The family stress has started.....

[DiddlyDodds]

I'm not, I don't have any kids.

No i know you dont ,, no one who does would ever come out with the statment you did. its like anything in this life, "walk a mile in their shoes" before knowing what its like to have kids who get so excited at Christmas , i was in the same opinion as you before i had kids, but once you have them your whole world changes and what you see as spoilt is seen by parents as wanting to give them everything they can, and let me say its bloody hard these days.

 

[Berties]

Well I am feeling smug,my Christmas meal was today,I have to work Xmas day,so we had all the family around today,so job done,turkey sands for the next few days,and pressies on the day but no cooking stress or family hassle,
A few drinks tomorrow with friends

 

[MacB]

Interesting mixes here, I guess everyone develops their own brand of Xmas based on the practical, the traditional and the emotional blackmail that is family duty

This year it's just Jane and I and the three boys on Xmas day so we will be having the Xmas menu of our choosing. Bacon rolls for brekkie, a fishy style late/light lunch of smoked salmon, mackerel, prawns, etc and then the main meal will be a variety of 'luxury' nibbles followed by cheese, fruit and crackers....and maybe a bottle of red or two may be breeched. The best bit is there'll be no big table to lay and mountains of dishes to clear. Even our main meal will be buffet style on the coffee table and we'll probably put on a cheesy movie to accompany it. It's a Wonderful Life, Groundhog Day, Scrooged, Muppets Xmas Carol are all candidates for this year.

For presents then Jane and I don't exchange gifts and nor do we take gifts from the boys...this applies to birthdays, valentines, mothers and fathers days as well. Instead we put the money that would have been spent(it all comes from us anyway) towards doing something special as a family. As for presents for the boys then the main gift will be some dosh into each of their bank accounts to allow them some January online retail therapy. On the day itself they each get a small amount of folding in a card, some useful/needed parcels to open and the silly stuff in their sacks left at the ends of their beds. That's our most traditional bit and I can't imagine not making up a sack for each of them nor can I imagine not having the five of us all piled onto our bed in the morning while they open them.

This is a constantly evolving approach, though the core essentials have been pretty steady for a few years now. Just most years we've had to do 'our day' on Boxing Day due to family commitments.

 

[MrJamie]

The Christmas stress and irritability of others really gets to me. As far as im concerned its meant to be time to relax and enjoy stuff, there's nothing complicated about it, but people seem to be rushing around panicking and stressed out to breaking point and taking it out on everyone else. It must be the least enjoyable "holiday" there is.

 

[EltonFrog]

No i know you dont ,, no one who does would ever come out with the statment you did. its like anything in this life, "walk a mile in their shoes" before knowing what its like to have kids who get so excited at Christmas , i was in the same opinion as you before i had kids, but once you have them your whole world changes and what you see as spoilt is seen by parents as wanting to give them everything they can, and let me say its bloody hard these days.

Do you know how to spell patronise?

 

[Arch]

No i know you dont ,, no one who does would ever come out with the statment you did. its like anything in this life, "walk a mile in their shoes" before knowing what its like to have kids who get so excited at Christmas , i was in the same opinion as you before i had kids, but once you have them your whole world changes and what you see as spoilt is seen by parents as wanting to give them everything they can, and let me say its bloody hard these days.

Rubbish. I don't have my own, but I have nephews who I love utterly. I can still see the difference between doing right by a child, and spoiling them.

Getting into debt, for example, to buy this year's must have toys, does children a huge dis-service. Teaching them the value of money, and that you can't have everything, is a better lifetime lesson, and one that will make them happier in the long term.

 

[dellzeqq]

Globalti - I feel your pain but I don't share it. Just do what you want to do. See who you want to see. Forget the rest. If people can't manage without you, they can come and see you by appointment.

 

[swee'pea99]

Getting into debt, for example, to buy this year's must have toys, does children a huge dis-service. Teaching them the value of money, and that you can't have everything, is a better lifetime lesson, and one that will make them happier in the long term.

Absolutely. In a related vein, I enjoy teasing some of my friends about their pandering to their kids' pester power, buying them all sorts of costly stuff, much of it motivated mainly if not wholly by peer pressure.

Not only does it make life just a bit harder for those who couldn't keep up even if they wanted to ('do my kids resent my inability to buy The Big Pressies?), more importantly it's effectively endorsing their offspring's buying into the whole consumerist notion that it's Having More Stuff that's important, that really matters in life, that's the route to fulfillment and happiness.

Of course it's all a balancing act, and there are no 'right' levels - only a humourless zealot would go so far as to wrap an inspirational book and a pair of gloves - but I do pick friends up on 'over-giving', and I do make it clear to my kids that I will not buy them worthless overpriced brand-bling just because x (or, more often, 'everyone') has one.

Anyway, that's my excuse for being a tight-wad and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I like Christmas because I am not at work and that's about it to be honest.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

No Christmas stress here: being a no "family cat lady" has its perks
Mind you, working in catering, it's only because of the recession that I can actually keep my eyes open on Christmas day.
It has not been a busy December for me.

 

[Melonfish]

I have two mother in laws.

fortunately this christmas we're staying home, everyone is visiting us rather then how we normally do it. easier on the kids and easier on me cooking dinner.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Zero sleep last night due to toddler being freaked out by not being at home. Nearly fell asleep while standing with her at one point.

She's running around quite cheerfully this morning, I'm in bed still poorly and unable to go out on the ride I've had planned.

Not stress, just 'meh'.