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[Blue]

I find the 'what do I get them?' the pits. Trying to find prezzies for everyone a pain.

I did suggest the Oxfam certificates where you buy a goat or something for a poor family, cause we really don't need the type of present that most get, booze, chocolates etc, but m-i-l was NOT impressed with the idea

Most of family have birthdays Oct - Dec as well

We spend Cmas morning feeding, bedding etc. all the animals anyway. Meal has to fit round that.

[Suzi Q]

To Everyone who dislikes Xmas
Reading yes go back and read 95% of us hate it cos we have lost a parent or a sibling at Xmas
to us whove lost people or had unhappy times at Xmas then its is bound to bring back those feelings wed rather forget
The Xmases with MUM DAD BROTHER SISTER people who were very much loved and now lost
You see and hear people talking about their family and the things they are going to do and go you dont envy them
You wish you felt diff Id love to go home to Wallasey for Xmas to feel again as before I loved Xmas really loved it
But Id hate it even more there than here cos MUM BROTHER NANA and so many family arent there anymore
Dad is but hes only ever bothered about me coming over when hes ill honest Im not exagerating hes not interested
Dad got on with his life with in 6 weeks of MUM death he met his slapper 21 years this year
She hates me hated my brother  she even hates my Dads grandchild who lives in Wallasey he never sees her
The only reason she tolerates my son  and dinlaw is cos they have only been back 2 times since MUM died
Being a migrant is also very hard 30 years ago when we came for the first few years it was fun Xmas in the sun
Spending it with pals who were young too and migrants 30 years later weve all moved on kids grown married moved
I try I put up the tree buy loads of pressies for son dinlaw and Bobbles spend far to much on them asif they were kids
I get through Xmas eve  Xmas day then its OVER I know its sad I feel ashamed as we have more than a lot do but! x

[Bette]

Presents-wise I've got it easy as I only get them for Mum, Auntie and 3 friends. We agreed with p-i-l not to exchange them years ago. I try to get something for OH but we often get ourselves something jointly or don't bother.
Always get cards from Oxfam and cards are the only form of decoration we have. Mind you, on at least 2 occasions they were in a pile on the side when Mum arrived on Xmas day and she put them up as we'd forgotten!
Unless they're religious, I really don't see why folk put themselves through the trauma (and expense) of it all unless they really enjoy it. If they do, that's great but most people I know complain about the stress etc. Of course, if there are children around it can be wonderful time but surely they don't need all the hype? Maybe one of the reasons we all look back at our childhood Xmas's with such fondness is that it was less commercialised then? Mind you, I heard someone on a radio business programme saying that because of the currenty financial climate, Xmas in the shopping sense is starting a week later each year so maybe there's hope yet.... 
Bette x

[silverlady]

I send Jackie Lawson ecards and a few personal cards to my Family ( they get a JL ecard too as they love them) we also exchange cards with our neighbours either side and thats it.

Christmas is not expensive for us or stressfull as we all agree not to send gifts as long as we all talk Christmas Morning usually on Skype and then we all get on and enjoy our own Christmas.

No pressure all round for anyone.

silverlady x

[CLKD]

I have one gift to wrap then I can seriously think about what to buy Himself and the cards are waiting to be written 

[silverlady]

Mrs P I did know that they also adopted a lot of other festivals changed them slightly to appease and not upset the people. Especially here in Britain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_polytheism

I find it all fascinating.

silverlady x
 

[ricky]

Presents nearly all got
Just need to buy gift wrap and tags ,Cards waiting to be written
going out to lunch this year just the 2 of us 
got fed up waiting to be invited out
Then all welcome for tea. so it should be quite stress free this year and I will be able to sit down and enjoy for once

[CLKD]

I love the Pagan aspect of it all  .  Last gift wrapped  can you tell I'm on a roll ?

[ricky]

CLKD
Can you come and wrap mine please I hate doing it.
 

[libby1]

I start off feeling very festive wrapping presents, then I lose the will and can't wait to finish 

Libby
x

[CLKD]

I love wrapping the gifts, writing the labels - used from old cards - and putting the list ready for the cards but actually buying gifts 
.  My rates are reasonable 

[Oldteen]

I haven't read all these posts but I'm fed-up to the back teeth with Christmas, and have been for many years. It's all about buying things as far as I can see. I don't have much  family left now: just an aunt and a cousin many miles away; my in-laws aren't able to come to us and never invite us, so every Christmas it's just the four of us sitting looking at each other. I'm longing for the day when the children leave home so we  can look forward to them coming home for Christmas. Then it might actually mean something once again!

[cutey1]

I agree with most of you girls are saying on here "it is far too commercialised now and starts way,way too early"!  Harrods open there christmas floor in August.............what!!!!!!!!!!

My OH would close the door on Christmas Eve and not open it again until the day after New Years day if he could - it is me who gets worried about who we will invite, what family we should see, what to buy and how much to spend on each person!!!!

BUT - I have stopped all the friends presents now as it was getting soooooooo out of hand, so my friends and I decided to just buy each other at birthdays as these are much more special!

I am in a dilema at the mo - we are all (me and my family, plus my sis family) supposed to be going to my parents for christmas day dinner - but the house is not big there will be 10 of us squeezed round a table PLUS my sister has not spoken to me for over 3 weeks now as she did not like something that I said to her (she is always a drama queen - and had only made up with my parents 3 weeks ago)!!!!  So me and my OH were talking yesterday and he really does not want to go as he knows that something is going to kick off on Xmas Day (he probably is right), and he knows that I will not be happy and get upset!  So I politely mentioned to my parents yesterday that we really don't think that we will be going for dinner with them and explained my reasons - for my mum then to put the guilt trip on me and using my hubby for the reason that we are not going! So then I had to explain that she was then making me feel really guilty for my sister and her families behaviour!  It is a flaming nightmare!!

So I have left it - I tell you moving closer to home was not a wise choice at the moment - at least when I lived further away I made my own choices and chose who came to visit!! AND none of them ever wanted to come and stay over christmas it was always at New Year when they had no one else to visit and were at a loose end - then I was running around for 2-3 days looking after them all as they all sat on their bums!

So - I am not mentioning it again and I have mentioned to OH that maybe we should go away for Christmas & New Year next year!

Plus - yes I too HATE New Years Eve!!!!!!

Well that post has DEFINATELY made me feel better 

Christmas or not I may just shut the door and keep it locked!!

[CLKD]

We did the travelling to various members of the family for over 30 years and worked out that on C.mas Day one year I got in and out of our car 15 times  .

Thank goodness it snowed the last 2 years.  Even though we had planned to remain here it made any guilt go away ............ done out bit, now we're doing it for ourselves 

Himself is off out buying apparently ........ think it's for me 'cos he didn't ask me along 

[Jenny50]

Lots of people seem to be doing the Secret Santa thing this year to cut down on the expense.  We've all got so much stuff anyway it's really hard to think of what to buy.  A lot of times our relatives seem to just exchange gift tokens with us - which is lovely but can seem a bit silly (not to be too Humbuggy about it).  When the children are past the teen years I think things change so much at Christmas.

The best bit about Christmas is that the days start drawing out again and you can see the difference in the light.  Like you, CLKD and Silverlady, I love the Pagan aspect of Christmas.
,
Jenny X