Christmas

Another here who (like most mums) hosted Christmas at our house for 30+ years. I worked full time and often found it stressful with extended family and 2 dogs. My lovely mum always used to ring me on Boxing Day morning and say “well, it’s as far away now as it’s ever going to be!”. Always cheered me.
😁

I love Christmas, always have and always will.
But this year I'm really struggling. As I mentioned on another thread, one of my daughters has recently had a cancer diagnosis and on the 25th she will have just had her second cycle of pretty aggressive chemo. I'm finding it so difficult to find the magic. Perhaps nearer the time I'll be able to achieve, a balance but right now its a tough call.

Another here who hasn't been keen on Christmas since adulthood. The black dog starts snapping at my heels at this time of year.

Love the day after Boxing Day when I take down the tree etc and know there's a whole year till I have to do it again!

Me.

I’ve actually no idea why. I’ve never been keen, but I’ll go through the motions. I buy gifts and exchange them with whoever. I put decorations up at the last minute, take them down the day after Boxing Day, then I can look forward to the turn of the year.

ExDancer, I agree with RosiesMaw, time to say enough is enough, it’s someone else’s turn to take the baton.

I still enjoy Christmas, but can appreciate that for some, it’s a difficult time for many different reasons. The suggestion to try to plan something different and just for you, is a good idea if at all possible 💐.

Christmas holds nothing for me anymore and I usually work in my care home on Christmas day…

Me too, I've always loved Christmas but I've got 3 x 30th's and a 40th next year so I've told everyone Christmas will be token presents only, I just can't get in the mood.

ExDancer, it's a bit late but book yourself on a cruise and let the reat get on with it :-)

There are so many reasons people do not look forward to Christmas, aren’t there?
Bereavement, loneliness, poverty, no friends or shyness, ill health, poignant memories……I could go on.
For me Christmas was always about “doing things” for the family - no I’m not a martyr, but making Christmas special for the children , then welcoming them home when they had gone out into the world, doing the hosting etc for grandparents and rellies. Even the queues at Sainsburys and the sheer hard slog gave me huge satisfaction.
Now it will all be done for me and I feel a bit of a spare part, but I will enjoy the excitement of the little ones and being together with the extended family which Paw would have loved.
But looking forward to things in life so often ends in a let-down doesn’t it?
Perhaps the answer is to play it down, even ignore it or plan an alternative which brings you joy.
And @ ExDancer time to put your foot firmly down!

Me.

I've 'made' Christmas for the family for 60+ years and I'm heartily sick of it. I'll be 85 this Christmas, and although the family promise to take over and 'do it all', they never actually do.