Who's had a Christmas Eve cry?

[Dozeyduck]

I just did. Feeling overwhelmed. It's all on me. Presents haven't arrived, so much to do, wrapping, food prep, husband working all over Xmas. I just want to lie on the sofa with a baileys and relax but I can't. Sending hugs to those that need it xx

Me!

I watched Requiem for a Dream (great choice of Christmas film, ha!) and it is just SUCH a harrowing watch. 😢

Great piece of cinema though, highly recommend (not at Christmas time though!).

And me. My mum died in May this year and I’m only now realising how much of Christmas was made by my her.
I’m really sorry for both of you losing your mums too.

Me. Been at it on and off all afternoon. Kids at exh, I am on my own til boxing day. Vaguely thought about packing the decs away earlier.

Last year that youngest will believe I guess and it feels very sad 😔

Me. My mum died in 2023 and Christmas will never be the same again. Every year she made me a massive stocking full of presents from half of a pair of tights...and I'm in my 40s. I miss her so much. I miss her house, the way she decorated it for Christmas, everything.

Me. There a few people who aren't here anymore and I miss daily but just tonight with the nostalgia so high it's cut a bit deeper. So I've locked myself in the bathroom for five minutes for a cry and some MN.

Sending huge love to everyone else out there struggling for whatever reason.
This too shall pass.

Me - I’ve got norovirus, feeling terrible and worried DP/DC will get it. Xmas visitors cancelled. Second Xmas cancelled due to illness in three years!

Sending you a massive hug. I bloody hate Xmas-over hyped nonsense (my DC all grown up) but I hate the idea of anyone suffering at this time of year as it magnifies emotions so much 🩷

Holding it back so far. Family is pretty small now compared to when I was a kid. I remember huge family Christmases in year’s past but that whole generation have now died. It’s just me, DH and DS now. Whole thing feels tinged with sadness. And DS has ASD so has moments where he totally dips out of the whole thing.

I’ve had several. I lost my Dad 18 months ago and I just miss him so much.

Me.

a couple from our NCT class, the DH died last week. Our children are the same ages, 10 and 8 and I can’t even begin to imagine how she must be feeling.

just thinking of her reduced me to tears. He was 46 and now their two young children are facing their first Christmas without their Dad.

The pain she must be in.

Me, my son is with his dad and he's not bothered..first Christmas with our him and feeling helpless! Dad too busy texting girls....the world had gone crazy!!!! Never again!

Second one with out my dad. Sending you strength. Its the worst feeling. X

I did. Went to visit a friend who has lost her husband. Had a wee cry outside as its not about me

Not cried. Wasn't far off. We've had a tough year with redundancy and I didn't think we would get through it or the depression it brought me.

Also did realise why my mum never quite was into Christmas Eve 🤣 3 littles age 5 4 and 2 and bloody hell they've removed all illusions of a cute Christmas Eve 🤣

Never mind sorry.

She sounds fabulous. The tights made me well up. Bless her x

Me. My darling dad passed on Monday

So sorry x

Not a cry as such. (Lots of love and blessings to those who have had a cry!)

But I have felt melancholy this past few days - including today. I hate feeling like this. Like just a bit down... Mulling over things, and overthinking things, and stressing over things that are not a big deal. I've felt so excited for Christmas since the end of November and have lots of twinkly lights all over the garden and the house, and everything is so pretty and Christmassy! And we have our adult DC coming tomorrow and their DPs, and we haven't seen them for 3 weeks, so it's going to be lovely seeing them and exchanging gifts. (They live 18-20 miles away...)

But between 20th and 24th December, I often feel a bit blue when thinking about Christmases past, when my DC were little, and excited about Christmas, and we used to go to pre Christmas events, and Santa's grotto, and all sorts of things aimed at children. And I think about Christmases even further back too - when I was a child, and feel a tinge of sadness that my parents are not here (they both died in the early noughties...) DH's parents died in the late 1990s.

Much of the big extended family I grew up with has died, or moved abroad, or just drifted away, and there are no more big family Christmases, with aunts and cousins and grandparents living within 20 minutes walk. (Like in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s...)

But I have DH, and the DC and their partners, (and a couple of cousins and aunts who live 50-60 miles away who we see 4 times a year,) and a couple of good friends, (who I had a meal with last week,) and really nice neighbours, and I am in reasonable health, and live in a nice area, and should be thankful for what I have... It's quite a tough time of year the older you get.... And I do have serious feelings of nostalgia this time of year.

Yes, watching The Snowman. Every year. It's brutal.

Me. I've got a UTI, am on 2nd day of antibiotics and feel horrid. My Dad was in a hospice for his last Christmas 2 years ago and I'm still really struggling without him. Christmas just feels so tainted now and I'm tired of feeling sad. And DH has eaten 2 boxes of chocolates already meaning we've got nothing for afternoon nibbles with tea/coffee, but apparently he doesn't eat sugar. Pull the other one, mate, it plays Jingle Bells. FFS. I'm trying to convince myself that no jury would convict me under the circumstances.

Me too, and had a lovely back and forward message with my best friend earlier which really got to me, such a beautiful friendship that has only got better with age and as we’ve held each other up through many struggles. DH and I are breaking up, and this’ll be our last Christmas as a family, and although I’m over the marriage I feel for him enormously and that’s upset me too. Still grieving the loss of both parents in 2022, and honestly Christmas will never be the same without my DM. Emotional time of year all round really.

So sorry to hear that

No crying today but I had a good cry last night. It’s my first Christmas since separating from my husband and it’s always been a Christmas tradition for me and my children to come to my parents on Christmas Eve for a buffet and presents etc. My oldest refused to go this year, even for a short time and has spent the day with his other grandmother. I miss him terribly today and won’t see him til tomorrow morning, it feels very wrong and his sibling is wondering where he is too.