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 think since having DD I never realised how scary visiting Santa can be. Suddenly to be forced to sit on a man’s lap with a big bushy beard covering his face and a red suit and a booming voice. My DD has never enjoyed it so I won’t force it again. I’ve heard there is an option of visiting Mrs Claus - I will keep eyes out for that.

It's my least favourite time of the year. Can't wait for it to be over.

This new phenomenon of your tree down on Boxing Day! It’s so performative! All come from social media and people trying to prove who can be the most anal about their house and how their tree is “giving them the ick”.

I love Turkey, if it's dry you are cooking it wrong.
I hate mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding. Give me a good chocolate Yule log anyday though.
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I've just thought of another one (although this opinion is probably only unpopular on mumsnet)... i like work Christmas parties/meals. I don't care that I have to pay for myself (public sector), it's good for team bonding.

The pogues.

elf on a shelf but not because I find it ott/too much hassle well I do but because I genuinely think it’s creepy and weird. Santa is one thing but an elf that lives in your house and watches you, moving every day? No thanks.

I love Christmas I really do but I do not love or participate in: Work secret santa, total waste of money and most of my colleagues dread it. Buying grown adults (some I bearly know) a gift Budget is £10 but my team end up spending £10-£50 so budget is pointless. And I know its about giving not receiving but 90% is crap that I end up donating or biinning. I don't want a 16 piece jigsaw of myself, a dog treats cookbook ( I don't have a dog ) or sex toys/penis pasta (all past gifts I've received).I opted out a couple of years ago, no stress and started donating to food bank instead.
Next up is Christmas markets, the big popular ones. Always so over crowded, over priced and often full of tat. It's just my opinion but i feel they don't live up to the hype. And the road safety barriers/block things don't fill me with confidence either. That being said smaller town Christmas markets/farmers markets still have a bit of magic.
The rest I love (including turkey)

I like Elf on the Shelf, didn’t think I would as it was another thing to add to the list but their eyes light up so much when we did it, it made it all worth it.

❤️

Thanks, I may actually buy one.

I loved it the first couple of years! But when we got to 10 years (4 years age difference between DCs) I had enough and the elf went to live with another family in the back of my wardrobe because I can’t actually throw him out!

I don’t like Christmas crackers! My brother makes individual ones with little presents which are very thoughtful… but I’d rather he just wrapped them. Yes, I’m an ungrateful wretch!

I hate tinsel, grr, awful stuff. It‘s banned in our house apart from DD‘s room for a while, she loved it for some years but also now is not keen anymore.

I work in the City of London and for years coming back on the 27th to the office was the ultimate anti-climax. All the shops had their decorations down, sale signs everywhere.
Now I wfh until beginning of January and can just ignore any mentioning of sales in TV adverts and still eat mince pies, look at my tree and enjoy Christmas while wrangling the work.
Thanks to work we also hardly ever see family who lives all in a different country, over Christmas so it‘s the three of us, peace, quite and no food just because it‘s tradition.

I am lucky that DD was already too old when the stupid elf thing started.

Like you I love and embrace Christmas.

I love baking Christmas cake and gingerbread with the kids, seeing all the lights & decorations, creating our own crazy advent calendars & opening them together, going to all the small christmas shows (particularly always finding somewhere to see A Christmas Carol), watching all the kids favourite movies and hoping for a good new one, finding a wreath making workshop to attend, singing carols, dancing in the living room to Christmas songs & building some Christmas Lego.

Generally in the run up to Christmas we will do lots of activities together. Christmas Day we sometimes host, sometimes go to family & occasionally book into a restaurant.

Our usual day involves making hot chocolate and having that while we open stocking gifts and chat with music on. Then we have our breakfast and do tree gifts into the early afternoon. Late lunch around 3ish then board games of some kind & end with a movie.

Boxing Day to new year we either just chill and do a mix of national trust days, seaside walks and stay at home days with a bit of crafting/board games, reading new books, playing with new toys etc or we book a short trip down to London and go see some shows.

Typically we take decorations down at new year as it’s easier to sort that all out before we go back to work & by then our tree is 4-5 weeks old and starting to droop a bit.

I was trying really hard to think what I dislike. I guess people can feel like they have to do everything and there are so many options it becomes very overwhelming. There are plenty of options I wouldn’t choose (as an example I’ve refused to get an elf on the shelf) but it’s not something I dislike as I enjoy seeing friends sharing their pictures of daft stuff they’ve done. I’m just not joining in as remembering to do it every day and coming up with ideas would be stressful for me rather than fun.

Nowt wrong with gift bags , buy once, reuse for years

I like our Christmas mainly because we gave up on buying all the expected foods and treats years ago, because they would just sit and then either binned or taken in to work. Now I just spend on the turkey and ham - which we love - and good stilton and good prawns. We spend the week eating left overs , no real cooking at all . Festive sandwiches and soup or bubble and squeak is about as intense as it gets

Christmas morning is in the kitchen with junior choice on the radio, then away to the pub to meet friends and home to a late dinner , a dog walk to walk it off, then usually asleep on the sofa by 10

We dont really do gifts either. Not that we are misers or humbugs, but as adults later in years, there's nothing that we want that we cant buy when we want it . So a small token gift . We buy for the grandchildren , usually clothes and snow the older ones are working so they too only get a token gift

We enjoy OUR Christmas

Don't try to wrap big presents like bikes - cover the recipients' eyes instead.

(As children, we loved it if we were blindfolded before receiving a big present - it meant something really big and exciting!)

I do gift bags, it is easier and there are no little ones in my family anymore, I also have a disability. I think they are great.

I just think it’s sad everyone thinks they need to have a perfect Christmas, there is no such thing. People get themselves in a flap about the dinner, DH always says it’s just a Sunday roast with a few extras, he cooks a roast most weeks for the family.

don’t get into debt either not worth it.

I just love spending time with my DH & adult sons, doesn’t matter what we do, I will really enjoy their company.

The rise of advent calendars that cost hundreds of pounds, no one needs those.

My family use gift bags and have done for quite a few years now. We re-use ones given to us.

Yes wrapped presents can look nice but that is just so wasteful unless, of course, you are re-using the paper and I very much doubt most people do

Gift bags are far better than paper, we've been recycling the same ones in my family for years!
I really love Christmas! I even like Brussels sprouts, but then I cook mine in butter and garlic 😋!

My most controversial opinion: Yorkshire pudding does not belong at Christmas lunch!

I adore Yorkshire pudding, but this is a hill I am willing to die on

I love the Carols, the ballet, the shows, lights , the Christmas Story, the food, the spending time with favourite people and the relaxing afterwards. Giving gifts is great but I don't agree with huge expense.
Yes to trifle. Red berry fruit salad, Pudding, roast, left overs.

Agree. For me the whole thing ends pre lunch on Christmas Day but that’s partly well no it’s totally because we have my mum round after that and I struggle with her. My birthday is similar as it’s often near or in Mother’s Day.

My favourite bit of Christmas is Christmas Eve, Carols from Kings in front of the log burner, glass of wine and staring at the tree lights and the flames from the fire, becomes quite hypnotic.

I have Netflix this year so hoping for something good to watch over the Christmas period.

I do gift bags but always wrap the present(s) that go inside, no one would be able to tell what they have just by looking in the bag.