I love [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]. But I also sort of hate it. This post is full of First World Problems.
We’ve had family drama. We told my Mum months ago that we wanted to switch things around and come and see her on [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] [name_f]Eve[/name_f] instead of [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] [name_u]Day[/name_u]. We want to just stay in on [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] [name_u]Day[/name_u], we’ve had a tough year and I just want to spend time with my husband and kids and not be surrounded by other people that I only ever see once a year. She was fine with it then but suddenly, 4 days before [name_u]Christmas[/name_u], she decides that we’re being selfish and we should come ON [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] because us not being there on [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] [name_u]Day[/name_u] is going to ruin her [name_u]Christmas[/name_u], apparently.
[name_m]Ad[/name_m]èle has been sick on and off all month. She missed her [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] concert because she had a stomach bug (and she was devastated) and she started with what I think is the flu yesterday. I just hope she’s feeling better soon, it sucks being sick on [name_u]Christmas[/name_u].
Then DH and I said NO presents for each other so we can just concentrate on the kids. He admits to me yesterday he broke that and spent £150 on me but I don’t need to worry about buying him anything. Sweet, but I felt guilty so I had to buy him something on amazon which I now have to hope gets here on time.
And to top it off, Léo has been asking for a [name_u]Banjo[/name_u] for MONTHS. He’s having guitar lessons right now and said his teacher has one and he thinks it’s really cool. I thought it was a weird request but I managed to get him one for a good price. I was so excited for him to see it.
Then we were in town a few days ago and walked past a music shop and there was a Ukulele in the window and he pointed and said “That’s what I want! A [name_u]Banjo[/name_u]!” I could’ve died right there. I don’t know where he got [name_u]Banjo[/name_u] from.
So my kid wants a Ukulele… and I got him a [name_u]Banjo[/name_u].
[name_f]Merry[/name_f] [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]!
[name_m]How[/name_m] is everyone else’s [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] looking?
Heh, [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]. I’m over it, honestly. So over the commercialism. Having a child now makes plastic pollution and climate change and everything SO much more scary - this is her health, her world, her future. Yet we keep getting bombarded with gifts that we don’t need and the pressure to buy others gifts that they probably don’t want/need either. Probably manufactured with slave labour too.
Then there’s the family dramas… [name_f]MIL[/name_f] and FIL aren’t talking and won’t be in the same place at the same time (they’ve been split up for years), my sister has estranged herself and her children from our Mum, there’s my partners (ex-)step-Mum who we have to have a separate catch up because her and [name_f]MIL[/name_f] are never at the same events either.
I love spending time with family, and I love the holidays. But I want things to be different next year. No presents, or only small home-made: preserves, plants, small second-hand things that we know are needed.
I have to admit that story about the [name_u]Banjo[/name_u] had me laughing. Sounds like something my kids would do! I hope your daughter is also feeling better soon! It’s true, being sick on christmas really does suck. I’m always the one who ends up unwell, I think it’s the stress of running around and making sure everything is done in time.
We’re aiming for a quiet [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] too. We are spending the morning with the kids, opening presents and spending time together, then heading to my husband’s parents’ house for dinner. They live the closest of all of our extended family so it’s an easy trip. The rest of the family we will see on the 26th. I’m looking forward to it this year, as I’m actually prepared, I started the shopping in [name_u]July[/name_u]…
I can relate. SO and I decided not to visit my mother and stepfather on [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] [name_u]Day[/name_u], but that caused so much drama we decided to go anyway, with a baby that’s not even three months old. We didn’t take my oldest, because he was with his dad. He’ll be with us on [name_m]New[/name_m] Year, so we wanted to visit my mother with him on [name_m]New[/name_m] Year’s day, but apparently my mother has to see him on [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] as well.
My FIL died last week, so we weren’t feeling very christmassy anyway and could definitely do without all the drama. Oh well. I know they love us, it’s just difficult sometimes.
I’ve been sick this holiday season, so I definitely haven’t been in the mood. My boyfriend is the only person I bought a gift for. Most of the people in my life don’t really want or need gifts at [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]. In this era of one-click online shopping, what on earth is the point of buying a gift for everyone you know? People can buy what they want when they want it. I’m tired of my grandparents trying to bully me into this or that holiday tradition I don’t care about, and I’m tired of them pitching a fit when someone suggests we change an aspect of the way we do [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]. God forbid we get together for a simple brunch instead of cooking a ham, chicken wings, fifteen sides, and ten desserts that will never get eaten! I love spending time with my family, but I’m sick of the commercialism and pressure to conform to what in my opinion are mostly outdated holiday traditions.
Meh, I’m pretty happy [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] is over. I’ve always adored [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]. I’m the type to decorate on [name_u]November[/name_u] 1st, to spend tons of time (and, in the past, money) on gifts that will meet someone’s needs or even a little want that they may not get the chance to indulge often, blast [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] music constantly, and watch every single [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] movie I find on TV or DVD. I started out the season this way this year but quickly changed. I’m in my last trimester of pregnancy, so haven’t been able to do too much or go many places without risking illness. Still, we had family being really horrible about us not making it. My mom, my in-laws, my dad, some of my siblings…you would’ve thought we would’ve snuck into their houses and burned their trees down or something! One thing we’ve made VERY clear for the past few years was that we will never again travel for [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] [name_u]Day[/name_u]. We will try to do what we can on other days but not that day. So they are well aware…they just don’t care and then act shocked every year.
They insisted on gifts (aka guilt trips) even though we’ve told them each year not to do that. We’re grateful but we don’t want people spending on us. Then they had the nerve to get mad that we didn’t buy gifts for them. My heart is just filled with dread thinking about how even more entitled they’ll be next year, when we have a baby, and won’t risk traveling bad weather, screwing up nap times, messing up their “fun” of buying him tons of presents, and so on.
I’m honestly so over it. I do love a lot of [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] traditions. I just don’t love the pressure, attitudes, and manipulation that people tend to put behind them. If ‘spending time with family’ is the true motive someone claims to have, then why throw a fit if someone can’t make it or can’t bring a gift? Shows me where their hearts really are. I want to just enjoy the music and the lights and what good things happen.
I’m sorry you’ve had such a stressful time, too I hope you were able to have at least some good moments on [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]!
I hope you were able to have at least some good moments on [name_u]Christmas[/name_u]!