Christmas unpopular opinions.

[Kickinthenostalgia]

Can we try to keep this lighthearted as I know some people can pretty savage on this site.
I was on the bus earlier today and I overheard a conversation between 2 ladies about thier Christmas shopping they needed to get. One said she needed to get wrapping paper and another said she doesn’t wrap presents but uses gift bags instead, how it’s saves so much time etc. Now don’t get me wrong obviously everyone’s situation is different but for me gift bags are so anti climactic. For me opening presents isn’t even really about the actual present it’s the anticipation of what’s underneath the paper as your opening it. I couldn’t imagine giving my kids or anyone for that matter, an unwrapped gift. To watch kids faces opening thier present on birthdays or Christmas makes me feel excited for them, even if I know what’s under it.

People not letting thier kids help decorate the tree, this leaves a bitter taste, trust me, as someone whose dad would change the tree around after we went to bed and thought we never noticed. It’s actually a bit soul destroying.

I often see on social media people absolutely ripping into people about how much they do and don’t spend. Christmas isn’t a competition. You do what suits your family. You don’t have to break the bank but equally people should be free to spend whatever they want on thier friends and family. I’m not sorry my kids get more than thier friends. I work hard for my money. I’ll spend it how I want, on who I want.

I love gift bags as it shows the person understands me - gift bags can be reused many times

with a little tissue paper it can still be thrilling to open

Here’s a really unpopular Christmas opinion: Christmas is actually really nice.

Christmas songs on the radio. Just restrict it to 1 hour a day from December so I don't have to continuely listen to awful songs and be reminded it's Christmas.

I hate that some people eat and eat and eat so much over 2 or 3 weeks and then complain how much weight they’ve gained.

Eat what you want and how much you want but for goodness sake stop moaning about the weight gain you chose to happen.

I use a mix of wrapping paper & gift bags. I also use Christmas themed gift boxs and stacking boxs. I don’t see it as any different opening a gift bag to ripping open wrapping paper. Gift bags are perfect for carrying gifts places too.

We have multiple trees, mine is mine! It’s the main one, DDs all have a small one each for their rooms they get to decorate rooms and trees as they wish and we have a tree in the dining room they use to beg to help with so I left it to them to take charge, but they never bothered so I do it as I please, changing themes each year.

No anti climax for us Christmas Day as the only expectation is I want my DCs to be happy on the day which isn’t one big military operation, everyone has a relaxing day going at our own pace.

People need to stop giving a shit about pleasing others and doing things they don’t want to do. Equally people need to stop expecting others to do what you want.

Most Christmas food is overrated, we don’t buy it in our house, mince pice, Christmas pudding & cake ( im the only one who will eat the cake), most Christmas themed foods that are from supermarkets taste noting like their description. We eat food we enjoy all year round. At most I will buy Christmas shaped pretzels or a tin of nice biscuits from M&S.

Disagree with Christmas stock coming out early, some of us need to spread the cost and like to buy bit by bit. I also avoid all shops in December until I buy our fresh Christmas food on 22Dec which dose us the week.

This

I don’t do stockings…

Chicken on a Christmas dinner is much nicer than turkey.

I prefer the week before Christmas to the week after.

Agree with pp that Christmas pudding and cake are horrible. See also mince pies.

The rise of product advent calendars (beauty/alcohol etc) that are mega expensive is insane to me and makes me kind of miss the little picture advent calendars.

Being able to spoil your kids rotten and buy them loads of gifts is actually really fun and lovely. Watching them open all their stuff on Christmas morning is one of my favourite times of year. It doesn’t turn them into brats and I don’t care that I have to spread the cost over 2-3 pay days so start buying the odd item from early October.

The commercialisation and the posts here from people looking for ways to bulk up Christmas stockings. Depressing

I do quite enjoy Christmas Day itself with my family. It will be difficult this year though as my DH died back in March so this will be the first one that my (now adult) DDs and I have spent without him.

I'm not keen on the run-up and the shops starting to sell Christmas stuff sometimes even from the end of August. Shouldn't be allowed before 1st December in my opinion.

Agree. Decorations should go up on the 12th and come done the 6th for epiphany (when the wise men arrive!).

The time between Christmas and New Year should be for Christmas activities- children doing gingerbread men, christmas pyjamas, Christmas films, winter wonderland.

Now it's all so commercialised. We've been brainwashed into thinking Christmas is only important in the lead up when people are spending money on presents. Then over on Christmas and you're made to feel silly for doing anything after the 26th.

I can't afford to buy everything in December in one go. I'm grateful I can trickle the spending from when things first start coming into the shops. Especially things like cheese biscuits, chocolates, chutney, pickles etc.

Sorry for your loss, I hope that you and your daughters can find a way to still have an enjoyable day.

I use the bags, so much easier, and for some people, they struggle with wrapping for whatever reason. If someone gives me a gift, I don’t care what its in.

Kids not allowed to decorate tree and all colour co-ordinated to match the living room decor - don’t get it. Imagine the scene 30yrs on when they are adults decorating the tree with their own kids and they turn around and say granny wouldn’t let mummy / daddy allowed to decorate the tree as it had to be instagram perfect. That’s pretty sad. One of highlights of my year as a kid when they tree came out (never earlier than 12 days before).

It doesn’t affect me in any way really but people who have had their decorations up since November tearing it all down on Boxing Day because they’re sick of it- yeah, no wonder.

I also hate artificial trees but then that’s just me being a snob. I know people say they’re easier than real ones but I’ve helped other people put them up and they’re really not. I guess it you’re going to have a tree up for over a month, a real one probably wouldn’t last.

The mention of Christmas should not happen until December 1st, no music, no shopping, no food items for sale, no Christmas adverts.... nothing.
As it is now by the time mid December has arrived I'm so fed up with it. We seem to put so much pressure on everyone (mainly women) for this perfect day...it's ridiculous.
I moved overseas 7 years ago and Christmas is not mentioned until a few days before the event. It's lovely...don't get me wrong I love Christmas, we have everyone over from the UK and will have a lovely day but please stop mentioning it in October/November 😫

I like the festive season but hate being given presents. DH and I are adults with full time jobs and no children, I’m pretty fussy so a wrapped gift just makes me feel a bit stressed- wtf is it going to be?! I also feel incredibly uncomfortable when people spend their hard earned cash on me.

I like buying gifts for nieces and nephews, I wish gifts were restricted to children.

Do your own thing and stop moaning about expectations

people main so much about Xmas, give it a rest and do it your own way

I love christmas, I try to do the whole shebang. Christmas eve is the best fun day, excited etc the anticipation. Christmas day I try to make fun but everyone is so tired. We are up at stupid o'clock. Boxing day is super chill. I agree TV is just so crap these days. Its had its day, kids dont even watch TV and we are starting to switch off as well.

Adults giving presents to other adults. Absolutely pointless.

The best thing about Christmas is the week starting on Boxing Day. It is one of the best sporting weeks of the year. Plenty of decent events to attend. Conversely the week before Christmas is one of the worst as there’s very little sport on offer.

I have noticed the return of picture boxes on advent calendars - no present or chocolate, just a little box to open with a picture.

at one time these were really hard to find, now they seem to be making a return

My sloghtly unpopular opinion is just that I love everything about Christmas, for me it us a magical time and always has been, regardless of how much money we've had over the years.

I love giving dd a bursting stocking and then her main gift under the tree, both from Father Christmas. I love cooking a large turkey and roasting the potatoes and parsnips etc and don't find preparing it all that big a job, whether we've lots of us or just a small group that year.

If pushed, my main irritation is that alcohol, like Baileys, seems to get added to lots of chocopate type desserts and I feel it ruins them.

All the crap for christmas in shops in October.
Ruins the appeal.

Same here! Gift bags every time with tissue in the top…then they get re-used! My sister and I open the bags, take our gifts and give the bag back to be used for someone else!