[Closed] Does anyone actually enjoy Christmas?

I like the 2 weeks off not working.

Short answer is no

To deal with it try and step back work out what you want and then try and weave that in. Often people are happy if you are, half the people you think want what has always has happened think the same as you.

There are always going to be compromises but it doesn't have to be the awful experience of yesteryear

Things I like about Christmas:

Seeing family
Seeing friends
Posh booze
Loads of food
Mince pies
Getting a nice bottle of whiskey from MrsD
Having a tree in the house
Taking time off work

Things I dislike:

Adverts (but I don't watch much TV)
Tat (I ask family to only buy me presents I can eat or drink)

On balance, it's a yes from me

I like it as we catch up with family and friends, have a few drinks and good food.

I'd happily not bother.

I'd rather save myself for Hogmanay.

NO.

Wife wants to go out
Sister wants to stay in
Sister in law wants to lie on sofa snoring
Brother won’t get out of bed before midday
Dad wants to go home to bed
Mother in Law wants to talk at me non stop
I just want to relax in front of the Poseidon Adventure or some such nonsense

I like the 2 weeks off not working.

I hate that I have to take four days annual leave, plus a good proportion of our annual bank holidays; during the shortest, shittiest days of the year when nothing fun is open.

I'm always relieved when the season of goodwill is over and I can go back to being a right ****.

This year- hosting elder son, his partner and their son (my UK grandson - others in the US) definitely yes.
When I was a long-standing volunteer with Crisis, the national charity for single homeless adults - another definite yes.
Otherwise - no.

Not really. I enjoy seeing family and friends. Otherwise it’sa nice break to get some biking in daylight beefier the dark season

I like Christmas!

But in Australia it tends to just get treated as a bank holiday weekend - there doesn't seem to be such a long ramp-up as in the uk.

Kids (3 and 5) are at the point that they are enjoying it, but don't yet want games consoles etc..... which I appreciate is a small window.

The key to enjoying the build up to Christmas (I have found) is buying yourself a Wera advent calendar.

No, I hate it.

Always kind of suspected I hated it so, but last year stayed at home alone cos single/pandemic. It was the best Christmas ever.

I'm not a killjoy. I can party with the best of them. It's the fakery and expectations and having to spend time with people you'd rather not, and having to have a big shit-eating grin on your face through the entire ordeal Had some absolute horror shows over the years.

Big thumbs up from me!

This

I hate that I have to take four days annual leave, plus a good proportion of our annual bank holidays; during the shortest, shittiest days of the year when nothing fun is open.

And this

It’s the fakery and expectations and having to spend time with people you’d rather not, and having to have a big shit-eating grin on your face through the entire ordeal Had some absolute horror shows over the years.

Sums it for me.

I like the 2 weeks off not working.

Supermarket trucker here,Since 1999 the only time I've had time off for Christmas was last year,& it was a lockdown...
We're not allowed holidays from mid December until the second week in January.We also get ****** over to do loads of overtime that we don't want & all the yards at the stores are full of extra hazards,the driving conditions are not good & the great british public are even worse than usual.
The depot closes about 9pm xmas eve & the first journeys go out 2 am Boxing Day.
We start delivering Christmas tat straight after August bank holiday & the shops start playing soul destroying Christmas tunes about now..
So that's a NO from me
Roll on retirement!!

What date is it on this year? Seem to have missed it in 2020

No i ***ing hate it, always have even as a kid, its a "dead zone" i just wait it out and try and remain civil.

I dont get birthdays, anniversarys, Easter and so on.

I do have Aspergers which probably accounts for this.

Pretty much agree with what doris5000 has said.

It's an ideal opportunity to catch up with friends and family (this year especially) and to overindulge massively on food and drink 🙂

Bring it on 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Like seeing people, love the atmosphere, hate the faff.

I hate that I have to take four days annual leave, plus a good proportion of our annual bank holidays; during the shortest, shittiest days of the year when nothing fun is open.

Pre Covid a bunch of us went to the canaries for some kite and wind surfing. So you can get away.

The depot closes about 9pm xmas eve & the first journeys go out 2 am Boxing Day.

You get Christmas Eve night and Christmas off? Nice.

I like time off work, and building lego with the kids, we always get in a movie marathon with them, star wars, LOTR etc
I like cooking too so Xmas day is great, usually have lots of family round
I even like my in laws
And I always get a day away to myself biking.

I dont like the cost
and the too many work Xmas parties

What I look forward to at Christmas is the annual STW ‘mother-in-law at Christmas’ thread.

No. We haven't done christmas here for a good 10 years. No cards, no decorations, no presents, no celebrations and no faff. We quite often just go to a beach somewhere as they are ussually quite empty (though have noticed they have got a lot busier in the past 2-3 years). Sometimes just go ride my bike. Last year my christmas dinner was a pot noodle on the bonnet of the land rover in the middle of a forest.

EDIT: Should have mentioned we have no kids which probably makes all the difference 🙂

I hate that I have to take four days annual leave, plus a good proportion of our annual bank holidays; during the shortest, shittiest days of the year when nothing fun is open.

That is my biggest gripe about it, but I also hate the music with a vengeance and any form of enforced jollity, usually sick of Christmas by late September.
I hate the ubiquity of it, it is inescapable. I am not a Muslim and find it easy to ignore Ramadan, I am not a jew and find it easy to avoid passover, I am not a Christian and Christmas is ****ing everywhere! Mostly perpretated by other non-belivers trying to make a quick buck I'll bet.
It is not an inevitable thing, like the solstice for example, if we all choose to ignore it it will go away.
I quite like the food though 🤷‍♂️

If this ^ is a representative sample why is Christmas even a thing any more?

If this ^ is a representative sample why is Christmas even a thing any more?

It's not representative: people who enjoy it aren't as motivated as the moaners and misanthropes.

I prefer the term "individual" 🙂

I've never been hugely excited about Christmas or certainly from the age when there were wives or gf's to weave into the arrangements. With 1 family the level of BS is just about tolerable but with 2 it's tiresome. However one thing we started when the kids were young was going away with several friends (also with young kids) for a week over new year. That makes the period much more fun because you get a week with people you actually like doing fun stuff (whether that's snowman building, jigsaws or mountain biking). It also immediately sets the rest of the family's expectations - no we won't be coming to great aunty's house on the 2nd of Jan just because everyone always has for 50 yrs, her lentil soup is nice but I saw half the people I'm supposed to be excited to see on Boxing day for some other family feast.

We've gone away just the four of us over Christmas once skiing in France. That was pretty good - again it stops you just vegging in front of the TV then sitting on someone you don't likes sofa for a few hours before vegging at home with leftovers. We won't be doing either this year, so am currently considering a DIY project just to stop the monotony. I always do the catering for Christmas day - in part because the other options involve overcooked sprouts and dry turkey but also because it means I can avoid the total timewaste of the day by hiding in the kitchen doing something.

I love Christmas. Agree that the gifts can get out of hand but it's the company, food and drink that I really love.

Just ignore all the marketing bull and concentrate on enjoying the simple things that seem to coincide with Christmas like:
- Cracking nuts
- Port
- Stollen
- Putting up the tree
- Bucksfizz and bacon rolls for breakfast
- Family board and parlour games
- Mince pies
- Brandi butter
- Christmas jumpers

Happy times don't need to cost a lot of money.

Used to like it as a kid.
Wasn't too bothered about it in my 20's & 30's.
Been a bit different since we had kids, so
I like spending time with my daughter.
We used to alternate between our house and my folks house for dinner - but since my Mom died in 2017 it's always at ours now.
We went away to Euro Disney in 2018 and that was a brilliant Christmas.
My MIL has recently declared she hasn't liked spending Christmas with us for the last few years - so we're buggering off to Wales for a few days of solitude and she's spending it on her own.
I do enjoy a Christmas roast dinner though!

I wish the build-up would start in December though (like when I was a kid lol), already fed up of adverts and crap Christmas songs by October now lol

That is my biggest gripe about it, but I also hate the music with a vengeance and any form of enforced jollity, usually sick of Christmas by late September.
I hate the ubiquity of it, it is inescapable. I am not a Muslim and find it easy to ignore Ramadan, I am not a jew and find it easy to avoid passover, I am not a Christian and Christmas is ****ing everywhere! Mostly perpretated by other non-belivers trying to make a quick buck I’ll bet.
It is not an inevitable thing, like the solstice for example, if we all choose to ignore it it will go away.
I quite like the food though 🤷‍♂️

You know most of the typical British Christmas traditions pre-date Christianity or are modern concepts that make devout Christians cringe inside? If you identify the bits you like - like the food you will perhaps see why we've had some sort of festival in the middle of the coldest darkest period for so long. Now just cut out the nonsense you dislike. (FWIW I think most of the food is mediocre - for what should be the most spectacular meal of the year).

Only 4 days annual leave! We're forced to take two weeks. But as the whole construction industry is also off, there won't be a ton of emails waiting for you on your return.

FWIW I think most of the food is mediocre – for what should be the most spectacular meal of the year

Just cut out the rubbish you don’t like. 😉

I find the run-up to Christmas Day too stressful which makes me not enjoy any of it.

It's partly work which gets steadily more crazy and reaches the same climax on Xmas Eve.

I then just want to keel over but can't, as we end up hosting Christmas every year, it just makes sense for us to as we're the only ones with kids and a house big enough.

At the same time I cause myself huge amounts of stress with the Xmas preparations and present buying, feeling like I've not done enough and the kids are disappointed.

The present buying especially just fills me with dread and I never have time to do it. Inevitably I will leave it all to the last minute, even though last year I vowed to never let that happen again, and all the years before!

I hate the peer pressure to buy loads of stuff from certain female members of my family. Makes me not want to invite them, but I kinda have to.

Kids also have high expectations, and I know they'll still have a great time, but mainly down to the efforts of my wife who ends up doing everything. Again more guilt for me!

Any riding plans I make for myself usually go out the window or don't happen until February.

I do enjoy the food though!

I like Christmas. I usually only get a couple of days off work, but I'll take a few days of annual leave, then go and work at the ski resort and teach people to ski while they're enjoying their vacation. It's weirdly pleasant to be with people enjoying themselves instead of being with the extended family all hating life and each other!

I love it, friends, family, food, music, indoor tree and crackers with silly party hats.

Whats not to like?

I am very excited for Christmas, I’m even getting to spend it with my Mum this year.

It’s the first time in 8 years I’ve not have to work over Christmas, so I’m going to make the most of it.

All the people saying they like because of the food and seeing family, you do know you can eat good food and hold family gatherings at any moment, right?

I personally think xmas is great if you got young kids..my teen kid isn't that interested, my wife loves it
Me its OK...but I'm bored by boxing day and it feels rude to message anybody to see if they want to come out riding throughout the whole holidays.
My old mum loves it...covid has kept her at bay the last 2 xmases ( yeeees)...looks like I've gotta put up with her this year...
Dreading that the most

Happy Xmas ya'll.. lol

Doomanic. Correct about the good food and family being anytime. In fact we did this on Sunday just past. It was good but not quite the same as Christmas.

Just save me from the fat f****** whinging in January how they need to lose weight after gorging themselves uncontrollably, pathetic.

As for struggling to find time for a ride, how much time do you need?

I can get quite a good ride in within a couple of hours including cleaning my bike. I tend to do it first thing in the morning just as the sun is coming up. Prep everything the night before.

I do this most weekends anyway, means I'm not too selfish taking time away that I could be spending with the kids.

Lovely!

i dont mind it at all. looking more forward this year since retirement as i have not seen many people, and have got a few meet ups planned. so it should be good.
we have never gone overboard gift wise at xmas, mainly food and drink gifts. dont waste money on tat people neither want or need.

I have ignored it for the last 30 years and will do so agai9n this year

I loathe the over emphasis on eating - we are in a time of plenty - no need for a mid winter feast. I loathe the pressure it puts on ( mainly women) folk to have " the best christmas ever"

I loathe they buying of tat to give to folk.

So in short xmas day will be spent on my own riding my bike. I will see my family ( who do a big celebration) briefly on boxing day

We totally ignore it. It stopped being anything once I was about 16 and could but my own things as it was only about presents as no religion element for me. The good things about it;

One of the best days for riding on the roads though, even better than a Sunday in lockdown.
Very quiet at work at a good time to do pretty much nothing for a few weeks
Three bank holidays around the period

What a sad thread indeed.

Love it, the build up is great (although the over commercialisation is taking the piss with adverts and displays from Oct). Generally get to see mates and family in the run up, as people tend to be more up for a drink or get together round someone’s house.
Our little boy turns 3 this year so he’s picking up on the excitement of it. So that brings an extra element of the magic into the house.
Once boxing days done though, the tree can come down and it’s done until next year. That’s then a week off work to do biking, walking get away to the caravan and have a holiday.

Enjoy it in short spells.

Struggle with it in the same way I struggle with Birthdays/NYE. It seems expected of you to have a great time, and if you dont you look a miserable sod so just end up faking it. Not that arsed for presents/all the usual tat either

However its a nice break from work, a chance to catch up with Family/freinds and I do love the food and drink.

Mostly - yes.

2-3 weeks off, most people in a good mood. Hopefully lots of crisp morning riding. Good food, Xmas music in the shops.

I won’t buy people anything that they won’t use. I expect others to do the same 🙂

One of the best days for riding on the roads though, even better than a Sunday in lockdown.

Really?! I found the opposite - sadly while imagining it would be like your description. The roads were a mess of angry drivers, cars full of hyper kids who'd been scoffing chocolate since 6am, lost and late on their way to the relatives so driving like bellends to make up for it. Afternoon/evening is the same in reverse except they're drunk as well.

Christmas Eve, the roads are solid with people racing around for all those last minute things and massive supermarket shops.

Boxing Day, the roads are then full of people driving to the sales. It all just seems so manic.

Went to Gran Canaria a couple of times, Christmas Day riding over there was lovely. Shorts and short sleeves, a cafe stop in the sunshine... Just a world away from the commercialism and the stressful rush over here.

Oh, and presents? **** off! We're adults, if we want something and can afford it we just buy it, the time of year is irrelevant. The perceived pressure to buy gifts for all and sundry is the worst individual element of Christmas for me. The number of people I work with who are still paying for last Christmas is concerning.

All the people saying they like because of the food and seeing family, you do know you can eat good food and hold family gatherings at any moment, right?

A family’s not just for Christmas 🙂

What a sad thread indeed.

Right?! **** me you are a miserable lot.

I manage to love it without falling into all the traps.

Don't give a shit about presents for me. Love giving small genuine gifts to others and my nephew's always get fun and interesting proper present and love them. Or Lego!

Its mainly about stockings and pigs kilted sausages though.

My OH loves Christmas, house is fully decorated (2 trees including, a 6' and a 10') and everything is planned around the family. We're starting early this year as we 'gained' 2 grandchildren, so first 'event is on the first weekend of December.

And if she's happy, I'm happy.

For me, I take the period off work, usually timing it to finish the day before the 'rush' and go back the day after the 'rush'.

Presents-wise, we learned a long time ago to state exactly what we wanted, and the other bought it - no discussion. The (grown-up) kids/partners & grandkids, they all get near enough equal value, certainly no tat and we've no problem if they let us know what they want (<£50).

And lots of riding my bike.

I manage to love it without falling into all the traps.

Same here, you can sit and whine about it or make your own bit of pleasure.

I like seeingy family, I like taking walks and rides, I like not being at work, I do like seeing the joy that a good gift can bring.

I'm less bothered, nay avoid, the over commercialised and tat approach. I'm not a huge drinker and mrs_oab and I try to moderate all the crap food and snacks that are pushed so hard.

You make your own choice - and we do the Christmas we want.

As a few have said, I hate the excessive eating and drinking, just because it's Christmas. Good to see family but why go over the top on food and drink? Also the pointless presents. It could be a good break but, IMO, is now just an excuse to eat and drink too much.
Sorry for being miserable.

All the commercialisation and sales mania is easily avoided, do the Xmas you want and it becomes a very different holiday. We look at it like Easter, a long weekend off to do what we want, we don't bother with decs or huge stacks of pressies or junk food. Keep it simple and it's a nice long break.

Not enough debauchery for Winter solstice thou 🙂

No, I do not like Christmas. Bad stuff happens to me during Christmas and I have almost come to associate it with arguments, disappointment and sadness. My girlfriend is very different. She's very comfortable with having a family Christmas and enjoying that. She likes spending it with her mother and just doing family stuff.

The disparity has caused some friction in the past, nothing serious, but she knows that I am uncomfortable with the spoiling she tries to do and am not keen on whole thing. I make a point of trying to be more involved and less insular and she (I think) tries to ignore me blatantly pretending to enjoy myself.

Christmas is whatever you want it to be......we dont go crazy on spending, just gifts for immediate family members only. No xmas cards, a small artificial tree and a few simple decs. We enjoy good food so that's what we spend our money on.

We also enjoy getting together, its one of the very few occasions where we are all in the same room, although covid may change that.

After Christmas last year you would think that people would change their approach and thinking about it all and what's important and more importantly what isn't....

People matter, not possessions, simple.

Christmas day is fun, get up, whack Turkey in oven, go out with Mrs and a few friends for bike ride, stop and have beer in pub. Come back cook dinner, keep it simple. Watch some shite telly.
Only problem is having SIL and MIL over they are a pain but my son likes them!

I have almost come to associate it with arguments, disappointment and sadness.

I was like that as a kid, hated it. You would think that for one day of the year my step dad wouldn't force me to eat Brussel ****ing sprouts...

Really?! I found the opposite – sadly while imagining it would be like your description. The roads were a mess of angry drivers

Should have said I always ride at around 8am (all year round) and riding at 8am on Christmas day is great, pretty much nobody on the roads.

@cheekyget

but I’m bored by boxing day and it feels rude to message anybody to see if they want to come out riding throughout the whole holidays.

Did you consider the possibility that they are in a similar position? If you go early morning and are back by about 11 - there’s a good chance any with spouses and teenage children will not even be missed.

What a sad thread indeed.

Following close on the heels of "help, I hate everyone" and bearing in mind all the other countless threads moaning about almost every other aspect of being alive, I'm starting to formulate a theory that riding a MTB through woodland turns people into right angry, bitter, miserable, bastards.

Or maybe angry bitter old man look to expensive hobbies to try to add spice to their miserable existences?

Whatever it is it's reassuring to me to remember that no matter how down on my luck I might be at least I'm not a miserable git who hates everyone and everything, including Christmas 🙂

It would be interesting to see if the ratio of positive to negative threads correlated with an ageing demographic better than national + multiple global shit shows.

All the people saying they like because of the food and seeing family, you do know you can eat good food and hold family gatherings at any moment, right?

I haven't seen both my brothers and my 4 and 2 year old niece and nephew for almost 2 years since they live in the US. This Christmas is the first opportunity I will have to see them after all that time. Christmas is the one time of year where most people are free so can actually come together for family gatherings. It's not always as simple as just getting together whenever you feel like it. Also it's kinda hard to source Goose at any other point in the year unless you want to pay a premium.

I am super excited for christmas. I don't care for all the adverts and crap music and build up to it, but I very much enjoy seeing family and getting together for an incredible meal. Apart from for my niece and nephew, the whole family agree not to give each other presents. It's too much stress and time when we're all in a position to buy whatever we want for ourselves now.

If people are complaining about hating seeing people they don't want to and thinking the food is mediocre, may I suggest just not seeing people you don't like, and cooking food you actually enjoy??

I agree with much of the sentiment above, but have carved out a Christmas that I enjoy now.

We go to the Ballet at the start of December, and the tree will go up at a similar time. We decide on what the festive cocktails are going to be this year - most likely Negroni and also Espresso Martini. We’ll start to watch some Xmas films of an evening through December.

Xmas eve we will Finish work early, have some mulled wine and watch “It’s a wonderful Life” with a nice bottle of fizz. Hopefully it’ll be shown in the village community cinema (village hall With a projector and mince pies)

We get a nice joint of meat from the local organic farm and put together a really nice meal on Xmas day - we’ll host both families so we don’t have to juggle between them - both dads can bring nice wine for the diner table so no one fees they don’t contribute. We’ll get most family members a small gift and I’ll get my wife something I know she’ll really like.

It’ll be great!

A few years ago, I read Mark Mansons “a subtle art of not giving a ****” [note title of book, not swear blocker avoidance]. That taught me not to worry about trying to please all in sundry. Life has been much better since then.

Following close on the heels of “help, I hate everyone” and bearing in mind all the other countless threads moaning about almost every other aspect of being alive, I’m starting to formulate a theory that riding a MTB through woodland turns people into right angry, bitter, miserable, bastards.

Or maybe angry bitter old man look to expensive hobbies to try to add spice to their miserable existences?

Whatever it is it’s reassuring to me to remember that no matter how down on my luck I might be at least I’m not a miserable git who hates everyone and everything, including Christmas 🙂

Spot on Ernie, but the only flaw in your theory is that some of the main protagonists of the whingeing on here don't really ride bikes.

Yep! I LOVE IT 🎅

I'm highly resistant to it during October/November, wife is on board with that now, I used to get called grumpy, but now she gets it that it needs to kept short to be special. But once December comes, bring it on!

I love going to pick a tree with the kids.
I love the excitment building.
I love the food and drink, which appears to be a bit cliché.. (I am already on the mince pies to be honest)
I love having time off work, when my family and friends are too.
I love meeting up with bike mates for some daytime riding in depths of winter, and then a massive pie and pint aftewards to warm up.
I love going for a proper day time session with my "normal" (not bike) mates.
I love seeing the sheer joy and excitment in the kids (it's all about the kids really for me).
I really love watching The Snowman!

I still find it exciting and magical, and I'm a realtively grumpy 41 year old.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

I quite like the thread we get on here around 23rd Dec where family/in-laws turn up and people lose their shit at varying and alarming rates. Particular the geezer who didn’t get past his dog taking a piss on the M-I-L’s lawn 🤣

I hate the peer pressure to buy loads of stuff from certain female members of my family. Makes me not want to invite them, but I kinda have to.

Did you mean to say "from" or "for"?

I’m starting to formulate a theory that riding a MTB through woodland turns people into right angry, bitter, miserable, bastards.

Quite the opposite for me; riding bikes in the wood is my escape and enables me to function as a "normal" member of society. I didn't get to ride last weekend and it shows.

Thats my Christmas highlight scuttler... see i am already cheering up.

I bloody love xmas! the lights, food, tv, seeing family, extra time to ride my bike, time off work, the presents, playing boardgames its just the best. For the xmas haters in this thread you just need some festive cheer may i suggest christmas in hollis by run dmc.

Oh, and presents? **** off! We’re adults, if we want something and can afford it we just buy it, the time of year is irrelevant.

What about the joy of giving?

There was a link to a really interesting article that @chakaping added to the "help! I hate everyone" thread which gently points out that if perhaps you see nothing but the worst in people and society, expect nothing, and care about little beyond keeping yourself happy, then just perhaps the problem isn't them, it might be you.

I'd recommend some on here to try to read it

https://nautil.us/issue/54/the-unspoken/how-to-tell-if-youre-a-jerk-rp

I think I'd like it more if it didn't start in November.

EDIT - as if to prove my point, youtube played the Lidl Christmas advert seconds after this post