Do you still look forward to Christmas every year.

Mutant z · 21-09-2017 10:02pm #1

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.

21-09-2017 10:14pm

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 · 21-09-2017 10:17pm

I'm still very excited about it all.

punisher5112 · 21-09-2017 10:18pm

I love the lights, can never have enough lights.

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

Mutant z · 21-09-2017 10:23pm

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 · 21-09-2017 10:26pm

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

qhe0i9zvfgdou8 · 21-09-2017 10:40pm

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

expatin africa · 22-09-2017 11:44am

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 · 22-09-2017 12:01pm

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 · 22-09-2017 12:38pm

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 · 22-09-2017 12:43pm

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 · 22-09-2017 12:47pm

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 · 22-09-2017 1:44pm

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 · 22-09-2017 9:49pm

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 · 24-09-2017 3:09pm

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 · 24-09-2017 3:10pm

That’s a great summary Peaty.

24-09-2017 3:48pm

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 · 24-09-2017 9:26pm

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 · 24-09-2017 10:54pm

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 · 24-09-2017 11:45pm

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 · 25-09-2017 4:04pm

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 · 26-09-2017 7:19pm

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 · 26-09-2017 7:20pm

This post has been deleted.

Glitzgirl · 26-09-2017 9:16pm

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 · 27-09-2017 12:48am

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 · 27-09-2017 12:58am

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 · 28-09-2017 11:06am

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 · 30-09-2017 4:23pm

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 · 01-10-2017 12:42am

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 · 03-10-2017 11:54pm

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 · 04-10-2017 5:59am

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.

Do you still look forward to Christmas every year.

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"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens