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It’s okay to cancel Christmas (in fact, I highly recommend it)

It’s okay to cancel Christmas (in fact, I highly recommend it)

It's okay to cancel Christmas

I’m giving my kids cash for Christmas this year. Not even a gift card, just money. I’m also giving my nieces, nephews, friends and probably the postie cash for Christmas too. I think my sisters thought I was joking when I mentioned it, but alas, I was not. I didn’t mean to cancel Christmas, it just happened.

This year, I just haven’t managed to Christmas. This is entirely out of character for me – I am generally a Christmas fiend. Witness:

•  Natural Christmas wreath
•  Elf donuts
•  Merry Christmas life saver wrappers
•  Rudolph treat bags
•  Raspberry rum balls

I mean, in years past I made elf donuts, for crying out loud. I freaking love Christmas.

Cancel Christmas

This year, aside from hastily stuffing money into Noel cards, I’ve done absolutely bugger all. No Christmas tree, no decorations, no shopping. No parties either – we’ve said no to the lot. Most years, we even have a big Christmas party at our place, but not this year. One year we even took the kids to Europe to have a white Christmas. Ha! Nup, this year, Christmas is cancelled.

Mostly, it’s because we’re renovating and don’t have a proper house (I am so very over the renovating). But it’s also because I’m just really, really, really tired this year. I’ve done a lot of things and I was done by November. I’ve always said that when life gets overwhelming we need to get out our ‘to do’ list and just start crossing things off. Well, this year I crossed of Christmas.


I can totally relate: How to fix things when you feel exhausted by life


 

Letting it go

I had so many plans, so many gift ideas, a brand new Christmas tablescape idea (I mean, I use the word ‘tablescape’, I am definitely a Christmas type!). All dreams, no doing. We’ve kept the Christmas kindness going, but that’s about it.

Instead, on Christmas day, the kids will delight in their wad of cash for Christmas (I’m planning tens and twenties so it looks like heaps – see, I still care). We’ll be having breakfast at a fancy-pants place in Brisbane in the morning, then heading out to set up camp at Woodford in the afternoon. That pretty much sums up my life: luxe one minute, in the dirt the next.

We’ll be meeting up with my sister and friends to pool our tinned camping food for a Christmas night feast. We’ll put all the fold up camping tables together to make a long table down a dusty Woodford road, cheers our lukewarm wine and beer, and feel satisfied in knowing that there isn’t any place we’d rather be.

F*ck it, we’ll catch it next year

So, forgive me my bah humbug ways just this once. I just wanted to tell you about it because if Ms Christmas herself can get away with saying f*ck it, then you can too. Maybe not this year, but one year. One year when you need it. Just cancel Christmas. Cross it off the list and go give your kids a big hug, a wad of cash and a week long music festival. They’ll still love you forever, I promise.

Merry(ish) Christmas to you and yours!

How to squeeze more joy into Christmas with older kids | Mumlyfe

Thursday 7th of November 2019

[…] Here’s how to simplify the lot: It’s okay to cancel Christmas […]

Roxene Aspey

Monday 4th of November 2019

A great idea my 25 year old son isn't talking to me and new partner hates Christmas not bothering with Christmas anymore... Any ideas on what to do instead ?????

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