Xmas Sadness

Yes, it does. I remember the wonderful magical Christmases I had as a child and those I shared with my (now adult) children.
I remember my youngest son singing carols from a book and holding a lantern as he called door to door, receiving chocolates, gifts and money. I made sure he sang more than the well known verses and he was sometimes joined by his younger sister. He donated the money to the Salvation Army after I converted the cash into a cheque but he wrote the accompanying letter and envelope. As he was too small to reach the post box he had to be lifted. His face was a picture of happiness.
I feel really blessed as a mother, they mean everything to me.

I don't get sad at Christmas but do recall the Christmases of my childhood. How i wish I still had my dear Mum and Dad and aunties to share Christmas with. I do however have two sons still living at home and a daughter who will visit with grandchildren sometime over Christmas or New Year. I do love to make stockings for grandchildren. Actually one of the things i enjoy most about Christmas is writing out Christmas cards and Christmas movies and having a lie in with dh who usually gets up early as he still works.

I do find it hard though enjoy it for the family but always makes me remember it as a kid,it had a special feel to it then but that has long gone. Would have relatives over and of course my brothers all there,now one brother is gone and I never see the others.
Will be especially hard this year though remembering losing my husband last Christmas.

BlueSky Thank you. It overwhelms me. I broke down the second Christmas of my marriage while writing cards. that was 1971. Since then I have never coped.

I dread it. I have also gained very sad reasons for dreading it, since, but do have happy ones, yet I can't pick myself up.

Last year I tried to keep up the smiling as usual with my DCh and DGC around. I was tearing apart inside. I actually think I need help. I felt so acutely alone amidst the younger generation and the children.

I don't know what it is about brass bands but I only have to hear them playing Carols and I'm in bits! You feel such a fool crying in public. One time I got on a bus to town and as I stepped off, I heard the Salvation Army band playing. I gulped back the tears, turned around and got straight back on the bus home!

The saddest thing for me is waking up alone on Christmas day. Even though I'm getting together with the family later, it's never the same as hearing the excited squeals of children.

NannyC2 .What about the other 364 days ?.

Willow I cry at brass bands too I ve never worked out why ?it’s not that I love them or anything I like them but I love other forms of music more, so it’s not that I ve never worked it out I well up whatever they are playing or whether I recognise the piece of music or not ???

I know exactly what you mean BlueBelle I'm glad to know it's not just me!

Willow10 I'm glad its not just me too but that sounds mean! I've always loved Christmas BUT have cried at the sight of fairy lights, decorated tress, the Sal Dabs collecting, adverts - you name it, I've cried about it! Crap has happened recently that gives me cause to blub but that's life and never had a reason before but still did!.

Tress not tress obv!

I've only gone and done it again TREES!!!!

Thanks ladies glad it's not just me nowadays I tend to put everything down to depression. It's just an overwhelming feeling, I do like Xmas but yes the brass band of the Salvation Army just does it! Whether subconsciously we remember Xmas past I'm not sure, does it just happen when we are older? ?☃️

yes christmas makes me very sad, because loved ones are not here, while everyone is happy..and getting christmassy. last year i was on my own..and was unhappy. last year my daughter lost her husband to heart related problems he was 37. it was so very hard to be happy. but on the whole christmas is not what it used to be.,.too much money spent on a load of plastic c**p....and the reason of the season has gone down hill .if it wasnt for my church ,my daughter and grandchildren i would not bother.if i could have a wish i would wish my my mum and dad were here for christmas.

It doesn’t make me sad. It makes me feel anxious and a bit low.
I never enjoy it, or the run up to it.
Even with toddler grandchild.

It’s all so false, isn’t it.
And essentially it’s a Christian tradition and I’m a non believer.

BlueSky, Christmas is not the jolly, holly time for many . It can be a very lonely/ sad time , but with the hype in the lead up , those of us who for whatever reason do not feel happy - jolly, we feel we should be.

It is two days in a year, the TV companies think it’s two weeks . X

After my husband died I felt I coped very well. However, the first Christmas after he died I just cried when I heard Christmas songs as he loved Christmas. I would be going round the supermarket for food or other shops for Christmas presents with tears pouring down my face. It took 5 o 6 years before this stopped.
This is quite separate from liking Christmas or not.

Dontaskme - this automatic spell checking can drive you to distraction sometimes can't it? I always have to double check when I put my postcode in, otherwise it turns it into an (unpronouncable) word!

I don’t DO Christmas, and haven’t since my late mother died, not a decoration in sight in my home, I take my gifts to the grandchildren and that is it.

I’m not a Christian, and prefer the old religion of paganism where Yuletide celebrates the ‘turn’ of the year towards lighter days and warmer weather.
I can’t do with all the commercialism and plastic rubbish, but I fill my home with beautiful greenery and enjoy nice food with my family and anyone else who is around.
I do buy presents for the children, tho’. I try to get keepsake gifts rather than toys if I can, carved wooden boxes were popular last year, haven’t thought of anything for this year yet.
Anyway, if you hate Christmas, try having a ‘Cool Yule’!

Sluttygran, I have attended a pagan festival to welcome spring, what happens at a Yule festival?

I really hate Christmas not the religious bit but just the non stop music in shops and everybody assuming you are having a lovely time . It is full of regrets for me no happy childhood memories a few good ones maybe when the children were young and they took their best present to church to show everyone. We just look forward to the first of January when I can listen to Classic FM without risking Christmas music .

Love it all but don't indulge in any sort of frenzy.

I agree that there is a melancholy to Christmas, even if life is good.

Its a funny old time.

I think this is why a lot of people prefer to embrace halloween and cut back on Christmas...

Christmas has an element of quantifying what you have/don't have. Both materialistic and things of the heart. If you have a lot theres an element of guilt (see people who overrun refuges with stuff they cant store at christmas then forget them the rest of the year). If you have less it is heightened.

Halloween is more of a leveller..

I'm not sure that it is nowadays, notanan, what with all the commercialism encouraging people to buy outfits to dress up in, foods and sweets to buy with a Halloween theme, parties to go to or give. This in itself can create competition and a feeling of "have to do". It's so American, as is some aspects of Christmas now. I'm afraid commercialism spoils so much of the true meaning of our festivals.