Best (xmas,don't shoot me!) Present

[Millymollymandy]

I don't HATE Christmas, really I don't, we have had some lovely family Christmases - but I do think it's different once the family have all grown up and moved away. When there are no smalls about it just isn't the same for me and it does seem to come around awfully quickly these days (hmm could be I'm getting old!). We got so fed up with the commercialism of the whole festive season that the whole family decided not to buy presents at all last Christmas and rather than feeling sad or deprived we all felt incredibly liberated. Whilst friends and neighbours ran around frantically trying to buy the perfect gift I suddenly found myself with time on my hands, lovely - more time to toast my toes in front of a blazing fire and read a good book, and my kids said the same. On Christmas day we went to the beach and cooked bacon butties by the sea and had a lovely long walk and came home to a roaring fire and a selection of all our favourite treats we'd prepared the day before. Different? yes - the first time I hadn't spent the day running around cooking, clearing up and generally making sure everyone else was having a good time. I think we'll risk the raised eyebrows of friends and do something similar this year!

That sounds fab. What I hate about Xmas is the run up to it and the preparations and for me the writing of letters to lots of friends and relations who live around the globe. I don't mind the actual day itself and I quite like opening presents - just hate buying them for other people!

[Claripup]

I hate christmas... every year I say I'm not celebrating it but people insist on buying me presents!!!

Which ever religion you choose to follow christmas is not about spending more money that you have on hundreds of pointless toys/presents that get shoved in a cupboard a week later never to be looked at again. It is supposed to be about celebration of a significant event!

And I must admit it p1sses me off cause my OH will spend a fortune on the child where as I'll just get a little something... because he doesn't understand we have no money... Well I know what I understand, The fact that 6 months after christmas when I cleared his room (as he wouldn't do it) 90% of those toys were put in the loft or chucked and easily 60% had never even been taken out of their boxes!

Whatever you chose to celebrate in the winter should be about celebration, families getting together, silly games (very good with grandparents playing) music, a nice dinner (NOT eating till you can't move and then being offered chocolates), and nice walk with a dog or two after dinner. Basically being together as a family and enjoing the time spent.

When I get a christmas like that I may start to enjoy it again. (And maybe thi year I'll go through with my threat to bugger off to a hotel on my own)

[Spuddle]

Here! Here! Well said Claripup. I do so agree.