Can I save Christmas.

[ProjectsGalore]

I've lost my Christmas mojo this year. I used to love it and go all out but this year.....meh. I live alone and work full-time and with one thing and another I've done nothing. No shopping, no decorations, no sorting the house. I feel tired and a bit flat. I need to do something as my young adult kids are coming here from Uni. I also want to do something so it feels a bit nice for myself. But it also feels a bit freeing that I could just do nothing. Any suggestions of how I can sort this quickly would be most welcome!!

Set aside some time to do a quick clean to get the house ready for decoration, while listening to Christmas music or a Christmas audio book.
Could you get a delivery of Christmassy food delivered?
Perhaps wait until your kids are home and do a family decoration evening, finishing with a takeaway etc with a Christmas movie .
Be easy on yourself , its ok to not do all the things, take enjoyment from the small moments.

Decide what's most important and just do that. No one will care if you buy rather than make cakes or puddings, for example.

Buy an Iceland frozen Christmas- the beef fat roasties are great. I cook from scratch the rest of the year, but at Christmas I go easy.

Look at the house and pick something you want to decorate- we aren’t doing a proper tree this year.

Get on Amazon and see what’s on their list. If you don’t fancy any of it, do a stocking. Chocolate, fancy socks, posh toiletries and a Lidl chocolate reindeer.

That’s all the essentials- the rest is gloss.

What are they doing to add to the festivities? Put one in charge of activities.

University aged - get in gluewein, tons of frozen party food, hit lidl for Christmas treats ... decorate together when they arrive (say you intended this) but gifts off amazon.

I have done zero Christmas shopping so far unless buying gluewein counts. Tree going up tomorrow

Can you take some time this weekend to put some decorations up? Twinkly lights are the best thing about Christmas IMO so start with getting some of those up with small command hooks while listening to a Christmas playlist on Spotify - here's one I like.

open.spotify.com/playlist/2ctNKr7JGe8IF690tucOde?si=YyLZ1bG8QkKTB6ITCVhHRg&pi=e-Cg8CC6b-TjCw

Can you all decorate the tree together when they're home?
Don't worry too much about presents
Ask for a " wish list" then order from Amazon or just transfer cash for them to spend in the sales
Add a few bits to your usual food order/ pick up with your supermarket shop
For dinner, you could go for a meal on Christmas Eve then do a buffet for Christmas Day or Iceland do very good frozen joints you can just throw in the oven
It really is all being together that counts
You can send them out to shop for food when they return so don't worry
There's still time to do it
I have adult sons and I know they wouldn't want me to feel overwhelmed

It’s so hard when you’re not feeling it.

Have a look on Spotify for a Christmas playlist that suits your mood, and light a candle.
Add a treat or two to your grocery basket- if you like mince pies, pop one in the microwave to warm up for the smell. Basically feed the senses a little bit.

Set aside an evening to sit down and do the first two online - make it as easy as you can. Young adults at uni might even appreciate cash instead of gifts.

I've put twinkly LED lights up in my (grubby) kitchen, draped around the top of cupboards and the chimney breast. It took about 3 minutes.

Honest to God, I feel like Nigella at Christmas! 😂

Decorations when they are home to help.
frozen Christmas treats in the freezer
buy dinner the day before or send the kids
have a hot chocolate and movie night
drag the games downstairs

Just do what you can manage. It doesn't matter if you have loads of decorations up or just a tree.
People go mad over Christmas with decorations, music, films and shopping that they burn themselves out. If you're not feeling it, so be it. Just do what will make you happy. Everyone's Christmas looks different.

A tree with just lights on looks really beautiful, if you can’t face full-on decoration but would like a tree.
Buy in prepared-but-lovely Christmas dinner stuff if you want one, buffet stuff if you don’t.
Do stockings/gift bags for adults kids; bottle of something, favourite childhood sweets etc add cash/vouchers if you normally do big presents, don’t bother if you don’t.

To try and feel more festive:

1. Put fairy lights/candles/anything twinkly either in or somewhere you can see from the sofa or wherever you tend to spend your evenings.
2. Find something Christmassy or at least wintery/cosy to watch/listen to.
3. Watch/listen with a nice drink and something to nibble.

Or have a little wander around a Christmas market, with no intention of Christmas shopping but just to soak it up with a mulled wine.

What lovely replies! Everyone has made me feel much better at having a more low key Christmas. Tomorrow I will have a Christmas playlist on and do what I can to make a start on plans. Some great ideas here!

Firstly, Merry Christmas. I hope you have a lovely time with your kids. My festive tip is that you can do the contents of a stocking in a single supermarket shop. Some treat foods, Christmas chocolate, jar of fancy jam or marmalade, toiletries, a reduced paperback, something they loved as a kid. And pick yourself up a bottle or four while you’re there. Take it easy!

Fake it until you make it. In other words just start doing something Christmassy and you may well find you get caught up in it and enjoy yourself.

I felt like this but had a JFDI talk with myself yesterday, went down this morning and was so happy to see the tree up!

Look forward to your young people staggering home, hungover, zorsted, make it cosy for them. We like to get 2 or 3 boxes of mince pies and do a Taste Test.

You have all inspired me. I've dug out the Christmas decorations and put some up. I'm washing Christmas bedding and the Christmas mugs are in the dishwasher. I've walked around a Christmas fayre this afternoon and I've ordered a Christmas present!

Well done OP. Hope your are feeling better

Glad to hear it op.

Just keep it simple, especially for university aged children.....
Put some Christmas music on
Make some spicy mulled wine or cider

Buy in party food, cheese board, mince pies etc
Buy prepared Christmas dinner or something entirely different such as Indian, Chinese or Middle Eastern meal.
For decorations do bowls of clementines (extra points for leaves) and gold chocolate coins, bowls of nuts in shells & foil wrapped chocolates eg mint selection, vase of Christmasy flowers, perhaps candles too.
All the above can be in one supermarket delivery, as can the items for Christmas stockings.

Get the kids to sort out Christmas films, carol concerts etc
Maybe have a cocktail of the day each day, serve as apéros before dinner?
Give a Christmas stocking plus money as gifts.

A little bit, goes a long way so they say 🙂

I'm on a roll now! I've blitzed the bathroom, kitchen and lounge and have been sorting out decorations. I'm going to wrap some stocking fillers up tonight that I popped out for earlier.....

sounds lovely and festive @ProjectsGalore

I want to pop over for a cuppa! 😂

I'll go all out and say do nothing. Kids old enough to be at university may find it refreshing to just spend time with you without all that Xmas paraphernalia. Order a takeaway. Have a nice walk. Watch some trash film. Two days of over spending, over eating, over stressing and over cleaning is way way over rated.

You’ve got plenty of time op. Put a few lights up, pour a drink and get yourself on Amazon!