We’ve had Christmas already

Great idea - I wish I had done it already too... just from a traffic point of view alone, worth choosing a different date to celebrate!

For the first time ever, we are not 'doing Christmas'- I thought I'd be upset, but in fact it is very liberating in so many ways. Spent time with all the family and GCs early in December.

I decorated to big back room as we hosted the elderly from our Community 2 weeks ago for their Christmas dinner- but have not bothered with our part of the house at all, and just placed the small Xmas tree in a pot in the entrance lobby. My big brother is coming and I shall cook nice meals for xmas eve and xmas- and we will go out to restaurants for the rest.

Mazzi21 that sounds a very sensible plan to me. We did something similar so now all I have to do is a buffet for 5 on Christmas Eve. I don't think I shall enjoy Christmas Day on our own but off to DD2 for Boxing Day. DH insisted on us on having a small frozen turkey as we are on our own but I am not looking forward to cooking it. It looks like its been on hunger strike. I'm used to a big plump farm reared bird. I should be glad for what i have shouldnt I? Yes quite right.

I too feel it is over although I am still planning to go to D1 and family over Christmas weekend, but I had the whole extended family here on Sunday and we opened "Secret Santa" presents to each other and let the children open theirs so with that along with no cooking prep to do I really felt at a remote from all the women buzzing round Waitrose piling their trolleys high this morning (where I met friends for coffee) !
I think it's lovely you do this big meal for the "elderly" in your village Fleurpepper - at what stage do you qualify yourselves?

LOL yes, many are younger than us! When we bought this old house, it was the Vicarage, and the 'elderly' had lunch there once a month.- so we kept the tradition going, October to April. We said for 2 years- it has been 12 now. I do NOT do the cooking btw. A small number this time, as so many with colds and flu- only 35.

NO turkey in this house this year- pork filet and wild mushrooms on xmas eve, and leg of lamb with all the trimmings on xmas day.

Ye Olde ex Parish room was a cow and horse barn when the house was built in the 16C.

We've cooked Christmas (separately) for each of our 4 daughters and their families, we're done. We're happy to return to normal.

Well, done apart from our own CE and Christmas lunch and the various times our daughter and or their children will drop over for biscuits, puddings, visits in our 'magic' garden (so says a GGC).

At one time, Christmas celebrations started on Christmas Eve and carried on for 12 days. Nowadays, it seems to start in early December and be over with by Christmas Day.
I do like the build up to Christmas, and can understand why some of us celebrate with families before Christmas Day, but it seems to have lost something somewhere. Am I getting old?

The first time we were odour own at Chridtmas we booked lunch in a lovely local pub. I wasn't atall sure we would enjoy it but we did ..we had chosen somewhere withnoOTT fuss, just lovely food and a friendly atmosphere. We had a lovely time. Something to maybe consider for you both for another year if just the two of you?

We had Christmas part 1 yesterday MzOops and her family have now gone back home.
Christmas part 2 will be with MissOops and Nephew this weekend.
I hope I’m hungry by Sunday!

We had our AC and GC all here last weekend. The GC opened their stocking gifts. We all exchanged gifts for opening on the day. We had a lovely afternoon ice skating and evening just being together.
We’re seeing our son on Boxing Day… although I now have the throat and cough virus and if DH gets it in the meantime that won’t happen.
I am grateful that we all got together, and appreciate that it not being xmas day took the stress out of it for some members of the family.
But I had a good cry today nevertheless.

When our DC were small my siblings and I used to do Christmas over the August Bank Holiday. Much easier as nobody had to travel in bad weather, we could usually be outside, the kids didn't all have illnesses and weren't exhausted from school.

I can't think of a single good reason to do it in December. A pagan-type celebration of the turning of the year but not the whole Christmas thing.

We are hosting a cocktail party this evening for friends; there should be 10 if everyone comes. This will be our kick-off for the Christmas season.

Ours is usually quiet, just Christmas day lunch for 9, and visitors throughout the afternoon. The house is usually quiet by around 5, when we will tidy up and kick back with a movie and snacks.

No plans on Boxing Day either. After 5 days of freezing weather, it shows rain coming up, so we are better of cosy at home with the cribbage board and new puzzles.

Thank you all for your comments. I think I was just fixated on Christmas Day being the day that families get together but I now see that for many of us it’s sort of irrelevant when it is. And I have to say I’m sitting around very laid back while others around me are running themselves ragged trying to stock up on goodies.
We do also have a Christmas in June as we lived in Cape Town for a while and got into the habit there. We don’t include our kids in that as we meet up with friends we met out there who now live here. I therefore don’t have that long to wait till my next one!
Merry Christmas everyone

This is a question. I hope I'm doing this right. I have heard so much about Brexit, and have done some reading. However I would like to hear from the Grans out there as to how Brexit has affected you personally. Thx much.

Agh! Apologies. Obviously, I don't know how to start a new thread.

We're having quite an extended Christmas. My son's ex is going to spend Christmas with her mother who has come over from Hungary. She's taking their 9 year old with her. My daughter, her husband and their two boys will come to me for Christmas Day. One of her boys was born on Boxing Day so I will go to her for his party. My Hungarian ex DiL has realised that Christmas with her mum will mean Hungarian food so we will have another "proper" British Christmas dinner when she and GS come back.

Sounds lovely.

Be a lot cheaper to do it a week after Christmas when everything is reduced!

Its all at least a big step up to what we had in 2020 (and for me in 2019- so ill) so we should all take comfort from that- we have a quieter xmas most years now as my 2 youngest 'boys' have got older (19&24) as they want to stay home with their gaming & tv than live in a hotel room the rest of xmas (bar lunch of course) as most of rest of family live away from us. Your house sounds lovely fleurpepper.😊

We were going to my DDs, she is really good at doing the meal however DH has got flu and a chest infection, so we cancelled. Will miss seeing her and my GCs and her extended family. Also had to cancel DHs children and grandchildren who were coming on the 27th. However I must say I'm not feeling great now, so glad that it's just going to be the two of us!

We always go to visit my other grown up children & the grandbabies to take presents,but they save them for christmas day- we went last friday as i was keen to see middle daughters new baby too.Couldnt see eldest sons family as they all ill with this throat bug but son took presents at the door as hes mostly over it- took my youngest son to see his grandparents who he hasnt seen since 2019! and middle child had been to see my new house with his partner & step child 2 wks ago but brought gifts and my youngest DD to visit last saturday.So seen most of them.Eldest DD lives nearer so ill see her as and when.Me & granddaughter have planned a trip to cinema if theres anything for kids coming out and we did santa visit at end of november.

Im looking forward to lunch with the 'boys' (which inevitably ends up 'early tea', but no rush- and a mulled wine and settling down later with all the christmas telly when the lads go watch their own films (or play a new game for youngest)

My son is cooking the main course for my daughter (his sister) and I as his girlfriend is away seeing her relatives and sister who has come home from New Zealand for the first time in two years (it’s a complicated family set up as many are these days!). My ex was supposed to be at my sons too but he kicked up an almighty fuss about being asked to contribute something to the meal so he is going to my elder daughter and her family for lunch where he can eat for free, as usual. My son is in his final year of an MSc in Physiotherapy and although he works part time is not rich! He and his gf have just scraped enough together to buy a flat (she works) so I feel it’s not unreasonable of him to ask for a little help on what can be an expensive meal-though corners have been cut where possible. I am doing two desserts and my daughter the starters. Looking forward to it and I hope my ex doesn’t pull a face when we all turn up at my elder girls on Christmas evening. Families!