Do you still look forward to Christmas every year.

Mutant z

I noticed since I've gotten older i don't look forward to Christmas as much as i did when i was a child i suppose this is natural as you grow up and have less and less presents to open with each passing year. These days its more about the dinner and whats on tv, it really doesn't feel the same to me as id did when i was a kid, do many others get this feeling that it loses its sense of enjoyment the older you get and just feels like another day.

Mutant z

Mutant z wrote: »

I noticed since I've gotten older i don't look forward to Christmas as much as i did when i was a child i suppose this is natural as you grow up and have less and less presents to open with each passing year. These days its more about the dinner and whats on tv, it really doesn't feel the same to me as id did when i was a kid, do many others get this feeling that it loses its sense of enjoyment the older you get and just feels like another day.

This will sound terrible but after the age of about 8 I stopped getting excited about the presents I'd be getting because most years they pretty much sucked. There were two years after that where i got, completely out of the blue a good present, but most years since then not much to right home about.

Nowadays I get excited about what gifts im going to give people. Thats the bit I focus on.

And I do buy myself a Christmas present most years. Something i know i want but would never ask for.

Posy

I'm still very excited about it all.

punisher5112

I love the lights, can never have enough lights.

Just don't like the damp and cold...

Mutant z

To be honest i look forward to the football fixtures more than anything else therwise the whole thing seems to pass by unnoticed, it really does seem to be a holiday for children.

AnneFrank

Worst time of the year for me,build up and the day itself. Don't begrudge others though

qhe0i9zvfgdou8

Don't like the long run in but love when it gets to Christmas Eve. As above the football helps too

expatin africa

love it and am a 35 old male, already looking for new decorations, it might be different for me as i work abroad 2/3 of the year, but there is nothing like the plane rides back to ireland everyone so happy on the plane and at the airports, the towns are buzzing, and of course i am a bigger child than my kids so will re recommending what toys they should get

chuckles30

I think I went through a phase where I didn't, but in the last few years, since I have my own house and I can decorate it etc, I love it. I love the lights and decorations and the lovely cosy feeling it brings.

CelticRambler

expatin africa wrote: »

love it and am a 35 old male, already looking for new decorations, it might be different for me as i work abroad 2/3 of the year ...

... and I'm nearly 50 and still think Christmas is magical! With or without presents.

However, I despise the overly commercial build-up in Ireland and the UK all through October and November, to the point where I now choose not to visit either country during that period if I can help it.

I much prefer the original Germanic Advent-Christmas-NewYear rhythm, where the party season starts on the 24th instead of coming to an end, so I prefer to spend my time in Alsace/Germany/Switz/Austria. My tree goes up sometime after the 15th December and stays up till Mardi Gras :pac:

Greybottle

I like it as it's a great chance to meet up with mates. I'm from an area that's an emigration blackspot and it's a good time to catch up.

This will be my first Christmas when both parents are gone, so it'll be a bit different I guess. But it was always on the cards anyway.

I like the holiday aspect of it, the wee bit of decadence involved and as mentioned above, there's loads of footie on the TV.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

I enjoy the Christmas period, the day itself can be a bit of an anti climax in my opinion. But I enjoy seeing friends who are home from abroad, cozy evenings in the pub, loads of football on telly and just general craic. I find it an escape from the drudgery of winter time Monday to Friday 9-5.

Loughc

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

I enjoy the Christmas period, the day itself can be a bit of an anti climax in my opinion. But I enjoy seeing friends who are home from abroad, cozy evenings in the pub, loads of football on telly and just general craic. I find it an escape from the drudgery of winter time Monday to Friday 9-5.

Yea funnily enough the day itself isn't my favorite part of the season, Christmas Eve and even some of the days in between Christmas and New Years are often better days.

freshpopcorn

I always loved Christmas as a child and I don't think I ever really went off it to be honest. I love the/painting/sprucing up the house/looking out for bits and pieces in the shops in the lead up Christmas/Browsing the net/shops for Christmas stuff/making the cakes & food/buying all the food/decorating the house/seeing the lights up/seeing people in a good mood around/better tv/love the Christmas Eve vibe.
I don't get worked up about having the perfect Christmas/brilliant presents/etc.

Peatys

From early memory to when i "found out", pure magic. Wondered why it was only once a year..
From 8 to about 17, bit of a fallow period, following my parents around at Christmas. Looked forward to the break from school more than anything.
17 to 23: Looked forward to the pubs/meeting mates.
23 to 34: Looked forward to two weeks of with my wife.. own house, having house parties.
34 to date: kids....and the magic is back more than ever!!!! why is it only once a year??

Loughc

That’s a great summary Peaty.

I've just finished my Christmas present list(as in what Im buying other people). Yeah I know its only September, but its good to be prepared. I can start picking things up over the next couple of months and then I don't have a huge christmas pressie bill come december.

Belle E. Flops

The older I get the more excited I get about Christmas. And the earlier I start getting excited.
I used be strictly a 'I don't want to hear or think about Christmas until December' person, but now once September hits I'm beginning to look forward to it.
I try to keep myself from listening to Christmas songs or watching Christmas movies until the first of November though.
I love autumn and Halloween too so I don't want to rush these couple of months. Sept - Jan 1st is my favourite time of year.

Toto Wolfcastle

I can't imagine not looking forward to Christmas. It's such a magical time of year. People are generally in good form and the lights really brighten up the place. There are no kids in our house, and unfortunately that will most likely never change, but I've never thought that it takes away from the magic of Christmas. I get a little buzz whenever I think about Christmas, and at this time of year it's daily! Can't wait!

freshpopcorn

I know some people and they never really got to like Christmas as an adult. I honestly don't know why. I know a few people and they blame there dislike of Christmas on the death of a relative but in my experience they always disliked it.

crossmolinalad

Deleted User wrote: »

I've just finished my Christmas present list(as in what Im buying other people). Yeah I know its only September, but its good to be prepared. I can start picking things up over the next couple of months and then I don't have a huge christmas pressie bill come december.

Ohhh you are not the only one , we started here after Christmas last year and we will be ready next week
Last weeks before Christmas is way to expensive

otnomart

Living abroad, for me Christmas time starts sometime in August, when I make the decision on flight dates and book the time off work accordingly.
As for presents, we are pretty low key in my family, if we find a nice gift for one another we never wait for Christmas, so I don't really feel the stress.

I enjoy the whole run-up: Autumn has bags of charm for me with its harvest fairs, colours turning, roasted chestnuts. Then Halloween and its ghost stories, and finally the Christmas lights and markets and the smell of spicy mulled wine.

OldMrBrennan83

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Glitzgirl

I love live and breath for christmas and I think as mentioned by others it's only gotten better as I have had my own children.

My love of christmas survived a childhood with parents who weren't pushed about Christmas or traditions, a sister who is anti social and still hates christmas and I'm pretty sure Mr glitz was a stunt double for the grinch when I met him.

I won't lie there was a Dark patch last year. I felt I was doing all the decorations and my eldest wasn't pushed on watching christmas movies etc it really took the family closenses I love out of christmas. It made christmas feel like another "mom " chore. And I think my family got so worried they had "broke me " that they are full on festive mood since January this year lol.

Christmas is back for me woohoo

Whispered

I went through a stage where I was excited about the food and time off work but it didn't feel magical.

Now with a kid in the mix it's more magical than ever.

Third_Echelon

Yeah, I always love the Christmas period, especially the week before Christmas as it's usually work parties, meeting up with friends that you haven't seen in ages, good sports on around then too... Always a good time.

The past few years I've been living abroad. First year we didn't get back for Christmas as we had just moved, so we had an Irish Christmas in California which was nice to experience. It was actually quite cold around San Francisco, so that helped a bit to keep it Christmassy... Last year we got back for 2 weeks at Christmas, which was great. The excitement was building for the weeks before the flight home.. Meeting everyone at the airport was great

Just booked the flights home a couple of days ago for this Christmas, so I've started to plan a few things... checked the Leinster Rugby fixtures, so i'll be able to catch a few games to keep the Rugby fix going for a while...

Always great to get back and catch up with family and friends, but doing it at Christmas always makes it so much better!

DvB

Whispered wrote: »

I went through a stage where I was excited about the food and time off work but it didn't feel magical.

Now with a kid in the mix it's more magical than ever.

This!

When I was a kid it was the most magical thing ever, then as I grew up & started to socialise it became simply time off college/work & a few nights out, I never went full ba humbug but it definitely lost some of its lustre, especially when I was living alone. Once I met my wife though it all changed, Christmas became exciting again, since then the arrival of the kids has moved it onto a whole new level & I started to look forward to it from Halloween onwards most years & loved the whole build up, waiting for the tv adverts, seeing the lights & decorations go up, wathcing christmas movies etc.

Since finding this little part of boards I find myself dipping in & out throughout the year but since the start of September have been popping in regularly, feeding off everyone elses buzz... Christmas may not be what it used to be but I still think its a magical time of year when the majority of people are in good form & that has to be a positive. I honestly hope I never grow out of it & I'll do my best to make it as special as possible for as long as I can.

Pawwed Rig

Love it. Love the few days off to spend with the family. Don't care about the weather as happy to stay in the house with an open fire roaring if it is bad out. Great time to catch up with people etc.

StripedBoxers

I look forward to it most years, this year, more than ever.

Last year I didn't look forward to or enjoy it at all and the year before was the same, this year though, its far more special to me.

I can't wait for it. The build up, wrapping presents, going to the Xmas markets etc. It will be wonderful and I can't wait for it.

Funthalia_Love

I think that there are some years where Christmas is just essentially some thing different from the normal hum drum of life. I don't have any children and am self employed, so find that work would happily suck me into a never-ending tornado of wages, revenue and adhering to professional standards.

Also, and this is the biggest thing for me, it makes go out to meet with and enjoy the company of my family and friends. And sure - they're great!

DunnoKidz

Wasn't a happy time growing up but still loved the music, lights, trees, tv specials, food, etc.
As an adult, I made it my own. There is so much warmth to behold and participate in, even without funds or family.
Like others, I love the season much more than the day (mostly because the day ends the season).
Do wish it was more than a few short weeks each year. Tis a lovely season.

In short, I look forward to it now more than I did as a kid.

miamee

I loved Christmas as a child (who didn't?) then lost the feeling for a few years but I do generally love it and the run up to it as well. I like to do things to increase the festive spirit so we've a trip to Christmas markets in Dusseldorf planned for early December, that will be fun.

It's my baby nephew's first Christmas which will be great fun though he'll ony be 6 months old, a bit young to understand what's happening yet! I should have had a little niece celebrating her first Christmas this year too but she didn't make it so there will be a little sadness too

Still looking forward to the whole season though

SarahLil

Great posts everyone I've enjoyed reading every single one of them
I've always enjoyed Christmas, each different from the next so to speak but lots of traditions still going
Last year was my first time to cook I cooked for us in my mothers, this year I plan to have it in our house and take my mother to stay with us

I literally can't wait now for the season

branie2

Of course I do :-)

Ghekko

For the most part I have loved Christmas over the years. I loved present shopping and getting presents. That aspect has changed in recent years and now having to buy gifts for others wrecks my head! I love Santa shopping and that's about it. I have had a few close family members die and in those years Christmas was just so sad and it was hard to put on a happy face. I love putting up the decorations early in December - may as well make the most out of them :-)

Ghekko

miamee wrote: »

It's my baby nephew's first Christmas which will be great fun though he'll ony be 6 months old, a bit young to understand what's happening yet! I should have had a little niece celebrating her first Christmas this year too but she didn't make it so there will be a little sadness too

Still looking forward to the whole season though

So sorry to hear about your niece. I lost our firstborn some years ago in December. I can tell you that Christmas was horrendous. The longing to have my baby and the physical pain of not being able to hold him. It was an awkward time for the family too I'm sure. Hope you don't mind me suggesting to include your niece in someway - be it getting a decoration for her parents with her name, or donating a few euro to a relevant charity in her honour. It means a lot to us to have our son acknowledged. Take care.

miamee

Ghekko wrote: »

So sorry to hear about your niece. I lost our firstborn some years ago in December. I can tell you that Christmas was horrendous. The longing to have my baby and the physical pain of not being able to hold him. It was an awkward time for the family too I'm sure. Hope you don't mind me suggesting to include your niece in someway - be it getting a decoration for her parents with her name, or donating a few euro to a relevant charity in her honour. It means a lot to us to have our son acknowledged. Take care.

Thanks Ghekko, I'm so sorry to hear about your son also.

That is a nice idea, I had planned on getting them something but will include baby as part of the present if I can. Things are still difficult for them, naturally enough.

branie2

I'll have to start my Christmas shopping soon.

Vojera

I love Christmas! The last few years in particular, since I got married and my wife and I started spending Christmas Day together rather than with our respective families. We alternate between her crowd and my crowd now. No kids for us, but we have a gaggle of nieces to keep us going and they bring such cheer. Not that we need kids around to make it Christmassy, but they definitely help.

I know people will think this is crazy early, but I have my first thoughts about Christmas around July of each year :eek: The reason for that is that I make eggnog as gifts for a good few people, so around July I make an approximate list and calculate how much booze I need to buy and from then start buying a bottle or two of bourbon/rum every month. Helps spread out the cost as it's an expensive habit.

After that, I put it to bed for a while but I have it in the back of my mind in case I see gifts for our nieces or anything. From September-ish, though, I usually start filling up my calendar with all the meet-ups that happen during the Christmas season (e.g. college friends, delivering eggnog and gingerbread to various people, work Christmas night) and I start listening for hints for gifts.

I understand why some people don't enjoy the season, but to me it's all about spending time with the people you love, making the effort to catch up and reminding people that you appreciate them.

freshpopcorn

Vojera wrote: »

.

I know people will think this is crazy early, but I have my first thoughts about Christmas around July of each year :eek: T

Nothing is crazy around here!

Posy

That's definitely not early, by our standards!

omb0wyn5ehpij9

I used to be absolutely Christmas mad, would be counting down from the middle of the year! But the year my dad died I lost all of the love I had for Christmas, and it was like that for the next couple of years. But in the last year or two it’s come back, and is growing each year

gypsylee

BDJW wrote: »

I used to be absolutely Christmas mad, would be counting down from the middle of the year! But the year my dad died I lost all of the love I had for Christmas, and it was like that for the next couple of years. But in the last year or two it’s come back, and is growing each year

This is me this year. My Dad died in June and I am finding it hard this year. Going to make the best of it and hopefully next Christmas will be better cos I really love everything about the Christmas season.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

gypsylee wrote: »

This is me this year. My Dad died in June and I am finding it hard this year. Going to make the best of it and hopefully next Christmas will be better cos I really love everything about the Christmas season.

Sorry to hear about your dad . This year will definitely be tough, but hopefully you will be able to enjoy some of it. Plenty of time spent with friends and family, and make sure to look after yourself

SarahLil

gypsylee wrote: »

This is me this year. My Dad died in June and I am finding it hard this year. Going to make the best of it and hopefully next Christmas will be better cos I really love everything about the Christmas season.

Sorry to hear about your father
I was in a similar position last year it can be very tough, mixed emotions,
BDJW is right have plenty of family and friends around you and be kind to yourself, take care

valoren

Some of my best and worst memories are Christmas related. I remember Christmas Eve in 1984 when 'Last Christmas' was the hit single. I was just turned 4 and one of my earliest memories is sleeping Christmas Eve with my mother. She was cuddling into me and I remember feeling comfortable, safe and completely loved. I will always remember that. It's my own personal memory. I got a 'Poppel' that Christmas, my taste for gifts not becoming sophisticated until the following Christmas.

I really wanted a bike and I was sure Santy would bring me one. This was in the 80's during some bleak economic times. My mother tried to persuade me to get something else. She would invent a litany of excuses to try and dissuade me from wanting a bike, an expensive present for the time. Santa wouldn't be able to fit it down the chimney was the most used reason but I was undeterred. When Christmas morning came, there under the tree was a bike. I was euphoric and loved Santy for coming through. In reality, it was my mother who was the unsung hero, having to scrimp and save to prevent me from a crushing disappointment.

The rest of the 80's were great while still a 'believer'. Then when reality hit, Christmas presents came in line with teenage wants such as a Sega Mega Drive. In 1995, aged 14. I was hounding again for a particular present. This time it was for Mortal Kombat 2. I just had to have it. It was £50. An exorbitant price beyond my own means. Again, not wanting to disappoint me, I ground my mother down until she relented. The absolute guilt from hounding her to pay £50 coupled with the reality that the game itself was completely rubbish, had a big psychological impact on me which continues to this day. She spent the £50, a not insignificant sum for a computer game. And for me alone. To this day, I become riddled with guilt when given Christmas presents, or gifts of any kind for that matter. I trace it back to that Christmas in 95. I derive far more enjoyment from gifting than receiving. For me that is the best gift.

Christmas during the late 90's and through the 00's were the years of hating, dreading Christmas. My dad, would invariably use the Christmas period to indulge himself with alcohol to put it mildly. Christmas was the perfect excuse. Anyone who has lived with an alcoholic parent will know the feeling. One particularly memorable Christmas Day in 2006, was spent wrestling him, pissed as a fart on whiskey, to the ground. We had to hide his car keys from him. He wanted to drive, in the state he was in, to the local garage for more drink. Every Christmas, he would get drunk and start an argument. It didn't take long for me to hate Christmas Day to that end. The best thing about Christmas during that time was meeting up with old friends from school and college. Nothing could beat the regular pub crawls we made in the cold weather at Christmas. As the years went by, attendances naturally dwindled.

Since 1992, with my two brothers and my cousin we established what quickly became a tradition of going to the city centre in Cork very early on Christmas Eve for breakfast. Kylemore in Cork was the established venue until it closed in 2013. When I say early, I mean early. He would walk to our house whatever the weather, knock on our door at 7am and we would all walk the 2.5 miles into town. We would stay in the city until the afternoon, then after a pint head home and disperse. Now as an adult, this became my favorite part of Christmas. We made it to 2015 doing the same tradition. To commemorate, the 20th outing I wrote a poem to acknowledge it's importance to me personally. Hardly Yeats I know but;

The journey starts from sixty five.
It's now that Christmas comes alive.
The cold, wind, rain or ice won't matter.
We're heading to town for some chatter.
Richard will stroll for his rendezvous,
with his cousins down in twenty two.
With not a soul to see him go,
there is only four who are in the know.
He will go and knock on the door,
to ensure and insist that there must be four.
He will never be so late, as Kylemore opens up at eight.
Our walk begins just after seven, walking through Cork is always heaven.
We always wrap up nice and warm, and then off to Kylemore us four will swarm.
Through the dark streets and into North Gate, a full Irish breakfast does await.
Posing for photo's with a smile, freezing and excited all the while.
With our seat overlooking Patrick Street, we settle down and start to eat.
Below us the crowds will come to shop, and soon our eating will begin to stop.
At noon, we stop for coffee or tea, good chat and banter is all we need.
At Day's end it's on the number two, we always note the day just flew.
Only a year to the next one, imagine that, with the bus driver always wearing a Santy hat.
Our time we mention is passing us by, but every year we make sure we meet,
with hopes, dreams and all our Christmas wishes, in Kylemore on the eve of Christmas.

The meetings ended after 2015 after a falling out with my younger brother. I've detailed about that in other threads but it came time to end it as we now have families. The other 3 still arrange to meet but I no longer choose to attend. And so starts the next phase of Christmas. Our daughter turns one in December and I now once again look forward to Christmas with a family of my own very much. Christmas is something to look forward to now once again. So Christmas for me has been a mixed bag but I can honestly say, I will be loving it from now on with a family of our own.

Cienciano

I like the run up to Christmas. But I really don't like the day itself.

freshpopcorn

Cienciano wrote: »

I like the run up to Christmas. But I really don't like the day itself.

I think lots of people experience this even people who post regularly in this forum!

Lorelli!

Last year I couldn't get into much and I think that's the only year that's happened to me. I'm already getting a bit excited about it now and I still have nothing done yet.

I wouldn't mind one year to be a kid again for Christmas though. My parents hyped it up every year. My dad still comes home with random things on Christmas Eve. A couple of years ago he bought these shock gun things. My OH and him were running around the house shooting each other and my mam was in the kitchen freaking out with her hands over face saying to me "he's gonna have a heart attack, god forbid" :pac: he didn't thankfully!

mirrorwall14

I’ve always liked it though the mileage varied. Probably the worst was when I was a church organist and for about 5 years straight I got sick every Christmas Day without fail after doing so many services on top of school I was exhausted. College was fun coming home but family stresses meant some of the shine was gone. Then came marriage and new experiences when I went somewhere else for Christmas (Super weird!!) and finally Christmas ourselves when our first arrived. This year he is coming three and largely ‘gets it’. I am absolutely revelling in his wonder and excitement and I will treasure these memories for years to come

Estrellita

I do love Christmas, and especially when you have children expecting Santa My only gripe like many others, is that it is drawn out far too long and it sort of wears me down by the time it arrives.

I love cooking for everyone over Christmas, seeing people flaked out with happy tummy's. Cooking from scratch and getting the family involved in the preparation really adds to Christmas for me. Going to the carols at church is lovely, as is Christmas Mass