Anyone else feeling weirdly overwhelmed by Christmas this year? 🎄

[Moodup]

I don’t know if it’s the dark afternoons, the constant coughs going round, or just everything, but I’m finding Christmas prep oddly stressful this time.
Presents still half-bought, food plan not written, house absolutely not “festive clean”… and yet I feel like I should be enjoying it more. Everyone else seems organised, cosy, and full of goodwill, while I’m oscillating between “it’ll be lovely once we get there” and “why did I agree to any of this?”
Please tell me it’s not just me.
Are you:

• Calm and smug with everything wrapped?
• Secretly panicking but pretending you’re fine?
• Or actively considering serving beige freezer food and calling it “relaxed Christmas”?

Would love to hear how others are feeling — and any low-effort tips for actually enjoying the day rather than just surviving it.

I’m stuck in this awful overthinking loop where I get overwhelmed by all I have to do and waste energy thinking instead of doing. Horrible procrastination snowball effect. And insanely I keep taking on more in some weird subconscious effort to kick my ass into gear.

I’m now hosting two extra parties, buying and wrapping gifts for four lazy sods as well as my own ones, and I have a fridge full of ingredients that may yet rot while I buy rounds of pizzas I cannot afford.

I’m so sorry for your loss. Losing your mum is heartbreaking. You’re not alone here we’re your family 👪

This is my first year as a working mum (LO adopted so not a baby) and I am decidedly overwhelmed with the amount to do and it’s coinciding with some tough family stuff too.

I have some decs up but no tree yet.
Gifts are all bought
Everyone else’s presents - 75% wrapped
Nothing has been wrapped for LO or DH.
I have a pile of cards that need to be posted or delivered
There is no festive food in the house. We’re hosting Boxing Day and the day after
Thanks to building works we currently don’t have a table.

I am usually organised - everything done by end of Nov so only things in December are decs and fun stuff. This year I am stressed trying to keep up (and yes DH 100% does his share).
It’s hard but I’m hoping when school and work finish on Friday I’ll be able to finally get some sleep and then start to enjoy it 🤞🏼

Did you use ChatGPT to write your post? No judgement but it reads a bit AI.

And yes, I do feel overwhelmed. I am running out of time and money to do everything the way I wish it could be done. Trying to manage my own expectations downwards!

I'm kind of in between as I do love Christmas.
tree went up first weekend in December and I finally finished present shopping last weekend.

I need to wrap/clean/food plan/shop but until I finish work on Friday, I can't do anything. I have a cold and work has been insanely busy this term (I lead a department in a secondary school) so I don't have the energy before then.

I just think it will be what it is - we will still have a nice Christmas even if some things aren't perfect 🎄

This week it feels overwhelming I am assuming once H and teens down tools Friday afternoon and there are others to bounce lists off and “help” as in “send me out with a list” it will, as always, be fine.

I think an awful lot of people are feeling the same this year. I could hardly be bothered to put up the decorations, although they do look nice now they are up. I think a lot of people are taking a step back and not spending so much on stuff they really don't want or need. Roll on spring, I say!

For various reasons I have just not been “feeling” Christmas this year and to top it all I
Had some very worrying news yesterday and found myself awake most of the night last night and in tears
Then I read something this morning that made me feel better it very simply said

“This exact Christmas only comes once”

and it’s true - you can of course interpret it in different ways
I chose to take it to mean that even if it’s bad it will only be this way for now so have Christmas however you want/can manage this time- for some reason I found this comforting

I’m feeling very overwhelmed. One of my children won’t be here for the first time ever and I’m very sad. Looking forward to seeing them all but they are hard work and I’m not feeling up to it in any way. Tree will go up just before they arrive .

I’m super excited. Presents have been bought and wrapped a couple of weeks ago. I don’t do cards.

Tesco click and collect for 23rd and 29th.

Just got a couple of nights out with friends before 22 when I will collect adult DC and Christmas starts in earnest. I can’t wait!!

This Christmas can sod off quite frankly. We’ve not even put any decorations up but that’s more due to the fact that we have two young cats who’ll pull down any as soon as we put them up. I’ve got two ND children, I have adhd myself and DS1 since starting secondary school in September has developed EBSA and it’s been hell on earth for the last two months. Added to that my 70yo dad has been in hospital 250
miles away for two months with Parkinson’s and has just been diagnosed with dementia. He’s being discharged tomorrow and we’re going to visit on Boxing Day. I just can’t be arsed with all the stress of Christmas. I’m so bloody tired.

I get what you mean op. I have little kids so going through the motions for them but I don't feel nearly as excited about Christmas as I usually do. Doesnt help that I have so much left to do tho , I feel like it's really crept up on me this year. Me and DH were meant to be going out tommorrow to buy the rest of the presents, get it wrapped and do last min bits before the kids break up from school but littlest dd has been coughing and running a fever this eve so the poor chicken won't be in school tomorrow now. I'm sure itl get done but arghh. Stressed.

I read something the other day which made me stop and think. It is the darkest part of the year, often barely getting properly light. We, as animals, should be slowed down, weathering the season quietly until lighter and warmer days return. Instead, we impose this massive stress on ourselves so it not surprising how many people struggle.

I have found that the less Christmas I do, the more energetic and cheerful I feel. Getting together with family, seeing friends and having lots of long walks is enough for me.

Calm and smug but not without effort. I use an app to keep track of presents. I started November and ordered all online items and bought whatever other gifts. As they came in I wrapped them and popped in the cupboard. Decorations went up (we just have a tree and a few things around the house). DH took care of the outdoor decorations one morning. We are not hosting which probably reduces the load, but we have a small gathering and I’ve ordered online order and will pick it up the day before.

I was able to pop into my hairdresser too.

DC visited Santa already.

So we are finally able to kick back for a few days.

The think the app and keeping a list of ‘to do’ things was the key for my preparation this year.

I was thinking this exact thought this morning, what is it all about now? For me this year it is a chore, the expectation of gifts, and the cost had overwhelmed me a lot. We've moved house 6 weeks ago and have decided we cant be arsed with a tree. Someone up thread mentioned her DH works away, mine too and I dont have kids or family with kids so there's no sparkle and joy
My wee MIL died 29th Dec 2023 and she was always so excited for Christmas. Maybe next year we will feel festive. One of our new neighbours is the same, shes had a couple of people knock on and ask is she okay because they always look forward to her tree going up. She's not bothering this year as her DH has been very ill and in care now. The weather isnt helping at all! Bloody rain 🌧 😑

I’m overwhelmed, even though I’ve pared Christmas right back, and I’m organised with what I do need to do. The tree is up, the wreath is on the door, the cards are sent. I’ve stopped doing presents for most people now, and they’re all bought and wrapped.
It’s because I’m tired, having some health problems, and I get very drained in the winter. If my family didn’t want to do Christmas I’d happily go on holiday just to get away from it all.

I feel the same. I live Christmas usually but feeling the pressure more this year. Feel stressed and overwhelmed, it all feels like just extra effort I can't deal with. I'm also secretly looking forward to it being over so I can relax the week after as I'm off work.
If it wasn't for the kids I'd happily ignore it this year

I love Christmas and the run up. This year I felt it was all too early so didn’t do anything and now it feels too late!

There are so many threads about feeling meh about Christmas or not Christmassy or overwhelmed. I wonder if people are feeling pressure to feel a certain way and more importantly to spend, spend, spend and rush around doing experiences.

I felt most Christmassy in DCs carol service. I'm trying to remember it's winter and it's normal to have less energy. I had a small burst of "oh we haven't done x y and z" and then remembered that no one, especially my children, actually cares about that stuff.