its not all festive and cheer

Kylta · 02-12-2020 09:30AM #1

What does xmas mean to you?

Is it a time of happiness.
If you've children its great to see there little faces light up on xmas morning.

Is it a time of sadness.
Family members having passed on, or are maybe suffering from serious illnesses etc.

Is it a time of friction.
Some festive family get togethers are a recipe for disaster

So what does xmas mean for you?

Badly Drunk Boy · 02-12-2020 09:34AM

For me, it's all festive and cheer.

02-12-2020 09:40AM

Kylta wrote: »

What does xmas mean to you?

Is it a time of happiness.
If you've children its great to see there little faces light up on xmas morning.

Have children - but never do the Santa thing with them and the like.

Mostly for us it is a time for family and friends. The keyword being "time" where we take the opportunity to put everything else on hold and give that time entirely to those around us - and celebrate the achievement of making it through another year.

Given the year we just had - will be feeling like we have more to celebrate in that regard than usual.

02-12-2020 09:51AM

I'm indifferent to it, will mean even less with the loss of a family member a few months ago. Those mawkish Christmas ads attempting to tug at the purse heart strings, and the 80s cheese (Wham and Shakin' Stevens) pumped out on loop in supermarkets and town squares. All of this forced jollity rankles, and it's difficult to avoid. 2021 cannot come soon enough, at least the days will be getting longer for a start. And the vaccine, now there's genuine cause for optimism.

Signed,

Bertie's Grinch

KaneToad · 02-12-2020 09:57AM

I think it's for children. But unfortunately it's not a happy time for all children.

Too much debt, too much expectation, too much alcohol. I'd rather it was just a 2 day event with minimal gift giving. Two days off for people to meet friends/family would suffice.

SEPT 23 1989 · 02-12-2020 10:03AM

A good rest for a few weeks

02-12-2020 10:15AM

Kylta wrote: »

What does xmas mean to you

Just another day in work.

alchemist33 · 02-12-2020 10:17AM

It's all in the anticipation, and then a let-down from about 11am on Christmas Day.

eviltwin · 02-12-2020 11:36AM

Not a fan. I try and make it nice for my own family but its a stark reminder of how estranged I am from my siblings and always makes me feel a bit sad. The effort to be in Christmas mode is exhausting but you can't be any other way when you have kids, I don't want them growing up feeling its anything other than magical. I'm working this Christmas which I think will be the best thing for me, it will keep my mind busy and give me space to be a grump.

02-12-2020 11:55AM

eviltwin wrote: »

The effort to be in Christmas mode is exhausting but you can't be any other way when you have kids

As with many things in life I wonder if we convince ourselves we have to do more and be more than we actually do on things like that.

I know for example I got many gifts at xmas as a kid. There was trees. Presents. Santa Xmas morning. Big dinners. Crackers. Fires. Cakes and puddings. The lot.

The only thing of all that I actually remember with any clarity? The family from abroad who came home to visit.

I've skipped Santa entirely with my kids and mostly skipped presents and present giving with them too and much of the standard "exhausting Christmas mode" stuff. Making it much less exhausting for me than it was for my parents - but seemingly no less a wonderful time for my kids than it was for me.

eviltwin · 02-12-2020 12:01PM

Deleted User wrote: »

As with many things in life I wonder if we convince ourselves we have to do more and be more than we actually do on things like that.

I know for example I got many gifts at xmas as a kid. There was trees. Presents. Santa Xmas morning. Big dinners. Crackers. Fires. Cakes and puddings. The lot.

The only thing of all that I actually remember with any clarity? The family from abroad who came home to visit.

I've skipped Santa entirely with my kids and mostly skipped presents and present giving with them too and much of the standard "exhausting Christmas mode" stuff. Making it much less exhausting for me than it was for my parents - but seemingly no less a wonderful time for my kids than it was for me.

I actually don't do that much and we're past the Santa age now thankfully. Its more the exhaustion of having to be in good form. I don't want my kids looking back and remembering their Christmases in the way I do - bad moods and depression. I want them to have good memories of it.

ElJeffe · 02-12-2020 12:03PM

Fake happiness. We usually go away the last few years if we can to avoid it but this year its not an option unfortunately.

02-12-2020 12:41PM

alchemist33 wrote: »

It's all in the anticipation, and then a let-down from about 11am on Christmas Day.

I'm really glad my parents did not allow us to open presents until we were back from Christmas Mass. As a kid it felt like torture but looking back it really kept the buzz going much longer. Personally I love it up until after dinner when you have a full belly and roll over to the couch. Then it's a bit of an anti-climax although I then switch on to Sky Sports late at night to watch my annual dose of cricket from the southern hemisphere. I love the contrast between our dark, cold winter and the crackling summer sun from Australia or NZ.

oldtimeyfella · 02-12-2020 12:49PM

I don't have kids so i just find it to be a pain in the hole.

Everything closes for a week or so, people drink too much and act like complete ***** and the level of spending is just disgusting to someone like me who hates how money/stuff obssessed we have become as a society.

I head over to my parents for most of the day but i'd sooner stay at home. I'm only doing it for their sake.

nj27 · 02-12-2020 12:55PM

Started out loving it, went through a phase of cynicism, back to loving it again. I’m a summer person generally but Christmas is one of my favourite times of year.

ElJeffe · 02-12-2020 01:18PM

oldtimeyfella wrote: »

I don't have kids so i just find it to be a pain in the hole.

Everything closes for a week or so, people drink too much and act like complete ***** and the level of spending is just disgusting to someone like me who hates how money/stuff obssessed we have become as a society.

I head over to my parents for most of the day but i'd sooner stay at home. I'm only doing it for their sake.

The spending is outrageous tbh. Everyone virtue signals about saving the planet but is in a panic buying cheap tat plastic rubbish and other crap people don't need.

AllForIt · 03-12-2020 07:27PM

This year it's a time of happiness cuz it's not happening.

Zebra3 · 03-12-2020 08:50PM

Load of crap.

ELM327 · 03-12-2020 08:54PM

Sadness and depression. SAD combined with my usual anxiety disorders, familial breakup and aspergers make this a very difficult time of year as an adult.

Loved it as a child.

Spanish Eyes · 03-12-2020 09:05PM

Everyone approaches it differently. IMO

Those with kids vicariously enjoy it through them.

Most love the get togethers with family and friends, but maybe not so much this year.

I did it all. And am an official Grinch now lol. Cannot wait for it to be all over (and hopefully not another lockdown). We thoroughly enjoy it in our own way without all the kinda false jollity that can happen, but I know that’s not always the case.

Each to their own, and enjoy.

Will visit the old lady, the Da, and the young sisters grave next week. Those empty chairs are awful.

Sky King · 03-12-2020 09:08PM

Hopefully I'll get to spend some time at home, and around my home town. For a change like.

Church on Tuesday · 03-12-2020 09:11PM

Well, to put it into perspective I found the two lockdowns, personally, to be fine.

The next month? sheer hell.

_Brian · 03-12-2020 09:15PM

I’d say for most families it’s a rollercoaster.

Young kids are great to keep things fresh but it’s hard not to let thoughts drift to those that aren’t with us any more.

JasonStatham · 03-12-2020 09:27PM

There'll be a lockdown in January. I'd say enjoy Christmas even if ya hate it.

.anon. · 03-12-2020 09:42PM

For me, it's a nostalgic time of year. Lots of nice memories from my childhood - songs, films, adverts, etc, that bring me right back for a fleeting moment.

SineadSpears · 03-12-2020 10:38PM

I don't have much family so as kid after being spoiled rotten by Santa, I found the day to be horribly boring waiting for my friends to finish visiting their own families.
I loved Christmas & the lead up to it, but found the day itself to be very tedious.

I usually go to my mams for Christmas but this is the first year I'll be staying home & doing my own thing. I'm kinda looking forward to it actually.

Capt'n Midnight · 03-12-2020 10:54PM

Kylta wrote: »

What does xmas mean to you?

X , the unknown quantity of, mas.

It's the Higgs Bosun

buried · 03-12-2020 11:02PM

Go to a special spot nearby my place here for the sunrise morning of the 21st of December.

Then its a full two weeks off work for the reading books, listening to music and watching some films.

I don't buy into the hype noise of the thing. Never have since I was a kid. Its all about the two weeks off relaxing and its nice to take it as that.

ThewhiteJesus · 03-12-2020 11:03PM

This will be my 14th on my own, so yes not great

Spanish Eyes · 03-12-2020 11:05PM

buried wrote: »

Go to a special spot nearby my place here for the sunrise morning of the 21st of December.

Then its a full two weeks off work for the reading books, listening to music and watching some films.

I don't buy into the hype noise of the thing. Never have since I was a kid. Its all about the two weeks off relaxing and its nice to take it as that.

Sounds great. And each to their own. That's my view of life anyway as long as it's legal lol!

Far too much pressure to conform to the rituals of Christmas, no need... just do it your own way.

StevenToast · 03-12-2020 11:14PM

I come from a large family...i married into another large family...so its a huge social gathering at christmas...i put a brave face on it for the kids..

But deep down i have had enough of christmas...im early 40s and ive seen it all and done it all...its the same sh1t every year....

its not all festive and cheer

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