Right so sorry if you are a lover of Christmas but for me I’m not a festive lover and usually end up praying for Christmas Day to be over with. Christmas for me is sad because I end up thinking of family members who have passed away or can’t be there on the day. Due to my previous jobs, I’ve also worked Christmas in some pretty stressful situations. I also find all the hype and manic shopping stressful and end up getting pissed off and going home and having a wine or 5. Is it just me and has anyone got any suggestions on how to navigate Christmas?
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I feel the same way. Christmas will never ever be the same since my granny passed away. We are a small family and now it’s just my mum and dad and me, although technically just them as I live abroad in a country that doesn’t celebrate it.
I hope to take my boyfriend to spend next Christmas with them but it will be odd without my gran coming over at 10am having a nosey at our presents, later demanding to watch Paul O’Grady’s For the Love of Dogs...
I hope to take my boyfriend to spend next Christmas with them but it will be odd without my gran coming over at 10am having a nosey at our presents, later demanding to watch Paul O’Grady’s For the Love of Dogs...
I don’t like Christmas, especially the build-up to it like now. I buy presents for my family and make an effort on the day itself for my family but I suffer with my MH badly and I just want to spend the day in bed if I could. My family don’t seem to understand this so I have to put a brave face on all day. Nothing specifically has triggered my dislike for Christmas, I think it’s just the constant comparing via social media, rammed down your face via TV adverts, money worries etc. It’s also the first Christmas that I’m newly single after a long-term relationship - always spent Boxing Day/nye with my exes family, so that won’t be happening this year which is messing with my head a little bit!
I feel the same too, I always feel super low and sad this time of year. The festive build up which seems to get earlier and earlier every year, is pretty much unavoidable. My birthday is the first week of January, which I have also always hated, so usually cannot wait for January to be over either.
My parents passed away a while ago and since then, I've always felt kind of lost during the festive period as everything is all about family. I live with my boyfriend now and the last few years we've spent Christmas day with his parents, which is lovely but not the same as being with your own family. Prior to us living together, I always used to go on holiday for Christmas/NY, which was so much better for me mentally.
I try my best to avoid the really cheesy family Christmas films, as I find them a bit too much. Except for Elf!!
My parents passed away a while ago and since then, I've always felt kind of lost during the festive period as everything is all about family. I live with my boyfriend now and the last few years we've spent Christmas day with his parents, which is lovely but not the same as being with your own family. Prior to us living together, I always used to go on holiday for Christmas/NY, which was so much better for me mentally.
I try my best to avoid the really cheesy family Christmas films, as I find them a bit too much. Except for Elf!!
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I find Christmas very stressful, my parents separated nearly 20 years ago now and every year my mum who lives alone has guilt tripped me into spending it with her (I'm an only child) it used to be me going to hers but now she comes and spends it with my partner and I. I won't go into great detail but we don't get on very well, I try to but she is very difficult, nothing is ever good enough and she and makes me feel on edge, especially as she has a habit of drinking too much and getting very opinionated. Because of this I find it impossible to relax, I like a drink myself but I find it harder to bite my tongue if I do drink and she says something to piss me off. She has elected us as her social bubble so there's no getting out of it whatsoever. I feel awful having typed that out as I wish I didn't feel like I do as I do love her, she is thoughtful and she can be sweet at times but I as always am dreading Christmas 
Last year we actually had 'Christmas' on the 21st as we went on holiday on Boxing Day and stayed at the airport Xmas Day night where we ordered pizza and sat on the bed eating it watching Gavin & Stacey which was PERFECT. The Christmas on the 21st I went all out on the meal and was prepping for it for days prior, ended up crying in the kitchen because I was only reminded by my mum through sarky comments of how it was an improvement on the year before. 2018 Christmas dinner was a complete disaster because my Grandma had just died and I was giving absolutely zero fucks about Christmas as my mum just expected everything to be normal. I just couldn't be arsed and didn't prep anything, went to the pub 12-3 and came back and attempted to cook everything and it was a total duck up
I feel really sorry for my boyfriend who has a lovely family and I know his sister gives him a hard time as since we've been together we haven't spent it with them because of my situation. I would love to go and have a nice, 'normal' Christmas with them. My dad, fellow Christmas hater usually goes on holiday on his own to avoid the tit show.
Last year we actually had 'Christmas' on the 21st as we went on holiday on Boxing Day and stayed at the airport Xmas Day night where we ordered pizza and sat on the bed eating it watching Gavin & Stacey which was PERFECT. The Christmas on the 21st I went all out on the meal and was prepping for it for days prior, ended up crying in the kitchen because I was only reminded by my mum through sarky comments of how it was an improvement on the year before. 2018 Christmas dinner was a complete disaster because my Grandma had just died and I was giving absolutely zero fucks about Christmas as my mum just expected everything to be normal. I just couldn't be arsed and didn't prep anything, went to the pub 12-3 and came back and attempted to cook everything and it was a total duck up
I feel really sorry for my boyfriend who has a lovely family and I know his sister gives him a hard time as since we've been together we haven't spent it with them because of my situation. I would love to go and have a nice, 'normal' Christmas with them. My dad, fellow Christmas hater usually goes on holiday on his own to avoid the tit show.
I really don’t enjoy Christmas either. My life has been pretty tough the last few years and I’m just not in a great place so when Christmas comes around I feel even worse because it’s a time where everyone is expected to be overjoyed. My boyfriend also lives abroad and I won’t be seeing him this year so that makes it tough too.
Can only just make it to new year, I've got a feeling this Christmas is going to be harder. I seem to stand christmas early soon as 1st of December looms im a mess. I've got no reason to be depressed at Christmas I just am
It’s not that I dislike it per se, it’s just that I don’t really care about it. It’s just a week of nonsense for no other reason than that we are ‘supposed’ to behave a certain way. I’ve always felt like that so never do anything traditional. As a family we just do and eat what we want with presents. I do have a small to moderate tree and we do things like dress up the dogs, but we don’t have uniformed visiting or parties. We go where the wind blows us. Now everyone is used to it and gives us open invites with a *just in case you feel like it.*
I do like New Year’s Eve as a family though, we do that at home, but again I give out open invites. I think it’s because I come from a large family made up of kids and step kids and my kids have different dads with big families. It would be too hard to please everyone so I say everyone please yourself
I do like New Year’s Eve as a family though, we do that at home, but again I give out open invites. I think it’s because I come from a large family made up of kids and step kids and my kids have different dads with big families. It would be too hard to please everyone so I say everyone please yourself
Loved Christmas when I was a kid, but as I get older the more I am beginning to loathe it.
Many critics describe it now as nothing more than a massive marketing/commercial enterprise, and things like Black Friday and Boxing Day sales underline that (especially the latter - you've just spent a fortune buying stuff for Christmas. then you have one day off for CD, and the following day its back to the shops for more spending)
I don't like Christmas because its in the middle of winter, and I suffer from SAD, so its all one big effort to stay happy short of getting pissed on boozed or smoking weed.
This year is of course worse for a lot of people with this lockdown fiasco, and no one can go anywhere other than within particular bubbles and complicated and inconsistent rules and regs. I wanted to see my family in South Africa over Christmas, but that's all gone tit-shaped.
Many critics describe it now as nothing more than a massive marketing/commercial enterprise, and things like Black Friday and Boxing Day sales underline that (especially the latter - you've just spent a fortune buying stuff for Christmas. then you have one day off for CD, and the following day its back to the shops for more spending)
I don't like Christmas because its in the middle of winter, and I suffer from SAD, so its all one big effort to stay happy short of getting pissed on boozed or smoking weed.
This year is of course worse for a lot of people with this lockdown fiasco, and no one can go anywhere other than within particular bubbles and complicated and inconsistent rules and regs. I wanted to see my family in South Africa over Christmas, but that's all gone tit-shaped.
I agree with all of you saying this Christmas will be even tougher because of the year we’ve had. I feel that little bit sadder for all the people who have died due to COVID or not being able to access treatment or have found life too much take. There’s all those who have lost their income and have been separated from families and friends. The Tesco advert really pissed me off because it was almost taking the mick out of the virus which I found distasteful because I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been affected by it. I’m hoping to have a quiet Christmas this year because that’s just about as much as I can take of the whole thing!
Xmas is all about money, one good reason to hate it!
I don't really give a tit about xmas at all, it was okay when I was a kid but things have changed and as the older I got the more I understood that it's all about making money than anything else. In our house xmas is celebrated to the minimum, we get a roast turkey dinner, xmas pudd and a few days off.
But that's just me!
I do feel sad for the people with families who can't celebrate xmas properly, so many people are going to be sad and misrable. I only hope that people manage to enjoy it even with the limitations.
I don't really give a tit about xmas at all, it was okay when I was a kid but things have changed and as the older I got the more I understood that it's all about making money than anything else. In our house xmas is celebrated to the minimum, we get a roast turkey dinner, xmas pudd and a few days off.
But that's just me!
I do feel sad for the people with families who can't celebrate xmas properly, so many people are going to be sad and misrable. I only hope that people manage to enjoy it even with the limitations.
To me it's just extra work. It all falls to me to make it magical and I hate it.
My other half is like Mr. Christmas. My decorations have been up for 2 weeks. He VOLUNTARILY listens to Christmas music on purpose. His favourite movie is a christmas film. He loves it.
I bloody detest it. And yet. Its still me buying all the crap and cooking all the food and trying to make everything so magical. I dont feel the "magic" and never have. Honestly wish I could just sleep between Halloween and new year.
I bloody detest it. And yet. Its still me buying all the crap and cooking all the food and trying to make everything so magical. I dont feel the "magic" and never have. Honestly wish I could just sleep between Halloween and new year.
Yeah New Year is the other one I’d rather sleep through...
Yeah I hate that advert there is no naughty list this year my stepdaughter she kept quoting
was funny at first but she actually is being naughty.Didn't sing happy birthday washing hands etc taking it too far.
Might as well say I havent social distanced or listed to the rules
I would say I’m Christmas ambivalent. I wouldn’t miss it if it was gone. I have wonderful Christmas memories from when I was a child but now it’s mostly stuff I can’t be bothered with e.g, pressure / stress / waste / debt / showboating etc. I also struggle with the darkness and weather at this time of year, which doesn’t help my affection for Christmas.
There is some stuff I do like. Christmas trees, the lights, having time off work. That’s probably it. It can be so hard for people for so many different reasons whereas it’s not really “hard” for me which is good I suppose. But even still, it’s just... too much!
There is some stuff I do like. Christmas trees, the lights, having time off work. That’s probably it. It can be so hard for people for so many different reasons whereas it’s not really “hard” for me which is good I suppose. But even still, it’s just... too much!
I don't think I'm an outright Christmas hater but certain things have made me come to feel negatively about it.
I hate the family politics of it all. My MIL is incredibly bitter about how time is split between families and my in laws are very uncompromising. Equally my mum also puts "her Christmas" ahead of everyone elses and both sides forget we are a family ourselves and have to split our time between each side. My husband and I try to travel at this time of year actually to a) take advantage of the extra leave and b) avoid the family nonsense.
I also really really hate the financial pressure people feel put under. Its absolutely insane that people themselves into debt over a holiday! My mother has next to no money and insists on buying me gifts every year. She owes me over 500 quid and has 0 savings and she doesn't see an issue with it because "its Christmas!" I literally couldn't care less about receiving presents.
I hate the family politics of it all. My MIL is incredibly bitter about how time is split between families and my in laws are very uncompromising. Equally my mum also puts "her Christmas" ahead of everyone elses and both sides forget we are a family ourselves and have to split our time between each side. My husband and I try to travel at this time of year actually to a) take advantage of the extra leave and b) avoid the family nonsense.
I also really really hate the financial pressure people feel put under. Its absolutely insane that people themselves into debt over a holiday! My mother has next to no money and insists on buying me gifts every year. She owes me over 500 quid and has 0 savings and she doesn't see an issue with it because "its Christmas!" I literally couldn't care less about receiving presents.
I like Christmas but I draw the line at trees and decorations up before December I make loads of effort for peoples presents and no one is ever that thankful that really pisses me off I don’t even want anything back just thank you! I’ve made a rod for my own back because when I try and just buy minimal things seems expected I will go all out because I have a decent job. Every year I say this year I’m not buying a lot and then I end up buying loads I need to learn!
I am so glad someone made this thread! I’ve found when I’m honest about my hatred towards Christmas (and my birthday actually) people don’t take it seriously, so it’s nice to have somewhere to lay down my thoughts and feelings without judgement.
I really hate Christmas. I hate the commercialisation of it, the obligation to ‘have fun’, the fact it’s rammed down your throat, secret Santa. All of it.
I grew up with divorced parents and both were so focussed on their new families/partners it was never special for me. It was never that magical time of year that it’s supposed to be for children. I just remember arguments over who would have us and being pushed from pillar to post on the day. No child wants to wake up at their home, then be ushered over to their dads, to then be ignored because current partners kids were around, and dropped home late so your parents have yet another row on the doorstep. It was the same every single year.
When I became old enough to drive it was then suddenly on me to make the effort and now I spend most of my Christmas Day driving between houses but feeling in the way whenever I get there. Last year I refused to go to my dads (for various other reasons) and his solution was to drop my gifts on my mums doorstep. He knocked on the door and drove away. Didn’t even wait to see me.
I lived with my mum growing up and she tried to make it special but my step dad was difficult and would eventually start an argument and my brother and I would be sent to our rooms for some unknown breaking of a rule he made up on the spot.
Plus, the last three serious boyfriends I’ve had have always broken up with me shortly after Christmas so that hasn’t helped.
I just dread it. It’s always felt like a time of pain for me and every year feels like it gets worse. If I could, I’d go to sleep Christmas Eve and not wake up until Boxing Day.
I really hate Christmas. I hate the commercialisation of it, the obligation to ‘have fun’, the fact it’s rammed down your throat, secret Santa. All of it.
I grew up with divorced parents and both were so focussed on their new families/partners it was never special for me. It was never that magical time of year that it’s supposed to be for children. I just remember arguments over who would have us and being pushed from pillar to post on the day. No child wants to wake up at their home, then be ushered over to their dads, to then be ignored because current partners kids were around, and dropped home late so your parents have yet another row on the doorstep. It was the same every single year.
When I became old enough to drive it was then suddenly on me to make the effort and now I spend most of my Christmas Day driving between houses but feeling in the way whenever I get there. Last year I refused to go to my dads (for various other reasons) and his solution was to drop my gifts on my mums doorstep. He knocked on the door and drove away. Didn’t even wait to see me.
I lived with my mum growing up and she tried to make it special but my step dad was difficult and would eventually start an argument and my brother and I would be sent to our rooms for some unknown breaking of a rule he made up on the spot.
Plus, the last three serious boyfriends I’ve had have always broken up with me shortly after Christmas so that hasn’t helped.
I just dread it. It’s always felt like a time of pain for me and every year feels like it gets worse. If I could, I’d go to sleep Christmas Eve and not wake up until Boxing Day.
I don't hate Christmas itself. I love the day and had some amazing Christmases as a child. But losing my parents and then most of my family makes Christmas hard. You get a reminder of what you have lost, not helped by the whole family thing that gets forced at you through adverts etc. You can't get away from it all. There's a lot of pressure on having the perfect day and a lot of commercial stuff that just takes the magic away.
Since having my kids christnas has become fun again bit I keep it low-key. I don't see the point of the over the top gestures as we still have the best Christmas without bankrupting ourselves
Since having my kids christnas has become fun again bit I keep it low-key. I don't see the point of the over the top gestures as we still have the best Christmas without bankrupting ourselves