Not looking forward to Christmas

[deuse]

Anyone else in similar boat?

After last year I thought I was looking forward to Christmas but as it approaches I am definitely feeling the dread.

Last year in hindsight was nice. No rushing around. Few presents. Generally felt like break in lockdown with my Gf in our new house.

This year my friendship group has fractured. And the state of my family isn't great.
This has lead me with having to see 4 sets of people in a short space of time.
To boot I don't have much holiday due to a job change

I'm not really an extroverted type so this rushing around in itself is stressful.

Im a bit disappointed in myself that I feel I have to see all these groups to maintain contact and not offend anyone.
You shouldn't feel this around friends.

It's even more stark as 2 years ago the group was together and I had more time.

Added its a lot of travelling and I have an old knee injury that's likely to flare up with all the driving.

Just a bit of a vent.
Trying to see this as a test and if I do hate it I'll have to chop events next year.



I've never thought of Christmas this early before. And never in such a scrouge way. Kind of caught me by surprise.

Just think of the children with cancer that Won't see another let alone X-Mass.
Now give yourself a kick up the bum.
And have some fun.

 

[Semple]

I'm always looking forward to Christmas. We've actually toned down the numbers we host on Christmas day. When we first had our house 2 and a bit years ago we had 9 people round for Christmas. The following year that dropped to 6, and now this year we're down to 4 - as brother-in-law and his wife have got their new home, so they're hosting their own Christmas with her family, and my folks are spending it with my brother. So just the missus and her parents this year.

 

[Mint8]

Gawd this is a miserable thread.

 

[Freefaller]

I personally love Christmas. Seeing friends and family. Having more time as a family, getting the kids excited. Watching cheesy Christmas films. Eating too much, I don't drink but enjoying the festivities with friends.

What's not to like?

 

[Malevolence]

Not looking forward to it at all. It's the first Christmas without my Dad being here, going to be very strange with just me and my Mum. Can't even guarantee that we can see my Dad over Christmas due to Covid-19 restrictions at his nursing home. Think we might be going over to my Sister's on Boxing Day, so there's that.

 

[byeo]

I'm looking forward to this Christmas, it'll be the first in our own house, our son just turned two so he'll know a bit more & the mother-in-law is coming from Nottingham (all being well). My parents are coming around for dinner too and I've invited my Grandad but not sure if he's coming as if it's not my mum's house he makes excuses... Got the meat hamper ordered from the butchers which we're picking up on the 23rd, we're all but sorted this year.

We don't usually do anything for New Year, it'll probably be a take away/movie and booze kind of evening all being well.

 

[McBain]

I never look forward to it, the pseudo happiness and joy. No thanks.

Bah humbug indeed.

 

[Mellowfellow]

Last Christmas I just stayed in , turned my phone off, cooked dinner for myself, ate some minced pies , drank a few cans of beer, watched whatever was on TV, dozed off in my armchair, it was kind of good to not deal with other people for a change.
I'll most likely be going to my mums house Christmas Eve and staying over( getting the train as I don't drive), help cook the dinner, , visit my aunt on boxing day, see my cousins, we're all In our 30s , busy lives, so a good catch up. Then a lift home that evening from one of my cousins.
I must admit though that I don't like the Christmas starting in the shops as soon as Halloween is done with, not to mention most of December having Christmas songs on the radio or in every shop . Should be once every 4 years like the Olympics, give time to save money for it and make it more memorable.

 

[tenofspades]

Gawd this is a miserable thread.

we aim to please

 

[BUDFORCE]

Just think of the children with cancer that Won't see another let alone X-Mass.
Now give yourself a kick up the bum.
And have some fun.

Yea man agree, some people in this thread need a reality check.

 

[Tee Hee Johnson]

There is all this build up, but then it comes and its just like any other day or period of time.

That being said, I do like our sparkly lights on our house at Christmas.

 

[Vidar]

Since my Dad passed away just before Christmas in 2003, it's just never been the same for me. I remember having to take his birth certificate to the registrars or wherever it was to get his death certificate sorted and then having to get some Christmas shopping done, I was 20 I think. It was horrible going through the shops, hearing all the music and feeling like everyone else was happy while I just felt dead inside.

As a dad and fiance, I look forward to seeing how excited they get but just never really get there myself despite trying. This year will be particularly awkward as we usually go to my partners Mums for Christmas. Only this year, while we're going, I've been made to feel incredibly unwelcome after she made an entirely unwarranted and horrific comment about my eldest daughter and refused to apologise. This will also be the 2nd Christmas without my Son in my life after the ex managed to finally alienate him from me.

I really envy people who love it, but if it wasn't for the missus and kids I'd sooner just go to bed and sleep.

 

[Lysander]

I really envy people who love it, but if it wasn't for the missus and kids I'd sooner just go to bed and sleep.

The irony of it is that kids only look forward to it because of what they're going to get. It's only because of the commercialism that they like it. Tell most kids they'll get nothing for Christmas, no presents, and it will seem that their world has ended.

 

[wesimmo]

I'm not sure if I'm noticing/imagining a pattern here but there's a distinct lack of references to kids in this discussion. For me, this is what Christmas all comes down to and of course, I am much more than excited about it now I have a young family than I was in my early 20s for example... I'll of course be even more in to it when they're old enough to be excited about it in advance, and I hope to be able to perform nearly as well as my parents did at delivering that ultimate Christmas wish fulfillment, something I consider to be a bit of a parental rite of passage.

Isn't this just natural? Adults getting excited about Christmas as if they're still a child is quite an odd and uncomfortable thing to witness IMO. Thankfully it's quite rare.

Pretty much this.

Kids get presents from everybody and have a great time running around like lunatics (5 cousins within 3 years of each other helps), adults do a silly secret santa, eat, drink and catch up.

 

[Kreeeee]

.

 

[diamount]

As a single man with no kids it's not really mattered to me for like 15 years but as my niece has started to get a bit older (she's 3 now) it makes it a bit more special.

 

[200sols]

I enjoy playing with the kids in the tens of cm of snow we get in our field,

Likewise, I enjoy playing in the 1mm of snow we get here

 

[rhobbyh]

I teach my kids to avoid the consumerism side of things. Gifts are to be thoughtful and preferably home made with love and effort, not store bought and the latest fad.

Its nearly the time of year where that bloke who buy's his kids about 5 grands worth of presents and takes a picture for everyone to see in the items I've purchased thread appears, that when your know xmas is around the corner.

 

[Slam62]

Christmas is an exaggerated reflection of the state of society its all about showing off in one way or another and loud people shouting about how fantastic their lives are. The adverts are particularly grating this year.
The vast majority will have a very difficult time this year as they will every year.

 

[Zefan]

Its nearly the time of year where that bloke who buy's his kids about 5 grands worth of presents and takes a picture for everyone to see in the items I've purchased thread appears, that when your know xmas is around the corner.

Oh yes I enjoy these, although part of me is aware that these things are all relative. My parents were by no means rich but I'm sure that some would consider my decent but not (in my eyes) extravagant gift "haul" as over the top.

Christmas is an exaggerated reflection of the state of society its all about showing off in one way or another and loud people shouting about how fantastic their lives are. The adverts are particularly grating this year.
The vast majority will have a very difficult time this year as they will every year.

You don't have to reject the wholesome parts of it just because some people treat it that way. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. If all the people with sense fall out of love/stop making effort with the good bits then all that's left is the stuff you mention.