Are we overthinking Christmas?

Christmas used to be a Christmas festival but now it has been out of hand and commercial. Many now over spend and get into debt taking the following year paying off debts.

Perhaps there is some overthinking by some, perhaps some become overwhelmed by what the feel they ought to be doing rather than doing what they want to do.

The pressure can be overwhelming if we allow it to be so.
The tv adverts and magazines don’t help by showing overladen tables, expensive “must have” gifts for everyone and their mother, perfect decorations, etc, etc, which can, if you allow it, make you feel inferior or failing if you don’t match up to this make believe “reality”.

It’s hard, I think, to step back from these false expectations, but really one has to try to preserve one’s sanity, and try to recall what Christmas is really about, not what commercialism would like us to believe it’s about. It’s not easy to step off that treadmill, though.

I love Christmas,but sadly it was very different last year and will be the same this year,my dh had to go into a nursing home last year due to a nasty fall at home,he broke his hip and he also has alziemers and vascular dementia and wasn't expected to live after the fall,this year my son and I will be having Xmas Dinner with him in the home,but dh won't know its Christmas,I have bought a couple of presents for my son (who is an adult) I will be giving my daughter son in law and granddaughter money as I won't be seeing them at Christmas because they live too far away and it's too expensive for them to come and visit.no matter how you do Christmas just enjoy it,as you never know what's waiting for you in the future.

All the hype and build up makes me wonder what it’s all for. A few presents and a nice dinner. Some quite nice tv programmes. I sit there on Christmas Day after the dinner and think, well that’s what all the fuss was about starting in September. It just seems so OTT for one day that is usually mediocre anyway.

As a child, I remember happy Christmases at my aunt's. We all had a wonderful time although it must have been a very busy time for her. She always seemed relaxed though.
As an adult, married with children, I've always enjoyed Christmas and the festive season and doing lots/too much has been part of the fun. Once I had 16 people around the table for Christmas Dinner, having come out of hospital on 10 December! Everyone pitched in though.
Since the pandemic the pressure has been off numbers wise and this year I'm more concerned about my forthcoming THR at the beginning of January.
We'll still give and receive presents and enjoy a proper Christmas day with immediate family though. And our house is decorated- some might say over decorated! Oh and we have 3 December birthdays to deal with in the close family too. Those 3 deserve to have their birthdays celebrated as much as those of us who have birthdays at other times of year!

I am working all day on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and it’s so much less stressful re Christmas preparations! 😂

Just a slightly bigger Sunday lunch ….with a few Xmas crackers for the kids …choice if two puds…..beer for the men ….wine for the women ….or vice versa🤷🏻‍♀️…..doesn’t even raise a sweat in my house . Take it or leave it…. whoever’s there with me seem to ‘take it’ …job done. No overthinking needed…

I Must say - I AM OVER IT. Got many years I was the Christmas Maestro - no detail or opportunity missed and damn the cost and lack of sleep - IT WAS CHRISTMAS. So an 100% about face for me. I could not care less. Whatever. If we see our kids - fine. If we don’t - fine. Whatever. Over the years I have seen and felt the pain that this holiday can mean for so many, watched grandchildren add this years toys to the ever growing PILE of “stuff” that never gets played with, and seen many feel upset ur slighted by who goes where when. I am OVER IT.

I like everything about it. I want to go overboard with all that I do. When, if, it becomes too much for me, then I’ll stop!!

We finally decorated the tree today and I posted the last cards. So I'm clearly not in the sprouts on since September category. But I do like Christmas and all the traditions. We are going to our oldest daughter on the day and middle daughter on 28th, so no entertaining this year. In my defence, I had an operation on my hand two and a half weeks ago and am having another kind of minor surgery on 20th, so we have planned to keep it simple this year.

I love Christmas - which means I want to enjoy it, so over the years I have honed my spread sheet and start wandering into the season in early November, making the pudding one week, the cake the next - and so it continues right up to completely preparing Christmas dinner while listening the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve afternoon, so that I do not go near the kitchen on Christmas day until 12.00pm, for lunch at 2. I cook, everyone else deals with the rest. For Christmas presents, people file wish lists in November, so no overload of toys or gifts that nobody wants

Christmas does not have to be a hassle, panic or drive you to exhaustion. It should be what you want. If all else fails, get organised.

I love Christmas but in November my DH diagnosed with Cancer. Obviously as it came as a surprise the bottom fell out of my world. I decided no big Christmas tree and not going to make so
Much fuss as I had in previous years. Our visit to Tokyo where our son lives and works with his family had to be abandoned. It was a really worrying time but I decided to think positive. My big tree abandoned n an artificial tree put up. Changed the colour of the baubles. Instead of making my own Christmas cake bought an undecorated one from the supermarket. Almond pasted it n ready roll bought icing put on. I’ve got on with it. The New Year will be a challenge but for now it’s our Christmas and will carry on. I wish everyone a good Christmas no matter what the challenges you have and hopefully a good New year.

Twig14

It was a really worrying time but I decided to think positive.

Twelve years ago I was also diagnosed with cancer prior to the Christmas season.

When you recover from the shock - and the bottom really does fall out of your world - and you make the decision to think and be positive, you begin to hold on to hope. And by now, hopefully, you have a plan of action from the medics, which will make your DH feel more in control of his life.

It's a bit of a hackneyed phrase, "stay positive" - but there is power in positive thinking. My cancer was fairly advanced, but I'm still here to tell the tale.

I wish your DH the best outcome, cling on to that positivity - it will never harm you, and a peaceful and gentle Christmas. .

I wish you and your husband a good Christmas and good news in the New Year Twig. You have done very well with your tree (mine’s artificial) and your cake (for the first time ever, mine’s a bought one too). Dickens gives good advice and speaks from an experience none of us would choose. Stay positive. I will remember you and your husband in my prayers.

I hate the traditional Christmas meal and DH and I are usually happy at home on our own with a luxury lunch of a chateabriand with a good bottle of red wine.
Sadly an unexpected death of a young niece means we are needed to support her family. My SIL usually had her talented chef daughters help in the kitchen. Sadly I have to step into this role as kitchen slave as SIL has broken her wrist. I’m losing sleep at the thought of all this entertaining .

I always go with the flow. Anyone can visit me as long as they take me as they find me. They will always get a great, warm welcome. Merry Christmas everyone xxx

Thank you Dickens for your kind words and I’m so glad you are still here I’m grateful to you. Have. Lovely Christmas and a very good New Year.

Thank you Getmandsheoherds Mum for keeping us in your prayers. Have a love Christmas

The TV ads seem more irritating than ever this year. Especially the Amazon one about the 3 tobogganing grannies!
Am trying to ignore everything till it goes away. Which it will, eventually.

I love Christmas. We have the room to accommodate all the family so we have all here on Boxing Day. Our youngest son and his delightful wife and small children will join us for Christmas Day. I’m retired and in reasonable good health for a 72 year old so happy to take on the catering. I have made a Christmas cake and pudding for the last 40 years. My DH has pancreatic cancer- diagnosed 2 years ago and had bravely struggled through 37 chemotherapy treatments. This could be his last Christmas with our lovely family.I will endeavour to make this a very special time. It is hard work but with some preparation it’s not so bad and if something goes wrong does it really matter! We have never overspent at Christmas- a few gifts for GC and token gifts for adults. I think everyone should have at least one little gift to open

I have got to the blessed stage of granny in the corner. No stress and someone else to make me a cup.of tea. Bliss.

I will be on my own as I have been often I'm not sad or lonely and shall enjoy a lovely day celebrating the birth of Christ

@Kathmaggie

53MiniMoon

My husband watched Jamie Oliver last night (I was out babysitting) and wants me to do a stuffed pumpkin for the Christmas table.
I an disinclined to acquiesce to his request!

Haha, when I read your post my first thought was: I would tell him to stuff a pumpkin himself

I've also reached Granny in the corner stage but with one stepdaughter,four step GC and eight step GGC and seven foster children plus all the in-laws, there will be no shortage of G & T makers.
Merry Christmas to you all.