Alone at Christmas.

[Mrs M]

We've invited Mr M's brother to join us on our first ever trip abroad at Christmas
Mr M will have a golf partner also his presence deter Mr M's nudie sunbathing
Plus I can toddle off cycling checking web for availability of motorised fatties

 

[Saluki]

The tension in our family was horrendous, generally Nan and Grandad would be over for lunch and my Mother got more and more stressed as the morning went on.By about 1pm I wanted to just hide under the bed. They would both drink too much and then would lash out at us. I say us, generally me as my sister is their actual daughter and I was 'the spare'. I spent 13 Boxing Days in A&E with broken ribs/arms/ankles/jaw etc. They wouldn't take me on Christmas day as it would 'ruin' christmas. I ran away 4 or 5 times on Christmas morning. I don't suppose that helped at all, I was going to get battered anyway, it just put off the inevitable for a wee while.
We don't really have Christmas here. This year we are getting each other small gifts as I haven't had a gift since 2008. Hubster gets gifts from his family though. We tend to go for a ride, a long walk. I try and ignore it as much as possible really. To the point of muting the adverts and ignoring everything to do with spendmas and greedmas as much as I can.

 

[fossyant]

We've got the MIL round Xmas day. It's easier than us trying to get round all the crap and medical aids she has in her house on Christmas Day. FIL died 2 years ago so we all run round usually. We'd been all going to theirs, cooking for them, as both hadn't been well for years, but MIL is still very weepy. It's easier for us to bring her round and worry about the logistics (I've got to build a ramp to get her in) and sort the cooking in our own time, plus we've got space. Having 13/14 people eat Xmas lunch off your knee at the MIL's wasn't great. We can get her round a table.

She went to the middle sisters last year but hated it (I was in hospital).

It's not a great time for many and can be very lonely. A good friend of ours invites her next door neighbour in to all her parties over Christmas and other occasions - he's become like a surrogate granddad. So good, he invited us to sleep over in his house on a New Year's Eve when we went to our friends.

 

[fossyant]

Bloody hell @Saluki. How horrendous !

 

[fossyant]

The only thing that used to pee me off, was when we had MIL and FIL over to ours, the rest of the family would turn up to exchange presents at the time you told them not to come as you were serving dinner. Cue stress that it's going to burn !!!!

 

[Mrs M]

The tension in our family was horrendous, generally Nan and Grandad would be over for lunch and my Mother got more and more stressed as the morning went on.By about 1pm I wanted to just hide under the bed. They would both drink too much and then would lash out at us. I say us, generally me as my sister is their actual daughter and I was 'the spare'. I spent 13 Boxing Days in A&E with broken ribs/arms/ankles/jaw etc. They wouldn't take me on Christmas day as it would 'ruin' christmas. I ran away 4 or 5 times on Christmas morning. I don't suppose that helped at all, I was going to get battered anyway, it just put off the inevitable for a wee while.
We don't really have Christmas here. This year we are getting each other small gifts as I haven't had a gift since 2008. Hubster gets gifts from his family though. We tend to go for a ride, a long walk. I try and ignore it as much as possible really. To the point of muting the adverts and ignoring everything to do with spendmas and greedmas as much as I can.

Aw, that's sad to read.
Christmas time can bring back some awful memories, I've had some but try to forget.
We can make new Christmas memories though, hope you and hub enjoy this one

 

[fossyant]

For me it's a break from work. This year more so as last Xmas was my worst of my life - at least I managed to skype the kids from my hospital bed.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

This year it will be the first time, since we got married, than none of our parents will be with us for Christmas Day, as none of our parents are with us any more.

So whilst we won't be alone, we may be a little lonely.

 

[Lonestar]

Not too bothered anymore.I will just do my own thing and that's that.Least I don't have to buy cards and pressies.Was never any good at that anyway.Working on 24/27 and 28 so they will be quieter commutes and it will keep me busy.

New year is probably more for me and now my retirement looms probably in the next seven to twelve years it's something to look forward to.

 

[numbnuts]

The tension in our family was horrendous, generally Nan and Grandad would be over for lunch and my Mother got more and more stressed as the morning went on.By about 1pm I wanted to just hide under the bed. They would both drink too much and then would lash out at us. I say us, generally me as my sister is their actual daughter and I was 'the spare'. I spent 13 Boxing Days in A&E with broken ribs/arms/ankles/jaw etc. They wouldn't take me on Christmas day as it would 'ruin' christmas. I ran away 4 or 5 times on Christmas morning. I don't suppose that helped at all, I was going to get battered anyway, it just put off the inevitable for a wee while.
We don't really have Christmas here. This year we are getting each other small gifts as I haven't had a gift since 2008. Hubster gets gifts from his family though. We tend to go for a ride, a long walk. I try and ignore it as much as possible really. To the point of muting the adverts and ignoring everything to do with spendmas and greedmas as much as I can.

Bloody hell and I thought I had problems – here's wishing you a very Happy Christmas

 

[Garry A]

Have not had anything to do with Christmas for nearly 30 years because of a few reasons. Last year I did parkrun on the 25th December, one time I went up the hills in the snow

A present or some act of kindness at some point where its not expected is much better than doing it because you're supposed to.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I think Mrs Accy is planning on going to her mum and dad's on Christmas Day. I'd go too, but her mum has stopped speaking to me so it wouldn't be a nice atmosphere.
So i'll probably be on my own,apart from the mutt being with me. I'm not that bothered. I'll look forward to opening the presents i've sent to myself(more jerseys)and slurp a few ales.

 

[Reynard]

It's just me, mum and the cats on Christmas; a nice quiet day with good food (no turkey, probably beef or duck and prawns for the cats), time to curl up in front of the fire with a good book and more than likely a nice bike ride for me. I always take a few beers and a cake to a bachelor neighbour who is nearly 90 and similar to another friend who lives alone after losing her partner of 25-plus years. It's a far cry from the overly stressy family Christmases of yesteryear.

Other than that, I love putting a smile on people's faces - worth far more than receiving any fancy present to me. A large proportion of the gifts I give are home made - things like cakes, biscuits, jams, chutneys, that sort of thing. I think it means far more when you do that. And I don't forget the postie, the guys on the bin and recycling lorries, the chaps at the tip or the lovely checkout lady in my local Tesco either.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I see Christmas as one of the very few opportunities in the year for 'me time' I purposely withdraw for a couple of days, I will contact people who like the whole Christmas thing, to wish them a merry Christmas, but I look forward to just 'hibernating' for at least a few days.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Several years ago I watched a documentary about the traumatic life of a child alone at Christmas; the level of violence was astonishing, and there were a number of encounters with an elderly neighbour considered a risk to children; the parents claimed they had no intention of causing harm, but it looked fairly intentional neglect as they seemed to function fairly well other than with regard to their parenting capacity. The worst thing for me was that, despite the Police attending at the home on more than one occasion, no social services were involved which contributed to the on-going potential for further incidents of a similar nature to happen again; and not too long afterwards, you guessed it, it did. By the 3rd time it happened the child was barely recognisable as the same kid.

Home Alone is still one of my favourite movies at this time of year.