Christmas decorations.

Newatthis
I understand as I think Christmas will be different this year. Browsing in the shops is a whole new experience and really no fun now. I'm taking strength from nature planting bulbs for spring and buying plants and flowers for my house.

I just want Christmas time to be gone.. as my dh died, suddenly last November, last Christmas was spent in a sort of haze, but with family,, an empty seat at the table..

I am really dreading this Christmas,, trying to learn to live alone.. phew! tears coming,
practicing Gratitude... I do think we have lost the real meaning of Christmas though..

I do like the idea of lights,, so how do we do outside lights, as I do prefer the solar lights?

Newatthis I think we are getting accustomed to the new normal in many ways. However occasionally something jolts us back to reality and that can be upsetting.
Christmas is such an emotive time without a pandemic. It's a time of preparation and sharing. It's a time of rituals and sensory joys. We remember the past and evaluate the year.
For many Christmas is a time of sadness or conflict. Many tire of the endless consumerism. Some relish it.
I did wonder in the summer if Christmas would be different this year.
I'm already thinking ahead. I'm assuming its unlikely it will be Christmas as usual with my childeren and grandchilderen. My Christmas get together that I've had for the past 25 years where friends get together and exchange gifts wont be happening.
What I do envisage is a time of contemplation and counting my blessings. The tree and decorations will be up and will remind me of Christmases past. I will cook myself a roast dinner and enjoy it.
Maybe we need to step back from the present dash. As adults we may love presents under the tree,but do we NEED them? How many of us struggle to think of things we want when asked?
Of course every effort should be made to ensure Christmas is magical for childeren.
If people want to send gifts there are lots of ways to do this online.
Wouldnt it be lovely though to have an honest conversation with friends and family and suggest maybe a small token gesture but preferably a donation to charity,many of whom have struggled terribly due to the pandemic.
People will have suffered terrible loss this year,whether it's a loved one or financially through the economy. To contribute to charities that support people would celebrate Christmas beautifully.
Many will be isolated and struggling for a variety of reasons. It could be a good time to reach out with a phone call,letter,email. Maybe Gransnet will have a special Christmas day thread.?

If I stop to think about it too much I do feel trepidation about Christmas especially as we hopefully will be in the new house but my daughter who I am moving to be near (sorry about the syntax there) may still be in lockdown.
However I'm buying new decorations and tree and decking the halls from 1st December which I have never done before but this year its fairy lights everywhere to spread some cheer.
Hopefully we can all plan some family visits- fingers crossed.

The very thought of Xmas fills me with dread. Doing all that present shopping with the thought of Covid !!!! I asked my family to send me a wish list so i can get started early, have they done that, heck no. They may all end up with vouchers or money.

I fully intend to start decorating for Christmas very early this year

Fairy lights always make me smile. The house always looks so lovely.

So everything will be going up soon, apart from the real Christmas Tree which will have to wait. Can't be doing with a drooping tree!

Hopefully the family will still be able to descend on us on Christmas Day but if not we'll just sit, surrounded by fairy lights and knick knacks

Like you GrannyGravy I plan to go silly with outside lights this year and as family can’t visit this year, a tree outside covered in lights too. Anything to brighten up a gloomy time of year and I’m sure passing children especially will enjoy seeing some twinkly fairy lights.

DD2 and SiL in Australia won’t be with us this year. DD1 and the girls who live nearby may pop down and if the weather isn’t awful, we can have hot chocolate in the garden which will have more twinkly lights and a fire pit.

I won’t dwell on the sadness of not seeing DD2 this year which I feel keenly as if part of me is missing, instead, I will concentrate on just being thankful that we are all still healthy.

Hopefully this year will be a one off and so, we can do this.

Newatthis. I can understand we’re your coming from. I normally love looking around the garden centres etc and planning my displays, but this year just the thought of it is making me feel emotional so I’m staying away.
My family live close by, but we’re in another lockdown so we may not be able to see each other, no one knows yet what might happen yet .Try not to think about it, stay away from the shops. This is a new situation to all of us and we can expect many emotions coming to the surface over the next few months, best to just go with it try to plan your shopping so you don’t have to stand about in the cold. And keep in touch with family and friends. Good luck.

Christmas is likely to be a very different celebration this year with many of us finding ourselves spending the festival alone. I anticipate restrictions on travel which will prevent my husband and me being together as he lives in France. The uncertainty surrounding the outcome of Brexit is another concern for us. Two of my offspring live more than 200 miles away with the third one being in Australia!

It is hard to accept and I can understand your sadness. If I do spend it away from my family, I shall still decorate my home and try to make the best of it on the day itself with tasty treats, good wine and Zoom calls to break up the day. Some families will be dealing with the extra sadness of having lost loved ones this year.

These strange times will pass and perhaps a delayed family reunion could be planned in the New Year, Newatthis. I think lemongrove has made helpful suggestions. Whilst we have to be mindful of the hygiene routines because of Covid-19, let’s avoid letting it diminish our ability to keep a good Christmas. Otherwise, it really will have won.

Chin up, *Newatthis”!

I’m sure your mood will change again, perhaps to resignation just like us all. Take comfort in the fact that you are not alone in this situation, and in fact it isn’t even just this country but the entire world that is grappling with this horrible virus.
Perfectly normal to feel as you do

I do understand newatthis, we all get caught out by this unpredictable and strange reality at times. I’m reacting differently. The lights and tree will be out on the 1st of December this year, two weeks earlier than usual. For me, no one else, to brighten the dark evenings and hopefully encourage a smile. I’m sorry you anticipate being so disappointed and unhappy, there will be a way to get through it, I hope tomorrow it seems more manageable

I have already informed GrandpaGravy that we are buying more lights and figures for the front of the house. I intend to buy some new tree decorations and some lights for the back garden.........anything to cheer me up in these troubled times ???

Know how you feel - alone, cast off, resigned but still deflated

I'm with Lemongrove. We just have to make the best of things, no matter how difficult it seems.
Some of us haven't been allowed out since March, as we are so vulnerable. It is what it is.

I see it as a challenge to make the best of a terrible situation.
We all need to work together to beat this virus and look after and support it other.

Not really, but then we are all different.Arrange for your shopping to be delivered, then you won’t have to queue up in the cold.Buy some bright Christmas lights/ ornaments to cheer yourself up.
Everyone is in the same boat re Christmas plans, and we just have to make the best of it, like everything else, it will pass.?