt with that I can have another one 😁:

All the obligation and the stress it causes. People feeling obliged to host people who are horrible to them, or spend alternate Christmas days with parents and in-laws because it's expected and they'd get moaned and sulked at otherwise. Worrying about the presents they buy not being good enough or expensive enough because they're expected to spend a lot. Worrying about all the food they're expected to buy and how to afford it.

Christmas expectations and the resulting angst have spiralled over the years. Most people would be much happier doing things more simply.

Christmas adverts don't help. I really dislike the ads showing tables groaning with huge amounts of expensive fancy food. Especially at a time when so many people are struggling.

Secret Santa at work and posting Christmas cards. This year, I’m not doing either.