I will have some time off work, hopefully it will be cold and crisp for near perfect riding conditions.

Then on Christmas day I will be all alone sobbing into a bottle of whiskey dreaming of the family I never had.

What’s not to love?

TBH – we don’t do it much, the kids are grown up now though
Sometimes we’re not at home but when we are it’s fairly low key

I don’t go to any works dos at all
The family buy each other a token gift only, £5 max this year, nothing useful allowed.
We eat and drink a bit more but only to the tune of maybe another £100 or so.
I do enjoy it though.

It’ll be the first Christmas for 24 years that me an Mrs TJD are home all day together with the kids,so looking forward to it.Money’s tight, so the kids will get the presents,but what the hey.

I get sick of the commercialism and listening to how much some people at work spend on their kids, then complain they r skint!! Have one 6 yr old quite excited and the other one is 3 on christmas day, best bit is i finish work on the 12 and we fly to Nepal on the 13th and come back early Jan, sunshine, meeting old friends, visiting old work places, trekking, elephant rides should be a very enjoyable and memorable christmas holiday 😀

Binners, if it helps, I find the solution is an easy one. Remember Christmas is a religious festival and a time (hopefully) to be with family/friends. Lovely in that context 😉 If neither of those strike a chord, just ignore the whole razzamattaz that goes with it. Secular, bloody nonsense the rest of it!!

(Now where did I put the flame suit from the dog thread?)

I adore Christmas. I empathise with your sentiments on the commercial side of things. For us, with no kids, it’s easy to filter out this aspect. We just enjoy the break, the atmosphere, exchanging (modest) gifts and seeing more of each other.

I bloody HATE New Year though.

Yup, dreading Christmas.

Sadly my Mum passed away last month and various other factors mean that this is not going to be a terribly jolly time of year! That said, I am looking forward to dividing my time between eating chocolate and mountain biking (to burn off the aforementioned chocolate) 😉

Unless you have a family or young kids christmas means very little to a lot of people,just a time of ill tempers, sadness, and drunks.

Limited parking in towns, idiots driving vehicles rushing to buy the next must have tat,and if you have a family possibly having the inlaws foisted on you for a day or more, with the clock stopped at 30 minutes after they arrive.

Oh and dont even get me started on those ignorant people who suddenly want to help out at the homeless shelter on christmas, and not the rest of the year, they totally ignore the plight of the homeless, homeless people dont just happen to be homeless for christmas and suddenly a few days latter go back to anice house and supportive family .

kids go mental. adults go mental. shops go mental. forced joviality.

i just want to go to the woods and hide but cant.

This thread’s glass is half empty for sure.

Christmas is for Christians, (whether you have children or not.)

End of year hols are fine and dandy but why do we need to call it Christmas?

We don’t.

Call it winterval or celebrate the solstice if you like. No Christian imagery in our house unless people send it to us.

End of year hols are fine and dandy but why do we need to call it Christmas?

Because “It’s beginning to look a lot like end of year hols” would be a shite lyric?

Christmas = skiing. 🙂

OH is working so we’re going from full on dinner for 11 last year to me walking the dog getting the bike out waiting for her return at 4pm then wander to my parents for some scran.

Xmas eve looks like family day, like all of them but it’s a restaurant for 18 people for lunch the dog walking.

Roll on Jan 1st.

was dreading it… not any more though

flaky sister in law was determined to host it at her new gaff this year.. We were starting to get concerned about the possibility of beans on toast for xmas dinner again..

Luckily her fella left her this morning so she’s asked if someone else can do it..

😀

(I’m not really that callous but if you don’t laugh you cry and all that..)

I am skint, have a holiday to pay for and want a new carbon road frame next year for racing so Christmas is cancelled here.

No money and more important things to pay for. 🙁

It’s just another holiday from work for me,but with tinsel & more beer & food,lots of it,oh & the my two lads come out for a drink with me on Xmas eve,& my daughter still loves Xmas morning…It’s also probably the only time all 5 of us are in the house together these days… & we eat at the same time & even sit around the table together…..Boxing night we have family & friends round for beer & food…….

Actually,thinking about it..I f’kin love Christmas ! !

I’m not dreading it. I hate it so I ignore it completely and everyone who knows me knows I feel that way and allows me to ignore it. Bless ’em.

QFT

CG +1

[Many people forget that Xmas brings all sorts of difficulties for part of the population. KINGTUT is an example, his post is very sad.

Try not to judge those who don’t share the enthusiasm, after all you really have no idea of the reasons behind it.

Here endeth the lesson.]

Well I am keen on not judging, but many of the people on here have given general scrooge type behaviour, in addition to the people in genuinely tragic situations, who have my sympathies always.

I am! Listening to Christmas tunes on heart while eating mince pies. Don’t like Christmas day itself as it’s the hype over but I like the build up to it! Weirdo

I love it, it’s the only time of year kids cartoons are on covering most channels, for hat alone I’m in.

As for force feeding family members and expecting them to be happy about it, we’ll I’m not so sure they really are. Not a huge fan of spending this holiday with family I do do the “bring everyone together” thingy, but

But has to be said..

Think more about those that are in situations far removed from a bloke with an expensive bike or two in the spare room.

For that reason I get a little reserved around this time of year.

It is about sharing time with loved ones, if you can I suggest that’s a good place to start, and ignore tinsel mongers..

So far not feeling very enthusiastic about it!

My problems are tiny compared to many people’s but thinking back 12 months my current “situation” is not what I was hoping for/anticipating when I was looking forward.

But, I am spending the festive period with my family, we’re lucky enough to be able to spend the week on holiday in Yorkshire so I shouldn’t complain. I’m sure the idea will grow on me…!

I wasn’t looking forward to Xmas last year as I was worried about money, but this year the wife is working and I’ve decided that life’s too short to worry about some stuff so there will be some money coming out of the savings and we’re going for it.
Luckily my three girls (12, 10 & 10) have had big presents for their birthdays this year so the pressure is off on that front. They love Xmas and I think it’s important that they enjoy it.
I do dislike all the adverts though.

My mind subconsciously is still waiting for Summer to arrive, so in no way do I feel ready for Christmas.

It somehow feels wrong to ignore all the festivities, but Christmas is all about enjoying yourself I ain’t feeling it this year so why force it, I’ll save time and money and have a good Crimbo next year.

OP– my turkey would be dreading crimbo, but it is unaware

Don’t believe in JC and quite like buying gifts when I want not when I am told .

So its humbug from me..

Nope. We’re on a plane out of here to somewhere hot and sunny. Same as last year 8)

For most women its a time of trying to shop for people that you maybe don’t like (talking mainly family).
Loads of cooking, cleaning, clearing up and getting upset when you’re not appreciated.
This is not me btw, just an observation.

I’m looking forward to it as I get nearly 3 weeks off work. Me and the wife have booked a cottage in Exmoor so the week will be spent walking the hills. We’ve no kids either, so don’t have the financial pressure of some others. Saying that I’m looking forward to it,I hate all the build up to it.

Christmas is what you make it.

When i were a nipper it was ace, a large family meant Christmas was effectively split into 3 parts, Xmas Eve, Xmas Day and Boxing Day. Each day was a trip to different relatives and meant a deluge of pressies.

Got into my twenties and rejected the whole thing completely, refused to buy presents, tried to refuse presents, refused to visit etc – yeah, i was a real joy at this time of year!
A while later i slowly came to realise that i was actually suffering from a combination of SAD and depression and was deliberately pushing people away.

Now, me & MsD have made our own traditions. A nice meal on Xmas Eve followed by a walk up to the pub and a few drinks whilst listening to the brass band playing carols etc.
Xmas morning is smoked salmon and cream cheese blini’s whilst drinking bucks fizz and opening pressies, a nice walk then off to the local Indian restaraunt for a slap-up curry.
We only have Xmas Day together so that’s it, just us.

I love it
family, kids, booze, eating
the shortest day has passed
ski season starts

I find out if I keep my foot just before Christmas. Please can I wait to know that before I answer. 😉

Now, me & MsD have made our own traditions. A nice meal on Xmas Eve followed by a walk up to the pub and a few drinks whilst listening to the brass band playing carols etc.
Xmas morning is smoked salmon and cream cheese blini’s whilst drinking bucks fizz and opening pressies, a nice walk then off to the local Indian restaraunt for a slap-up curry.
We only have Xmas Day together so that’s it, just us.

That’s actually quite sweet… Still hate Christmas.

I love Christmas and the whole build up to it.

We are going on the Polar Express, going to a panto, making mince pies and christmas cakes and decorations.
But we also do free stuff such as making the Portable North Pole video messages, free christmas phone call from Mickey Mouse, track Santa on christmas Eve on Norad, sprinkle reindeer dust in the garden.

Ohhh, even thinking about it is making me feel all christmasy. 😆

Christmas morning after the turkey’s gone in is a great time for mountain biking, the Earth is deserted.

Hate it with a passion . Double busy with work up to xmas eve. Lots of days off and increased work load = unhappy brewer.
Trudging round the shops to buy a load of unwanted useless tat whilst being sneezed and coughed on by the great unwashed. Everyone becomes self absorbed and rude , no ‘Thanks’ if you hold open a door, or wait at the bottom of a set of stairs for someone to come down.

Then the big day itself, with the horrible unveiling of the ‘gift’ which is immediatly valued and pretty much discarded .
I have my own money and if i really want some freckin sox with reindeer on them i will go to the shop and buy them ,or not…

Singletrackminds guide to a good xmas . Spend more on yourself then the sum of what you spend on everyone else. Result .