Build up to Christmas

Can’t stand it, fingers in ears and singing when any adverts come on To much sadness and division in the country and world to be watching these shxx samey sickly adverts of all the jolly families round the table when half the world is starving
Nah not for me

I'm another who dislikes Christmas. 1 day , the country seems to go crazy in the build up . The tv bombarding us with nonsense . The shops full of plastic glitter . The jingling jangling music in shops . All I feel is deep sadness at our world, the awful news daily and the concerns for our country. Yes I will try and smile , to help others through an emotional time and I'll breath a sigh of relief when it's done .

I know we are very fortunate. My DS and DD are relatively well off and don’t really need anything and the teenage g’dtrs (15 and 17) now want money or vouchers for their favourite shops. I am not so well off but have everything I need.
So, we have agreed to each buy just one voucher for the g’dtrs. We will also donate a gift for a less fortunate child. Not trying to be morally superior here, that suggestion came from my eldest g’dtr.
To be honest it will be a relief not to have to buy so many presents. I was spending about £100 (money that is hard to find) on each person, often on things they didn’t really want and I was coming home with a bag full of gifts (kindly meant) most of which I would never use.
We will spend Christmas Day together, eating, drinking and playing games, as always and that is what we all look forward to most.

That’s sensible of you Allsorts and a low key Christmas may be a happier one.

We are already scaling it down Allsorts, will just be about GCs and have agreed to a secret Santa for ACs, no big gift buying on thing nobody really needs. Now that I am caring for Mr B will be a different Christmas. DDs coming to us because could be last time here before we move but they are bringing most of the Christmas dinner with them. Though am pretty sure I will still be making the Xmas cake and other goodies.
Just glad we made it to Christmas this year, though will be heartily glad to see the back of this year.

I adore Christmas, as do our adult children and grandchildren (even the late teens)

It is the one time of the year, we indulge each other, unusually I am not hosting any day over the holidays, really looking forward to December and all the decorations, wrapping of gifts, everything.

Going to a pantomime with AC and GC on 23/12

Finishing off the season to be jolly with the last performance of this years pantomime at the London Palladium in January with my girlfriends 🎄🛍️🪅🤶

I still love it but the sadness and division you referred too BlueBelle which the estrangement in our family has brought to our door, never ceases to make it the hardest time of the year.

No seeing GC for us and with our DS in Australia, no children either. Each Christmas Eve marks the anniversary of our estrangement; 13 years this year.

Maybe this year we'll manage to get through it without any tears.

Why is this in "Estrangement"?

DaisyAnneReturns

Why is this in "Estrangement"?

I hadn’t noticed it was 🤷‍♀️

I can’t say I know anybody who’d take the TV ads of super-happy families at tables groaning with food, as representing Real Life. Any more than TBH they believe those Homes and Gardens type Christmas issues, where someone’s perfectly and tastefully decorated Georgian Rectory - was photographed in June.

I love Christmas, but wish it could be confined to the week before, instead of starting in October. I can't help thinking that it would be a lot more special if that were the case.

I also wish there were less emphasis on big happy families and consumption that people can't afford. It is madness when people on limited budgets feel they have to get into debt so they can recreate an adman's idea of Christmas. But I doubt things will change, and all we can do is what feels right for ourselves.

My Christmases are changing. My children live miles away, so no chance of anyone calling in on anyone else - it's either stay over or nothing. They both have partners and homes of their own, and both couples have to take possible Christmas working into account, so staying over isn't easy either. After many years of Doodle Towers being the centre of things, I don't yet know whether Mr Dog and I will be having Christmas on our own this year. I realise that as we have each other and will probably see both of the children over the holiday period we are luckier than many, but the TV Christmases with big tables groaning with food and happy families exchanging gifts will be a sharp contrast. Life moves on, I know, but I can't help feeling wistful about Christmases Past.

I wondered that too DaisyAnneReturns. Maybe it was put here in error.

I saw my first advert on TV for Christmas last week...
But, I love the build up to Christmas. I too try and reduce it every year, but end up doing the same.

I too love Christmas and this year we’ll have both my children and the two grandchildren staying Christmas Eve, first time for about six years.
Both children are on tight budgets so there will be decent, but not extravagant, presents, we’re lucky and reflect that in our local gifting to those less fortunate.

I hadn't noticed that the thread is in Estrangement, as I browse by 'Active Topics' so never see the forum titles, but for those who are estranged Christmas must be even more difficult than the rest of the year.

For us it's the worse time of the year Doodledog, which is why I wondered if it had been put on the wrong forum.

I admit I clicked on it to get a bit of fellow feelings geothermal others who won’t be having a ‘family” Christmas.
Though I’m not estranged I find that portrayal of what I can’t have quite hard to take sometimes.

And felt a bit down to read lots of posts about seeing the grandchildren and stuff.

Definitely shouldn’t be in this forum🙁

how can “with” get changed to geothermal 🙄

Sorry Lathyrus3 if my post touched a nerve, I hadn’t noticed this was in estrangement either.

Aww, that’s kind. Ninety nine per cent of the time I’m not bothered. Just got caught unawares😊

Even harder for those who are estranged💐

Smileless2012

For us it's the worse time of the year Doodledog, which is why I wondered if it had been put on the wrong forum.

I completely understand that.

Smileless2012

For us it's the worse time of the year Doodledog, which is why I wondered if it had been put on the wrong forum.

I know. It is always hard.
Thinking of those for whom Christmas will be a time for memories and tears.

For me, Christmas is ghastly and full of fakery and commercialism.

I love Christmas for me it is a magical time of year. Although I understand that is not the case for everyone especially with family estrangements. It can also be a difficult time of year for those who have been bereaved or are lonely.