I’m tired of Christmas this year. :(

[elbenn]

This year I have done less decorating because we were gone for Thanksgiving and then when we got back, I got sick--two weeks later, I still have fluid in my ears from a sinus infection (which is driving me crazy). So, I scaled back and decorated our main areas, but I didn't do upstairs decorations (I usually do another tree upstairs and plenty of decorations there). We did less outdoor lights, too.

[essnce629]

I know exactly who you mean! I saw pics of DD's friends at their volleyball party with ugly seaters a newborn baby. Small world! I think they had a tournament all this weekend too!

Yes! I just dropped DS2 off at practice and she was just arriving! I talked to her and she said she had a waterbirth at a birth center and was home 2 hours later, so that's why she was at practice THE NEXT DAY! She gave birth on Monday.

Sent from my SM-A526U1 using Tapatalk

[gatorsmom]

I think we as women/moms need to say no way more often. Every mom I know is extremely stressed right now. My best friend is a teacher and they are working till the 23rd this year. She had a full blown mental breakdown this week from doing way too much, including having 10 little girls over yesterday for her DDs 10th birthday. For whatever reason moms are more likely to give into the pressure or there is none for men. For instance, the girl's volleyball coach at DS2's club has a 2 year old AND just had baby #2 this week! She was at practice this week with both kids and they had a Christmas themed practice with ugly sweaters, reindeer antlers, and secret Santa gifts! She literally must have just given birth 2 days prior since she still had a huge belly and I assumed she hadn't had her baby yet. Her husband is a coach too so he literally could have taken over while she recovered at home. On the other hand, DS2's coach is a 24 year old single guy. There's no themed practice, matching outfits, or gifts and that's totally 100% fine and preferred!

Sent from my SM-A526U1 using Tapatalk

I think it’s important to be fair here. I’m usually all about skewering men for women getting an unfair deal but in this case, I think the men should be emulated. Let’s be honest, most of the holiday work we put on ourselves. Women are just as likely to be Clark Griswolds at Christmas time. I will admit most of my Christmas craziness is of my own making. Any woman who gives birth should not be scheduling volleyball practice 2 days later and not pushed off onto her dh (who should also be at home helping with the baby). Not sure if that’s what you meant but just thought we should place blame where it’s due.

I will say Dh this year has been great. When the painter and interior decorator called to say they were finally going to get around to helping us this month, and calls went out that extra board meetings were being scheduled, I asked for dh’s help. And he has definitely come through. He put up all the outdoor lights, he put up the tree, the lights and he and dd put the first layer of tree decorations on. He’s kept up all the dirty dishes and cleaned out the garage so we could park in it when the snow came (ds2 has had numerous projects filling our garage and refused to clean up his mess). In my own defense, when DD’s Christmas dance schedule was announced and was 4 performances more than I expected, I canceled my crafting group for the month and I canceled some other Christmas party plans. It was so nice not having to worry about that crafting group activity this month. Now I can actually enjoy watching dd dance. so at least that went right this month.

[georgiegirl]

This video is so true

https://youtu.be/FOVCtUdaMCU


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[SnuggleBuggles]

This video is so true

https://youtu.be/FOVCtUdaMCU


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Luckily my people are good gift givers but I totally feel that video (I rewatch it annually along with https://youtu.be/4WvwX18oMR4 )

This year I figured out what I really wanted for Christmas and asked for it from the kids- they are in charge of cooking the Christmas morning brunch for my family!


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

[Twoboos]

Agree. I'm not really feeling it, just going through the motions.

We saved DD1's christmas ornaments to put in the tree when she got home from college. She was literally like "This is SO boring, can someone help me?!? You're not even doing anything!!"

I told DH this is the last year for christmas cards - choosing/agreeing on the pics, the layout, envelopes stamping addressing.... I'm DONE and no one cares now that the kids will be out of HS. He was aghast - "We can't not do cards! We ALWAYS do cards!" I said no, WE do not do cards - *I* do cards. So no. He can feel free to do them next year.

[gatorsmom]

I told DH this is the last year for christmas cards - choosing/agreeing on the pics, the layout, envelopes stamping addressing.... I'm DONE and no one cares now that the kids will be out of HS. He was aghast - "We can't not do cards! We ALWAYS do cards!" I said no, WE do not do cards - *I* do cards. So no. He can feel free to do them next year.

ITA with you. Christmas cards are not essential. I hope he does a good job for you guys next year. As it happens, this is exactly the speech I gave Dh and the kids about Thanksgiving a few years ago. I was tired of having 2 months of utter stress and told them if they cared about Thanksgiving, they could make it happen. I have to say, I love Thanksgiving so much now that I don’t have to plan any of it and don’t care what happens.

[gatorsmom]

This video is so true

https://youtu.be/FOVCtUdaMCU


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This was me one year. I asked for 2 things and I only got one of them. I got other junk I hated. I was so sad that day and from then on, I buy my own gifts. I wrap them up too. Now I look forward to Christmas! I’m a very generous Santa. I forgave dh and the kids a long time ago for being terrible gift-givers.

This year I figured out what I really wanted for Christmas and asked for it from the kids- they are in charge of cooking the Christmas morning brunch for my family!


Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

This is GENIUS and I’m making this announcement to my family today! Woohoo, I won’t have to cook on Christmas Day!!

[marinkitty]

I thought this article was spot on - and the idea of Marie Kondo-ing Christmas makes so much sense when it's us doing all the work. I've been changing and downscaling our holiday traditions for a few years now as the kids got older and didn't get as much out of (or give as much effort to) all our old traditions. Frankly, some of them they probably never cared about and some they have outgrown. When I skip something they care about, we talk about it and add it back with the understanding that it won't just be me doing the work. Much better and the holidays are so much less stressful for me!

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/09/s...christmas.html

Twoboos- I had an identical conversation last night with my DH about cards which I skipped last year altogether and am noncommittal about sending as New Years cards this year depending on getting a good photo on our family trip and feeling like I even want the hassle of addressing etc. He offered to help so we shall see how it all pans out.

[PZMommy]

Yes!!! I don’t even have our tree up yet. I’m in a boot awaiting major ankle surgery. Between the pain and lack of mobility I just can’t get the tree up and my husband isn’t willing to do much other than bring the boxes in the house. My kids only want cash if play station gift cards. We typically don’t do much for Christmas anyways, but this year I’m ready for it to be over.