Can’t-be-bothered Christmas

crazyH

This is for you :

I know someone who would love one of those, crazyH!
Unfortunately, I've already bought her Christmas present ? ???

Having had a buggeration of a year we’re not having Christmas this year.
DH has just come out of hospital and is very frail and I have run out of oomph!
I will cook a Christmas dinner for the two of us but I haven’t written a single card, bought any presents and the artificial Christmas tree (that I heartedly dislike because it’s too big and looks horrible) is going to the tip!
Next year will be different I hope, we’re hoping to move house and have a new start.
Love and hugs to you all x

You could be me saying that. I have a tendency towards depression and I find Christmas gets me through the dark winter months. I think people who can't be bothered are their own worst enemies. It doesn't take a lot to cheer things up a bit and makes you feel a whole lot better.

This is for you :

I haven`t put any decorations up this year, absolutely don`t feel like it, however I am content enough. Grateful to have enough food and a warm cosy home, knitting in abundance and some good books. I will see family for a few hours twice, I will be driving but need to get back so as not to drive in the dark. There isn`t any point moping about traditional christmases long gone and being widowed, it is what it is. I bought a few treats for myself, some mini lindt chocolates, a tiny waitrose christmas pudding and a few other things

OnwardandUpward
I know it’s not a smiling matter, but I am smiling. It’s the way you write about your elderly parents. I am divorced and I know how your parents feel. Many a time, our children have invited both of us to the kids parties, but each of us at different times - I usually go the later part of the celebration.
So sorry about the estrangement from your son.
Hope you manage to enjoy the coming week ……

What is Christmas ???

So sorry for those of you suffering with your health and /or alone.
From my perspective I am cooking Christmas meals for elderly parents who hate each other and seeing them on different days. I cannot make either of them happy because each detests the other and will be jealous of time spent not with them. Both of them want us for Christmas day and Boxing day- but they live 200 miles apart and neither wants the other to have anyone.

If only they had stayed together our lives would be so much easier- and they would have each other to talk to. Both of them are lonely on their own and nothing I can do can fix this.
I've been estranged by my son, too. I've only seen my GC three times in 2021 and don't know if/when I will again. Somehow I need to scrape myself together and keep going for the sake of those who need me, despite those who don't.

Haven't your doctors prescribed Prednisone for the polymyalgia, watermeadow? Its like a miracle. You get all your energy back, and even more than you had before.

I decided on a small real tree and enjoyed sorting out the small special decorations, though I had to get my son to get the whole two boxes of decorations down for me. That and a few favourites are plenty.
Although I have been invited to family dinners, I think I will probably stay at home, and am trying to buy small quantities of the essentials.
Waitrose do a lovely mini pudding for £1, but it was out of stock….luckily for me…as they substituted it with a luxury version at the same price

I usually love Christmas and like to put my decorations up early. After losing my lovely mum in Dec 2019 it has been hard to get into the spirit of things. Then this year, I lost one of my sisters suddenly at the end of November, her funeral taking place the day after my mum's 2 year anniversary. Had I not put my decorations up already, I'm not sure I would have bothered. I carry on trying to be bright for the sake of my family but it's hard especially when carols are playing. I have chronic fatigue/fibro too.

I like to make a bit of an effort, it is a bit of cheer in the dark days of winter that are already dull.

For years. I did all the hard work of Christmas making at least six cakes and puddings aa well as cooking dinners for all the family. All my husband did was grumble that the golf course was closed. Then in 1978 we decided to winter in Spain. One of my little grandsons asked who would make the cake, crepes Suzette and profiteroles. Not me was my daughter in laws reply .
Christmas Day afternoon telephoned to ask how the dinner went. They hadn’t yet had it. She had put it in the oven on automatic and forgotten to switch it on.
Nowadays she has to cater for her children, and grandchildren over the holiday.

Good for you Bertha! We also do a bit although no contact at all with half of family including GKx3 and others have their own things going on. We've decided to simply please ourselves, we love turkey etc and have loads of movies/TV lined up to watch whilst we snuggle down and stuff ourselves silly with whatever we want! As you say it's only for a couple days then we're having a game night for another couple only new year's eve then.....back to winter! It's a short break in a somewhat lonely time but I cannot wallow I have to be doing something, if only housework!

Watermeadow. I feel similar this year as am going through a cycle of dep/anxiety. Just want it to come and get over with. I want to appear normal to my family but doubt very much that I am able to this time xx

I. Don't think your a humbug. Lots of us feel the same this year, and yes I blame the government, who have repeatedly insisted no lock down this Xmas carry on as normal. When the message should be, we've all done excellent work so far, but if a new variant can get past the vaccines we have, we may need to reinstate restrictions. For everyone's protection. It's never going back to what we had and we should find new ways to celebrate this time of year.

Water meadow I feel for you. I too have Polymyalgia but fortunately the steroids control it so I’m mostly pain free. My bigger problem is copd which crept up on me in spite of giving up smoking years ago. I can’t do anything without getting so out if breath that I have to sit down until I can breathe again. Thank goodness I don’t do the main event anymore but I am cooking for my son who is coming for an overnight visit on Christmas Eve, then I’m doing a buffet for family to drop in on Boxing Day which is also my birthday. I have decorated a tree and put twinkly lights and garlands around but it’s taken about three days to do it. I’ve just made bread sauce and brandy butter which is part of my contribution to the Christmas lunch. I’m also taking brandy cream, custard, a couple of cheeses and some wine. I am looking forward to it especially after last years non event and the whole family are doing daily lateral flow tests so that we’re as safe as we can be.
I hope that you enjoy Christmas with your family Watermeadow, but don’t feel guilty about not being able to muster the energy to do more, polymyalgia is no joke and who was it who said “getting old is not for cissies”

Theoddbird - You and me too - my door is the first they come to when they want something, but otherwise they can't be bothered! Since saying I wasn't keen on 'baby sitting' the new puppy every day I have seen and heard nothing. Will enjoy my 2 dogs' company and eat what and when I feel like it!!

Oh, Theoddbird, have a hug ((()))

I haven't read the entire thread so someone else may well have said this, but the older I get the faster Christmas seems to come round. I think I'd much prefer it if - like the Olympics - it was every 4 years.

Luzzy72 yes I live alone...rather isolated on my narrow boat. My daughters do not care about me and my son lives a distance away. I have not seen my grandchildren since the summer. It is all getting too much for me. I will sell my boat in the Spring and find a new life...

DH has never been much enthused re Christmas but had always joined in. With his current ill health he has just not bothered at all. He's shown no interest in what 'we' have bought anybody not even GC and hasn't bothered to read a card or any of the notes or letters that have come with them. Feel like I'm doing Christmas on my own this year.

A lot of people I have spoken to are feeling the same way, no one seems to be bothered. I spend Xmas with my sister who hates it, so it's never a jolly time anyway.
You don't have to decorate and make a huge Xmas dinner, we don't, a stuffed chicken breast is our meal. Just do as you please and what makes it easier for you.

Christmas isn’t happening in this house either. My DH has been in hospital for 5 weeks now awaiting a heart by pass operation. This was scheduled for tomorrow but looks like it’s not happening now.
God forbid if I ever find out he lost his bed to a none vaccinated person.

I’ll be waking up alone on Christmas Day for the first time ever in my life.

Ahh I really feel for you watermeadow, life can feel like too much when you have a condition like yours. Mine isn't as bad as yours, hypothyroid, but it can sometimes make me feel quite poorly and the last couple of Christmas's I have felt similar to you. Fortunately this year my medication seems to be doing a better job and I find myself singing Christmas songs and getting a little excited! That hasn't happened for years! Just aswell as the family are all coming to me this year and that hasn't happened for years either. I wish you well and anyone else with a difficult condition my thoughts and good wishes are with you as I know exactly how you are feeling. Take care and hope all goes well ?