Can’t-be-bothered Christmas

I wasn't going to bother as I've worsening mobility probs, going dd Xmas day, but dh insisted on all trimmings, tree etc going up. We ended up exhausted but it's done now (for last time I hope)

Sorry to read your post, Theoddbird. You live alone I guess? No family nearby? Maybe making a lovely meal would cheer you up? The grey, cold weather here isn’t helping!

I should add that last Xmas was in great doubt, as my husband was in ICU with covid and we didn't know if he was going to survive, let alone be home for Xmas. Luckily he did make it and got home for Xmas so this year we are making a bit more effort to make up for last year.
As we speak, the dear chap is 'having a tidy-up' of his compost corner of the living room, aka as making a dreadful mess, but at least (a) he is still here and (b) motivated to sort his pickles out, so I am keeping quiet!

I like it once the Xmas decorations are up but find it getting to be harder work each years, especially getting it all down out of the attic (and putting it all away after). I would like abilities like Mary Poppins, so that I could just snap my fingers and it would all miraculously appear and thrn put itself away.
As for cooking Xmas Dinner. I do that with much grumbling and resentment, as I detest cooking, and no-one ever helps with that, or cleaning up afterwards.
Still, a few hefty sized glasses of wine helps to numb against that.
Bottoms up and cheers!

I’m so sad for you. Christmas is a non starter for people like yourself. I will be thinking about you and hope that the end of the year gets no worse. Take care and stay safe. ?

It will be another lonely Christmas. Given up caring about it. In the past I gave decorated and cooked a Christmas dinner for myself. Just completed my click and collect order for tomorrow. There are things in it for the makings of a Christmas meal incase I change my mind but I doubt I will. I have delivered Christmas presents but not seen grandchildren. Depression is setting in I know. I will be glad when the new year arrives.

I reached the ‘I can’t be bothered with Christmas’ several years ago. I ditched the big beautiful (time consuming tree) and bought a pre-lit (all lights attached) fairly small artificial one. I just add a few small decorations on it and ‘jobs a good en’!

Thank you Kim19. We have to keep on keeping on don't we?

Just the two of us so we have ordered a meal from a local restaurant which give us a nice quiet morning. I hope to be able to buy a piece of gammon from the local English pig farmer and will get prawns and other nice things so we can have easy food for a few days. I think we will probably have a couple of pop in visitors so food will be available if needed.
Our wood burner is out of action till the end of Jan when a chimney man is coming - so no fires but I can use the top of the fire for the cards which have come.
Nice easy but warm Christmas is all we want.
I have ordered a present for DH which is due tomorrow - a new pill box as many lids have come off the present one. This new one is very pretty with coloured boxes! Romance is not yet dead.

I felt exactly like that for ages.
My D and AG were coming today for 4 days but illness has put paid to that so I felt down and decided not to do anything although we do have an artificial tree up in the lounge.
However this morning I decided to buck my idears up.
My GD , who lives with me since my H died, rang a male friend and he has put outside lights up, not as many as usual, but still a display and we have covered a real tree with 300 lights in the conservatory.
We both feel so much better for doing it and have recovered a bit of festive spirit.
Go for it if you can.
Next Year may be another bleak one, do what you can with the remains of this year.

?

It took us 3 years of ups and downs to finally get the move sorted but I don’t want to derail this thread on that topic or DHs garage!

The garage - I know what you mean ?

Forsythia

Calistemon

Forsythia
Will your old tree need to move house with you now you have a pre-lit one?

I keep thinking I'd throw a lot of stuff out if we move. Downsize the stuff too.

I’m going to take it. Trouble is I’ve got lots of baubles and tree ornaments built up over 40 years, memories involved, that I can’t bring myself to throw out. Next year, god willing, we will put the big tree up again and the little one too. We’ve had a busy weekend getting rid of lots of things on Freecycle which is quite busy in South London, where we are. DH is clearing out the garage, a marathon task in itself ?

We've been half-heartedly househunting for a long time, Forsythia and the thought becomes more daunting.
I hope DIL and the DD might like treasured tree ornaments etc.

Good luck!

Same here with lights. The usual houses are lit up like Santa’s grotto as my DH says.

In my area there were a lot of early decorations and lights last year. This year it’s much more muted. Is that the same where you are?

No, neighbours have put up lights as usual and our outside lights went on today.

Just a small ready decorated table top tree brought down from the lost byMr B and a real one on a pit in the garden decorated with lights and food for the birds. That’s it. Chicken for Christmas dinner and a long day visiting our daughter. That’s it.

We have a very small tree and decorations on shelves, reminding us of loved ones, and my sister bought me a poinsettia last week. Not many cards have arrived this year, but a couple of special ones look lovely. So, we do have decorations but aren’t planning a big special meal. It’s the whole pressure of cooking a special meal that tends to spoil Xmas day for us, with all the tension and worry.

In my area there were a lot of early decorations and lights last year. This year it’s much more muted. Is that the same where you are?

Calistemon

Forsythia
Will your old tree need to move house with you now you have a pre-lit one?

I keep thinking I'd throw a lot of stuff out if we move. Downsize the stuff too.

I’m going to take it. Trouble is I’ve got lots of baubles and tree ornaments built up over 40 years, memories involved, that I can’t bring myself to throw out. Next year, god willing, we will put the big tree up again and the little one too. We’ve had a busy weekend getting rid of lots of things on Freecycle which is quite busy in South London, where we are. DH is clearing out the garage, a marathon task in itself ?

I am not decorating, am on my own, no one visiting, don’t have
to do any baking, have liquid meal replacements.

Cba to even do that Callistemon! If I bought a poinsettia, I'd have to water it and look after it. Nah! CBA.

Forsythia
Will your old tree need to move house with you now you have a pre-lit one?

I keep thinking I'd throw a lot of stuff out if we move. Downsize the stuff too.

I must buy a poinsettia or three. If I buy them too early I kill them.

I haven’t gone all out this year either. We have 3 poinsettias, 2 Christmas cactuses, a small prelit tree from Homebase 50% off last week, plus cards from relatives and friends. We are moving in the new year and are surrounded by chaos. The thought of getting our big tree out, decorating it, taking it down, packing it all away again…..I just couldn’t face it. Plus, we are not having a turkey either, we are having a chicken with all the usual veg.

Hetty58 I think my Sis-IL bought a pre-lit tree this year, it looked quite a manageable size in the picture she sent me.

No cats here!! ?