Non Christmas

[Martina]

We no longer 'do' Christmas in the 'traditional' sense now that we don't have children at home. We don't exchange gifts unless they are home made and useful and after years and years of being the hostess with the mostest to countless guests on Christmas Day (and ending up broke and exhausted) we now turn down any invitations to share the 25th opting instead to do our own thing whatever that may be. Last year it was a long walk on a deserted beach followed by a meal of all our favourite 'nice' things in front of a roaring fire. with a couple of bottles of good wine. I always felt very let down by Christmas Day in the past - there was always this great build up which I found very stressful, which never quite materialised into anything really special.

Boxing Day will be a long walk in the forest with the family followed by a bbq - we do extreme bbq-ing in this family and the 'kids' will get to eat all the goodies I have had so much fun baking for them with all the time I've saved by not shopping! No stress, no panic buying, no disappointment - bliss!

That sounds amazing Susie!!

Martina

[kelvin99]

How many people are actually celebrating something other than Christmas & what are they going to be upto on that day?

I'm celebrating Yule (Winter Solstice) by decorating the house, welcoming in the sun of the morning & lighting a canle at Midnight & cooking something special but not turkey as I'll be eating that on Christmas day as most of my family are not Pagan like me.

Hi
im Hindu . we celebrate jewellery day. On that day we buy gold jewellery and cooking something special veg dishes.Evening ll go to temple.

[Martina]

Hi Kelvin,

and Welcome . "Jewellery Day"--I like the sound of that !


Martina

[Rosendula]

As an atheist, I see Christmas day and Boxing day as a bank holiday, the 25th being the only day of the year I get a break from doing stuff I don't enjoy - cooking, washing pots, laundry, etc., etc. This year will be lovely again with no nappies to change

On the 25th we have a buffet which we prepare the day(s) before. Our big meal is called a "Yule meal", and is on or around the 21st, depending on when kids have finished school, OH's day off is, OH's work bash is, etc., etc. This year it will be on 22nd.
During the meal we usually end up discussing pre-Christian 'Christmases', and the topic of Yule logs is ALWAYS discussed (along with jokes about that happening the morning after the Yule meal). I'll probably put some decorations up on the 21st this year.

Having a young child, I see Argosmus as a time to replace toys that she has grown out of with more suitable ones. I really enjoy watching little kids opening their presents. We always have a budget and never go over, and we always have the money available to spend BEFORE Christmas so never borrow. This year we're going to make some little presents for my 3-year-old to give her brother and sister, and we're making some of the decorations, too.

I have to admit that once the presents are opened I'm bored. I love the idea of going for a nice walk or something, but OH is a postman and loves the idea of not having to walk around. I might sneak down to the allotment while nobody's looking

[fruitcake]

As an atheist I've struggled with Christmas for years - much more into the rebirth of the SUN etc.
I've spent previous Christmas days - climbing mountains in Scotland in the snow then buying a carry out curry on the way home - stunning, no-one else in the hills, snow and sun and views! - River kayaking - in the pouring rain, R Clyde was in spate - exhilerating! Surfing - usually just try to get outdoors, get some fresh air and appreciate the elements

stopped sending cards a few years ago - did the email card thing for a couple of years and have now chucked it totally. Have recently started doing presents again now that i have young neices and nephews - usually try and buy second hand toys / clothes from ebay or sponsor whales etc, give cash for swimming lessons..... I cant believe the excess pi$h they receive!!!

Still feel under pressure to charge about the country visiting friends and family when all i really want to do is chill out. Turned an invite down from my sis - feel guilty and mean.

OH and I are doing pressies this year but its daft wee things / things we need etc just for the fun of it. And i have a tree - cos its pretty and has twinkly lights and its dark this time of year

[Russian Doll]

i admit with four young kids we celebrate xmas to the full
my xmas starts xmas eve laying snowy footprints out and putting the pressies under the tree and stockings at the end of the bed

oh drinks the whisky and generallly passes out bless him


xmas morning all the kids pile in our room at silly oclock to open stockings and then this year were all bundling clothes on to ake the dog for a walk along the rspb reserve which runs along the thames

then back home for cooked breakfast

we then let them open the door to the frontroom to see if santa has been

yay generally an hour of frantic xmas wrappping confetti and various kids jumping on us slobering us and thanking us lol

i dont make a bg fuss of dinner...my kids are not the best eaters in the world and dont like a fuss so its treated as a sunday roast

then just the rest of the day spent being together and watching crappy films all day

[Squirrel46]

I live alone now so I can have my Yuletide meal on the 22nd (venison this year).
The night before I shall retain some of my Solstice cider and give my fruit trees a drop each the next day!

My Yule log with herbs, spices and evergeen.

[Thomzo]

Well bah humbug to the people who hate Christmas. I'm not religious so I really don't care what the celebration is called or when it's celebrated. I don't have children or a big family so, for me, Christmas is about catching up with friends.

Cards are sent out to all the people I keep meaning to get in touch with during the year and never get around to. It reminds me of them and, hopefully, them of me. I usually put a short note or a long letter in each although, I must confess, I haven't done very many this year as I was a little behind (I wish I could say I had a little behind but that would be a lie).

Presents are bought gradually from early October onwards so there's no last minute rush. And I mix in handmade things with things bought with love. I don't have lots of people to buy for which helps so I can spend time and think about things that will be cherished or used and enjoyed.

It's my turn to do Christmas for my mum and her friends and I've also volunteered to host a New Year's party so I have those to look forward to. But I'm planning already and have been buying bits for the meal for weeks now as they've been on special offer.

I am absolutely determined to enjoy the festivities.

Zoe

[Silver Ether]

I shall be doing Yule ... not quite sure what I shall be upto as we have a bit of a family crisis going on so its a case of wait and see... Christmas gets given a token treat as my son 27 still feels the need ... bless him none of us are christians ... I am pagan the other can't make their minds up.. But if I find either fabric for curtains or the right colour paint I shall make a start on my decorating if I am allowed ...

[red]

i admit with four young kids we celebrate xmas to the full

sounds lovely and the best thing you can do for christmas is fill your kids childhoods up with such memories

[red]

Well bah humbug to the people who hate Christmas. .... .....I am absolutely determined to enjoy the festivities.

Zoe

yep - I enjoy Christmas a lot.. it just so happeneds i enjoy the run up before hand bit the best, and so now that's the bit I concentrate on. I think the key is.. to make it into something you enjoy.
for those that hate it.. change it...

[crowsashes]

ill be spreading the celebrations out over the next 2 weeks, bristol for a few days (cant get out of that one) xmas eve i come back i really dont want to travel by train xmas eve! then i have a bit of a run around to pick up a few bits and pieces ( ive pre-ordered stuff as the numpty partner decided to come back on xmas eve) apologies but i HATE traveling at this time of year as its just awful and expensive!

xmas day lunch, a wander through the woods, another walk on boxing day. have dinner with my mum at some point after xmas and thankfully its just pizza!

i was planning on celebrating the 21st and having a meal etc but have been forced to go to bristol.

[the.fee.fairy]

I'm far far away from all the festive stuff, so it'll be an odd Christmas here.

I'm usually a bit of a humbug, and get really irritated with all the songs and the decorations, but this year...i miss it.

So, I will be spedning Christmas Day cooking a traditional dinner (the best i can anyway...) and inviting a load of Chinese people round to party!

I've knitted presents for the other teachers here, but i have a feeling that they won't be appreciated or reciprocated. Meh...Dad always says that you should set the examplel not follow it.

I will be saving my Secret Santa present to open on Christmas Day, and hopefully, a parcel that my mum sent me will be here then. I've also bought myself some new knitting needles, hopefully they'll be here then too, so i can spend some time trying to figure out making socks. I will make some mulled wine too.

Its a bit odd really, its my first christmas away from my friends and family, so i'm a bit lost, and because Christmas is not celebrated here, there is no festive feeling in the air. I think Christmas Day will be just like any other day.

I will be having a late Christmas day in February when i come home for a week, i'll be bringing gifts for my family.

I alse celebrate Yule rather than Christmas, but the college don't seem to recognise paganism as a valid religion for having festivals off work, so i'll be working the 21st/22nd.

They celebrate Spring Festival here, which this year is on the 14th Feb. Its more like out Christmas. I'll be in the UK then...hopefully going to see a band that i really like in London!

[mrsflibble]

this house contains a pagan and an atheist who leans kinda towards agnosticism, but not much. oh, and a three year old.

We'll be celebrating Yule, meditating round a fire (or candle if it's too cold) and eating something special. we're having duck this year, last year we had free range roast pork leg.

Sophie gets the fun of a little gift, good food and meditation with mummy. James gets the fun of a happy and well settled wife and child, I get my religious fulfillment.

on christmas day we're going to my mum's for dinner.

[indy]

We have a very old fashioned christmas, I do love it so. I am a cof e christian but would never ram it down anyone's craw. Would not be fair. Anyway very old fashioned, all homemade gifts and decorations that have been handed down through the family, no tv, lots of board games and walk the puppy. And plenty of traditional christmas carols. Bizarrely is the only time my family don't fight lol. Sorry if it sounds a bit twee but tis the way it is