Coping with Christmas

@Former-Member - sounds like you have a lot on your plate already - moving house is huge!
I recommend ignoring Xmas for now.

Hi @greenspace

I've been trying to "tone it down" for years.

I've tried to focus on simple and making the most of family get-together.

Meaning, pressys, more simplistic and well within budget. No point in creating a big financial hangover, that only takes away from the season.

Food...well, to each his own, but not going overboard, ie, enough for the festivities, but not so much that leftovers are there for a week ,( though it could have its advantages).

Don't get swept up in the commercialisation of the time. Initially, it is celebrating Christs birthday, secondly, it is a time to get together with family and friends that are often only seen at this time of the year.

I haven't read though the posts, maybe others have said similar.

Enjoy the time, that is the aim 😉

So many decorations

Thanks for your thoughts, @BlueBells.
Food will be low-key this year, which I'm delighted about but one person is upset about.

presents are tricky not because of commercialism or social expectations but because of the different emphasis that people in our small family gathering put on the quantity of gifts, which is out of my control.

Seeing family and friends - we won't see many people on Christmas Day - I would like to include friends, but my aunt only wants family - in the past she's even said no to my mother's brother and his son who were visiting Australia, and to my then-partner - she said it was because she didn't want to make more work for her mother (it needn't have been morr work, because my mum and sister and I could have brought more food, and washed up) - I wonder if it was her own anxiety about changes that was the issue...

@Former-Member - so much red & green wrapping paper!
I'm going to wrap my sister's presents in non-Christmassy paper (which she's fine with) to help me cope with the day 😉

Hi @greenspace 🙂

......brown paper packages tied up with string....:)

I actually remember how rare printed wrapping paper was when I was young 😉

How about several lollies/ bags of lollies, and wrap each one individually?

Can you have your own get-together elsewhere, and invite the aunty to that, rather than at her place?

Guessing she might not like that 😞

She sounds so controlling that it takes away a lot of the fun for others. How about minimising the day there, and having your own get-together on Boxing Day instead?

Either way, try to not let yourself get more stressed trying to please others, if they are really that way, they won't care either way, and if they get upset, they are not worth worrying about anyway.

Me and shopping? The children will get lollies or minimal things, like balloons. They have so many toys, they don't care when they get broken and thrown away, I'm not spending money on things that will be in the bin in a few weeks 😉

The others? Lollies and bickies 😄 😄 😄

@BlueBells sounds like you have a good plan!
And I might give my aunt some stationery items, and wrap each pen, pencil, and notepad separately 😄

Hi @greenspace 🙂

Another trick is to 'overwrap', using newspaper and a few layers of wrapping paper....depends on the receiver, but can add to it 😉

Put small things in a larger box (make use of boxes from tea bags, cereal...don't buy boxes) Do silly things to make the unwrapping as exciting as the gift 😉

I suppose what I am saying is, focus on the fun and enjoying time together rather than being sucked in by the advertisers who only want to drain your pocket 😉

How can I enjoy chrismas with a family who couldn't care less if I was around, I just lost my 2nd pregnancy, the father is not really in my life, I quit my dream job for the pregnancy I lost, my friends (all church friends) who know shun me. I feel I lost everything, how can I mix and be happy.