Christmas Random Irritations

[Bratty]

Christmas. In its entirety.

 

[RichA]

Totally agree with this. I am fed up walking around trying to buy presents that people don't need purely because it's Christmas. I just ask myself what's the point. If I had my way it would be, enjoy Christmas but for goodness sake, let's forget the present buying for grown-ups.

We've had an amnesty on gifts for grownups (other than elderly parents) for a few years now. It does make it easier and saves me a trip to the charity shop in the new year.

 

[GB72]

Same. Her siblings and mine decide whether they are having a quiet christmas with the kids or a big family christmas. We make no plans so we can fill in the gaps to make sure no elderlies get left on their own.
As a result, MrsA and I have occasionally had to spend christmas apart. We don't love this time of year as much as we would like to.

Pretty much in the same boat, this year we have my mum and my wife's dad who have no other plans which means I will be driving as my mum does not want to stay away nor will she drive in the dark any more and so I will not get to enjoy the day. At least we have managed to get all of the elderlies with no plans in one place as opposed to having to separate.

We had a couple of great years where is was my wife and i only. We could walk down the pub at lunchtime, did not matter what time we got back for lunch, saw a few friends after, it was great.

 

[PJ87]

I think part of the issue is both my mother and my mother in law.

They still expect the traditional family Xmas with the whole family round the table for a meal, exchanging presents etc. Sadly neither side will accept that their children are married and have similar expectations from the other side of the family, some have kids and want to be at home with their family and some just like to celebrate Xmas on their own. It is a very different picture to how they grew up when the extended family Xmas was seen as the essential event of the year, people live a bit differently now.

Anyway, that is my rant over about one of the reasons I find Xmas stressful is because you cannot please some people every year, sometimes you end up pleasing nobody and end up feeling guilty as a result.

When I moved out my mum tried to force herself round for Xmas day. It's always been Xmas eve at my mum's with my aunt..boxing day at my nans with dad's side of the family (so see them twice over the 3 days) and all my wife wanted was Xmas day for her family

My wife put her foot down pointing out my mum sees us 2 times over the 3 days and we see her parents just Xmas day.

We don't need them "popping over" to see us or the kids open presents when time is required for cooking Xmas dinner, and me going to pick up the wife's grandad from London so he can join us etc.

Took a few years but the system is now excepted practice

Thankfully my sister had her first kid this year so some of the attention can be moved across

 

[GB72]

When I moved out my mum tried to force herself round for Xmas day. It's always been Xmas eve at my mum's with my aunt..boxing day at my nans with dad's side of the family (so see them twice over the 3 days) and all my wife wanted was Xmas day for her family

My wife put her foot down pointing out my mum sees us 2 times over the 3 days and we see her parents just Xmas day.

We don't need them "popping over" to see us or the kids open presents when time is required for cooking Xmas dinner, and me going to pick up the wife's grandad from London so he can join us etc.

Took a few years but the system is now excepted practice

Thankfully my sister had her first kid this year so some of the attention can be moved across

Wife and I made the mistake of being accommodating early on and have been paying for it ever since whereas my wife's brother simply said that Xmas will be with his wife's family and nobody pressures him to attend anything over the whole period and everyone is overjoyed if he decides to drop in for half an hour.

 

[Imurg]

I'm with the "presents for adults" thing....PITA. Birthdays are bad enough.
We do a Secret Santa at the In-laws....works well. You only have to come with 50 quids worth of ideas and you don't get stuff you don't want.
The biggest irritation I have with Xmas is thats become a 10 week thing.....it starts mid October.
By the time we get to where we are now I've had enough of it. I'm Xmas'd out....
I'm happy with the family get togethers and things like that but the rest of it..?
If it was stopped tomorrow I wouldn't worry...
Appreciate that many, many people love it...fill yer boots..I'm just bored of it.

 

[PJ87]

Wife and I made the mistake of being accommodating early on and have been paying for it ever since whereas my wife's brother simply said that Xmas will be with his wife's family and nobody pressures him to attend anything over the whole period and everyone is overjoyed if he decides to drop in for half an hour.

Got to set your stall out early.

Don't get me wrong I'm all for the family get togethers , love em. Kids love em. But I don't need the same people Xmas eve going to theirs, then they "pop in" on the day and then see them boxing day for the same again?

It's not like we live hours apart and they are staying local .. that I'd understand.. I can walk to their house in 30 mins or drive in 7 mins.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I try very hard not to get irritated by anything over the Christmas period.
I find a lot of the naf stuff amusingly awful.

One thing that does upset me is ordering Xmas pudding from a Christmas menu and then presented with a very small rectangular slice of fruit cake that would barely satisfy a small child.
And served with barely a tablespoonful of some sort of runny cream with the tiniest drop of cheap brandy in it.
I want a big chunk of Xmas Pudding (not cake) with lashings of hot custard. Surely its not hard to do?

If I don't get to see Its A Wonderful Life or Carry On Up The Khyber then Christmas seems incomplete.
Saw them both last year - very happy. Just one will do, though.

 

[GB72]

Got to set your stall out early.

Don't get me wrong I'm all for the family get togethers , love em. Kids love em. But I don't need the same people Xmas eve going to theirs, then they "pop in" on the day and then see them boxing day for the same again?

It's not like we live hours apart and they are staying local .. that I'd understand.. I can walk to their house in 30 mins or drive in 7 mins.

One set of relatives are 3 hours away. The real kicker was one year that we have my wife's grandparents Golden Wedding Anniversary on 28th December. We suggested that, as it was the same people maybe we skip going down for xmas day and all meet at that. Nope, not happening, so 3 hours drive Xmas eve, 3 hours drive back boxing day, then driving to my mothers on 27th then a 6 hour round trip on 28th to see wife's family again so basically my week that I badly need to re-charge was spent driving all around the country seeing relatives none of whom would give up their day to see everyone for a date in the new year.

 

[RichA]

I try very hard not to get irritated by anything over the Christmas period.
I find a lot of the naf stuff amusingly awful.

One thing that does upset me is ordering Xmas pudding from a Christmas menu and then presented with a very small rectangular slice of fruit cake that would barely satisfy a small child.
And served with barely a tablespoonful of some sort of runny cream with the tiniest drop of cheap brandy in it.
I want a big chunk of Xmas Pudding (not cake) with lashings of hot custard. Surely its not hard to do?

If I don't get to see Its A Wonderful Life or Carry On Up The Khyber then Christmas seems incomplete.
Saw them both last year - very happy. Just one will do, though.

Our work christmas meal was at Brown's in London. The disappointing meal was rounded off with an individual pudding the size of a golf ball with a whole dried apricot in the middle, a minuscule dollop of crème Anglaise and a lump of sweetened clotted cream. Sickeningly unpleasant in every respect.
Films wise, I would add either or both of Fiddler On The Roof and Ice Cold In Alex.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

It amazes me how many adults with their own children still have their lives dictated to them by other people, even though it makes them miserable.

 

[GB72]

It amazes me how many adults with their own children still have their lives dictated to them by other people, even though it makes them miserable.

I fall into that category but I tend to put the happiness of others before my own, hence I can be a bit of a doormat when it comes to these things. If I felt I had upset someone in a way that could have been avoided then I would feel guilty for far longer than the Xmas period.

 

[RichA]

I fall into that category but I tend to put the happiness of others before my own, hence I can be a bit of a doormat when it comes to these things. If I felt I had upset someone in a way that could have been avoided then I would feel guilty for far longer than the Xmas period.

Nothing wrong with empathy. If the rest of our extended families exhibited it we could maybe all have a relaxing break from work for a few days.

 

[Neilds]

Blimey, I only started this thread as a bit of a laugh and now we have uncovered deep rooted family issues
Thought it would be more about the state of gifts in crackers or something

 

[GB72]

Blimey, I only started this thread as a bit of a laugh and now we have uncovered deep rooted family issues
Thought it would be more about the state of gifts in crackers or something

When it comes to Xmas irritations, there was always bound to be family issues.

That said, all crackers appear to be the same these days, no real variety but then again, I keep being told that crackers are a big no now as they are such a waste. Amazing how pretty much the same product can sell at anything from £10.00 to £30.00 depending on where you buy them from despite the contents being the same.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Trying to find something to buy the mrs

 

[Hobbit]

Blimey, I only started this thread as a bit of a laugh and now we have uncovered deep rooted family issues
Thought it would be more about the state of gifts in crackers or something

Just wait till the “useless golf gifts given at Xmas” thread appears. Let’s not mention the M&S golf balls or ball stamp for putting your initials on the balls.

 

[GB72]

Just wait till the “useless golf gifts given at Xmas” thread appears. Let’s not mention the M&S golf balls or ball stamp for putting your initials on the balls.

At least that involves the person knowing something about you, that you play golf, and making an effort. I will add the Amazon wish list to the irritations as it then makes Xmas shopping nothing more than a process. It involved no thought, care or consideration with no need to actually take an interest in what that person may or may not like. It is just click button and have it delivered ready wrapped, you may as well all agree to buy yourselves something.

 

[Voyager EMH]

At least that involves the person knowing something about you, that you play golf, and making an effort. I will add the Amazon wish list to the irritations as it then makes Xmas shopping nothing more than a process. It involved no thought, care or consideration with no need to actually take an interest in what that person may or may not like. It is just click button and have it delivered ready wrapped, you may as well all agree to buy yourselves something.

We've been doing that for some years now.
Buy something - give it to sister-in-law - she gives me the cash - get it back on Christmas day wrapped up.
Not everything is like that - but it does solve some problems.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Trying to find something to buy the mrs

Spa day, night away somewhere etc. Look for things to do rather than items. Works for us now anyway