Is it normal to like Christmas less as DC get older

[Sindymindy]

I’ve always enjoyed Christmas and since my DC were born I got so much joy out of all the planning, hosting, socialising etc

I spent so much time and thought arranging everything and I find that now they are teenagers that joy is somewhat gone.

I just can’t summon the same excitement and I find that quite sad. Anyone have this experience and any suggestions on how to get the joy back. I’ve one DC who is very into Christmas and will go along with any planned event and another who won’t be seen dead with me. DH will go along with it too

Christmas becomes a very different thing as children grow up. Mine are all adult now and have passed through the teenage 'can't be arsed' stage. We're into partners but not yet children, so they still all come to me for Christmas day, sometimes with partners sometimes alone (although I have dropped heavy hints that they don't have to and I will happily celebrate with them another time/come to them, they still come). For them now Christmas is all about being together (or as many as we can gather, given work, travel etc) and there are five of them, having nice food, buying ME nice presents (I don't have a partner, so if it wasn't for them I'd get nothing) and hopefully getting a few nice consumables from me and each other.

So hang in there, OP. As long as you don't try to hang on artificially to 'the magic' but let it transform into a new form, you will start to enjoy Christmas again. And there's always the possibility that the kids will grow up and host... (which I also recommend, no cooking, no washing up, bliss...)

I loved Christmas before having DD. It has always been my favourite time of year. Children to make it more exciting, but I will still love it even when she is all grown up.

I am not excited at all about Christmas this year

Kids are 10 and 7

I'll do the usual Christmas events etc, but I dunno, I just feel a bit jaded with it all really

I can’t answer personally because I don’t have children and I love Christmas (like Elf but slightly more 😂) but my parents liked Christmas when we were babies, went off it when we were toddlers, loved it when we were children, hated it when we were teenagers and love it again, but even more, now we are adults.

I hope you find a way to get your joy back, the way my parents got it back when we were adult was by designing their perfect Christmas and leaving out all of the things they didn’t like and telling everyone what the plan was and that we were all welcome but didn’t have to go if we didn’t like the sound of it but they weren’t changing it, I don’t know if that would help you, or be something you can do though.

When youngest ds was 16-17 he was very meh about Christmas. So I decorated the house very nicely but didn’t put the stockings or our Lemax Christmas village up (which he loved when he was younger).
His eyebrows raised more than I’d ever seen. I put it up and he went meh again. 😂

I would love to go away but with my mother still with us, I just couldn’t do it

My DC are 25, 21 and 14 and I still love xmas and the build up with the advent calanders, pantomime and other bits and pieces. I still buy gifts for the eldest ones and probably enjoy it a lot more now as I still find it magical and cosy with twinkling lights and wrapped up on the sofa with a throw and hot choc watching a movie.

Mine are 25 and 22 and though it is different now they're adults I still enjoy Christmas .
When they were little , everything leading up to Christmas we made seamless . The presents were bought , wrapped and hidden.
I did the supermarket big shop while DH took them to the cinema ( they never questioned , they went on the bus , I was in the supermarket , got everything in the car then turned up "to meet them" and drive them home )

One of the nicest Christmases was when DS and I went to the Pantomime (DD was too young ) DH got things ready at home . DS went to bed happy and exhausted and my parents travelled down overnight . So when DS woke his Grandparents were there .

I do envy seeing parents with little DC , the innocence and wonder ( though O know it's hard work and DC don't understand waiting )

This year we (DH,DD and I) are going to the Christmas Markets , DS is staying put to cat watch/house sit .
I;m working up to the 23rd then I have Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri which is lovely . I work the week between as I don't have school holidays to plan for .

DD ( my youngest) still loves the planning and the lists , I do make sure she has some surprises , DS is a bit Bah Humbug ( he pretends he doesn't like Christmas but he'd miss it if we didn't celebrate ) I'l make sure I drag him to the supermarket so he doesn;t miss out .

I loved Christmas before I had children and I still love Christmas now my children are adults , who also love Christmas .

I used to love Christmas & made so much effort, baking, decorating etc etc.
Then the DC grew up, our DP died & now it’s ok but not the same at all.
In fact I really can’t be bothered, certainly with home baking. It’s sad

I feel like the 'magic' of it has faded alot now our children are much older but it is more relaxed, they know it's just a few gifts and then lots of yummy food and new games to play together (and all cwtched up on the sofa watching what ever is on TV) I guess it's more about the new traditions we have made and about time spent together x

Of course some of the excitement goes, they no longer believe in father Christmas, you will wake them up Christmas morning rather than the other way round.
But you can still create Christmas memories and keep up traditions.
At some point in December we
Do a Xmas light trail a
See a Pantomime or Xmas show
Go shopping in London and see the lights
Go ice skating
Go to a local castle that decorates it's rooms on a Xmas theme
Sit and watch favourite Xmas films
Get out the board games
Do a Christmas puzzle
Go on a family walk

Loved all the planning, shopping, decorating and anticipation of Christmas morning when my kids were younger, chaotic but so much fun. It's definitely gone flat now they're teenagers and the whole season just feels like hard work that rolls around all too soon again. Would happily only have Christmas on a leap year.
I've lost my own parents and can see my husbands getting older and struggling with a few health issues now too so trying to enjoy them still being well enough to join in with all the festivities when we're all together. Feels like we're at a stage where we need to make some new traditions but I'm not quite sure what yet.