Need to rant? Come on over.

[DontlikeChristmas]

I’ll start. We’ve just opened presents. I couldn’t give a fig about presents for myself, but I think if you’re going to spend money on a gift for someone you’d may as well make sure it’s something they will like/use. DH has panic bought me a horrible tie dye jumper two sizes too big. I’ve never worn tie dye in my life. My mother has inexplicably bought me a truly awful outfit clearly meant for a teenager (I’m 50) in a colour I never wear, also in the wrong size. DH has also managed to buy DC a load of stuff they already have because he couldn’t be bothered to check. I feel so deflated by this & think it’s all such a massive waste of money (we probably could have gone out for dinner with the cost of the presents no one is going to wear/use, or made a charity donation).

We now have DHs family coming for dinner, who are lovely people but seem to have ever changing dietary requirements (none of which are due to diagnosed conditions) that it’s impossible to keep up with, so I’ve got to make about 15 different gluten-free/oil free/non-acidic/anti-inflammatory and whatever else dishes (DH ‘doesn’t do cooking’).

I’m over Christmas & it’s not even 8.30. Anyone else?

Difficult place this afternoon, after managing to get up with the kids and sort a nice champagne breakfast I was hit with a huge M.E. crash and have been in bed completely incapacitated since 11am, light and sound is virtually intolerable and body is wracked with flu like symptoms. Feel beyond guilty for my young kids and parents who drove over for the day. Day is completely written off and no guarantee of when it will end. Just despise this illness and what it's done to me and my family for the past 5 years 😢😢 really hate moaning about it and try to get on with life as best as i can but it hits hard on Christmas Day 😢

Having a small Christmas cry because I don’t like my presents from DH. I know it’s silly, but it makes me feel like he doesn’t know me at all. I said what I wanted but every year DH doesn’t listen and instead panic buys random crap from shops I’ve never been to, which he has no idea whether I would like. And I found out today he spent a large amount on his own present when money is really tight (he said he would enjoy picking his present). I am sure he means well, but it makes me feel unloved and unknown. I know I have PND and I’m exhausted from being up all hours with the kids every night which doesn’t help. I’ll pull myself together. Thanks for the space to rant.

No, he'll have been wearing the same three pairs. Seriously. I have known guys who did this, or who didn't wear any at all.

I have no presents from my DH nor anyone in my family. My one gift is from my art teacher who gave me (& likely the rest of her students) a pack of very nice paint brushes.

We've been away so just did any food shopping yesterday and opened our Christmas cards this morning. DH asked if we'd sent any. Which would be going to his family.

Good thing he can cook. Did nice scrambled eggs with smoked salmon this morning and will be cooking the ham and the rest later. Down side is he got a Black Forest cake knowing that it's about my least favourite dessert in the world.

4 year old got out of bed every 15 mins from 3am because he was excited, shouted at him at 4:30am to try and get him to stay in bed. Then at 6am after being shattered, DH said you get some sleep, I’ll watch DC. Woke up to find my DH in the toilet doing his usual 45 min shit and the 4 year old had taken himself downstairs and saw all his presents. Woke me up to tell me. Thankfully he didn’t open any at the time, but he’s been an absolute handful all day today. Constantly butting in, trying to open everyone’s else presents and then constantly repeating ‘I bought that for you, I bought that for you’ despite the fact it was something from my auntie or best friend etc. He’s been ripping open boxes (the ones you are supposed to store the board games in) so we now have toys with 1000 parts and nothing to put them in. DH has been grumpy because DC is over excited and not listening to anything we say. Can’t wait for the day to be over to be honest. Absolutely dreading 4pm as we are off to my parents for round 2. I thought Christmas was supposed to be more enjoyable the older they got, how wrong I was. I very very rarely drink, but considering taking a bottle of something with me to get through until bedtime.

Agreed to have dinner at 3/3.30 DM complained that was too late, said welcome to come over earlier anyway.
Still no-one has arrived so either dinner will be ready and waiting or they'll arrive just as it's at the point when the last minute bits need juggling.
And soon to be ex partner is currently cleaning out his car having done nothing to help.
I'm buggering off next year and leaving them to do whatever.

Every Christmas my MIL calls in for an hour before going to her daughter’s house for lunch. Every year she brings a present for DS and one for DH, never for me. Today was no exception. We all sat down whilst she handed the other two their presents. DH has the usual generic box of chocs with his name only on the label.
Every year she asks me what my DM is doing, knowing full well that DM is alone. I’m a carer for DM, see her throughout the week and we are very close but DM always wishes to spend Christmas day in the comfort of her home, pleasing herself and I fully understand that. MIL always waits for me to answer that DM is home alone and looks at me like I’m a shitty daughter. MIL bingo gets me through the visit!

Book yourself a Christmas break next year. That's what I did under similar circumstances.

My sister has once again let us down. We have driven 150 miles to see family even though we’re the ones with the little kids. My sister had always said she’s coming over on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and now she has reneged. It’s the second year in a row. My husband even offered to go give her her lift. (It’s because her partner wants to drink and doesn’t therefore want to drive). She now hasn’t replied to the offer of a lift.
Meanwhile, we’re also meant to be going to sister-in-law’s tomorrow but she’s heard that one of us had a cold and now doesn’t want us to go. We’re 150 miles from home feeling like dicks.

Have a bingo card in your lap next year. Announce it as you tick it off: 'Oh look, gifts for everyone except me again. Tick!' 'Oh look judgment when she knows nothing. Tick!'

I'm on my own too and I care not a jot, but my heart breaks for all the caring, wonderful, women here who are overlooked and unappreciated, makes me very angry. There's a good film on Amazon at the moment with Michelle Pfeiffer as the under appreciated mum, who gets her own back. Well worth a watch! It's called Oh. What. Fun.

Mines a mini one.

I bought my son a toy I knew he’d love, which I hid at my parent’s house. My mum then asked if she could give it to him as she couldn’t think of a “main” present for him, so I agreed and she never bloody paid me back.

My parent’s have just popped over and they let him open it while I was out of the room. My brother had to ask them to stop and wait for me to come in!

In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal, but I really wanted to see his little face when he opened it.

Happy birthday

Another miserable year of shitty cheap gifts from DH. I don't think I'll buy him another present ever again. Follows a significant birthday of mine where he bought me two books wrapped in scraps of reused paper. Fucker.

We have my elderly mother round who has been declining cognitively fairly rapidly over the last few years, but being out of her own home seems to have made her even more confused than normal. She forgot to pull her pants and trousers down when she went to the loo, and then emerged soaked in urine. Adult DDs (bless them) have done their best to sort her out and she’s now napping wearing a pair of DD2’s pyjama bottoms. More sad, than ranty, I suppose - just another reverse milestone we’ve reached.

My sister is an arsehole. She’s so rude. At her house for Christmas and step mum asked to watch the snowman. 26 minutes long and she bitched and moaned the whole way through like we had asked to watch a 3 hour epic. Couldn’t just let her guests enjoy a little Christmas animation while dinner went down.

She’s often like this. It’s not what she wants so moans like we’ve asked for the most unreasonable thing. It was 25 minutes of
pleasant animation.

I've had a pretty awful couple of years and really wasn't feeling the love for this Christmas with it being quite a bit different to normal but this thread really does bring home that so many are fighting things they often keep to themselves.

Love to all who need it right now

You made my day with your sweet doggo❤️

DH gave me a dressing gown that doesn’t fit. DF gave me a framed picture that’s identical to one I already have. But those are minor - I did get some nice gifts too.
What’s really spoiled the day is that we gave DD a new Switch but she can’t use it because DH set up her Nintendo account when she got her first console 4 years ago, using a stupid high-security spam-proof email address that he can’t remember the password for, and apparently can’t reset it.
He does this kind of shit all the time. He’s obsessed with digital security, and makes things so secure that WE can’t use our own devices!

I did talk to her but she immediately started droning on about herself when i said something.

Luckily for me very small gripes compared to some of the shit others have had to deal with on this thread.

No family with us for the first time, so very quiet day with our only child. Almost built all the Lego cause it’s been that boring! My biggest gripe- my sister asked what my child wanted for Christmas so I sent her a screenshot of a bow and arrow they wanted. She said she’d get it and it’s been opened and it’s 2 presents my child already has. Just why bother asking if you’re not getting it? Or say if you don’t want to get it! Also got me really shit presents but not so bothered about that but as other PPs have said, it does sting a bit when you’ve given them some thoughtful presents in the past and make an effort.

That's so lovely to read, it's what Christmas is about x

It’s so frustrating, isn’t it? All my family know I don’t drink - yet I have received another flurry of bottles of Prosecco, Baileys and the like this year. I’d rather not receive anything as it’s a such a waste. Feels so thoughtless, especially when I take time to make sure I am conscious of people’s allergies, intolerances and preferences when choosing gifts for them…

Do you ever just go sod it and leave the mess up to him to clear when he wakes up and you just do your own thing
Otherwise he knows he can say he will do it but knows he doesn’t have to as you will do it

Cant imagine someone using the excuse they are too tired to do something. We are all knackered but as an adult you have to get over your tiredness and just do what needs to be done, or at least what you said you would do.

At the PiL. They are great, SiL is sucking every drop of joy there is in this season. Banned the kids from even seeing if Santa had been until 11.30, shouted at everyone for talking at the wrong time, will not stop talking about her Yorkshire puddings like they are the reason for everyone being there (they are fine, but not in any way different or special) and has kicked a football into DN's face then shouted at her for crying (accidental, but as part of the full picture!). I'd rather be at work.