Christmas - why bother ???

[Barbedwire]

Well it's nearly the time of year for that invisible strange man with the red suit and black boots to do his rounds .A time for happiness and rejoicing (supposedly)
Why is it then that everyone who is supposed to enjoy it feel miserable, endup short on cash ,have family arguments and waste so much time on something they donot actually believe in .
You see people stressed out, running around like lunatics buying all sorts of junk , too much food and that damn turkey that you will be eating until next spring !
Some people put the tree and decorations up in November , I feel sorry for the kids . Christmas is supposed to be magic for them . A week is an eternity to a child and adults think by putting up all the decorations and kids asking "When is Santa coming " nearly everyday that this is good for their children .I do have to question why they do this .

This has never happened in my house and I treat Christmas much like a Sunday, although I do like to plan my menu a bit better and never ever have turkey .
My tree always went up on Christmas Eve when my son was in bed and I didn't get the headache most parents do . He used to ask why we never had a tree and decorations up , my reply was always " Santa will bring them when he comes and you'll know he's been because you are special " .His face when he got up on Christmas morning was always of amazement because Santa had been with the tree, the lights and the presents .
My friends always called me scrooge at Christmas because I didn't fall into the trap that most do .

So is Christmas a headache for you , or do you find it a happy time and rejoice in the true meaning of it ? Afterall it's not all about who can spend or eat the most is it !?

Barbie x

[ladyseeker]

It's all for the children - NOT. This year they can have absolutely anything they want - as long as it's from the pound shop.

The joy for me is when it's all over, the tree's lost most of it's foliage and I have an excuse to take it down early. That's why I buy it early and leave it wrapped in a warm green house. The only bit I really enjoy is the moment my Mother-in-Law leaves after the ritual lunch. I only serve Turkey as she insists on 'all the trimmings'. I think one year I'll get a Turkey roll, frozen trimmings and serve her that while we have Goose.

[yummymeusli]

Bah humbug you two.
I love Christmas. Hubbie used to dress up in a Santa outfit and dish out prezzies to the children of his employees each year. The best bit though was he'd bring the outfit home and I'd get a right royal Christmas spanking. He'd keep going 'till your bottom's the same colour as my outfit' he'd say. And he meant it.

Seriously though, I truly love it. There's always a naughty present from him but also some truly lovely ones. They never cost much but they're always exactly what I seem to need/want. Last year really toastie slippers for me and a remote controlled helicopter for him.

The major downside is that you can't be with your friends as they too are all with their families but I suppose that means at least the duty's done and then you can really rock it at new year. Can't wait!

[Titanites]

Now come on - only about 45 weeks to go for Christmas 2015. Best start shopping soon.

One of the best Christmas Days I had was with a group of friends, all in our 30s I suppose, who'd all escaped our families for a few days. Made a slap-up Christmas Dinner between us, tapped a cask of ale to celebrate putting the poultry in the oven of the cottage we'd booked, wine with the meal...

Afterwards we trooped one by one to the nearest 'phone to wish them back home 'Appy Christmas. (Few or no portable 'phones then, and poor signal even now in that area.) My sister answered, and I heard her go into the front room and announce to all & sundry, "It's [elder brother] on the 'phone - and I think he's been drinking!"

I thought, "How does she know that? She's on the far end of a couple of hundred miles of wire!"