How many of you are in No Christmas (and/or No Hanukkah, No Kwanza, No etc.) families?
As of this year, it will be official on both sides of my family. I might get together with one side of my family for a day, but there will be no presents, no money on decorations, etc. Sure, we'll talk about the holidays, but my family (and I) have decided to not treat it anymore than just another holiday, mainly because of the financial and mental drain over the years building up.
It helps that our youngest family member is 19, so I can imagine this is tough to do if there are younger kids in the family. Otherwise, I'm lovin' it.
You guys?
― Mackro Mackro, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 00:30 (eighteen years ago)
My family is more "minimal Christmas". One present only per immediate family member, spend no more that £10. The parents are not big drinkers, so hardly any booze. Decorations are limited to one tree and some cards on the mantlepiece. This all sounds a bit sombre, but it's a lot less stress, and it's surprising how little all the extra bumpf we've cut out adds to the enjoyment.
― snoball, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 00:36 (eighteen years ago)
My family is more "good excuse to get together with people you love".
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 00:38 (eighteen years ago)
that sounds incredibly sucky. ill take all the presents i can get.
― sunny successor, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 16:33 (eighteen years ago)
it's more about making the effort to get together once a year and not fight.
― darraghmac, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 16:43 (eighteen years ago)
That's great and noble, but until a few years ago, this was impossible with my maternal family -- to not fight, that is. I wish my family made the "No Christmas" decision back then.
― Mackro Mackro, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 16:51 (eighteen years ago)
I think my parents would go for this, because it does bring up all the family issues that have been lying peacefully still all year, but never will try because it would be really awful for my youngest brother, who's autistic.
It's not the strain of getting presents or putting up decorations or anything that makes it difficult, though, it's just the vision of a perfect family that isn't reality, and the stresses and hurt feelings involved in a big extended family being unable to make visiting plans that are good for everyone. So even if we gave up all the trappings, those would still remain because they're emotional, not environmental. And even if we gave up visiting relatives and spending time together as a family...well, then we would have given up visiting relatives and spending time together as a family, and that wouldn't be good either. I know it's not good because I'm not doing either this year, I'm spending Christmas across the Atlantic from my family, and it makes me really sad.
― Maria, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 17:49 (eighteen years ago)
See, here's where the advantage of having your whole extended family all get along and all living within ten miles of each other comes in. : D
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:38 (eighteen years ago)
IF ONLY
― Dr Morbius, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:41 (eighteen years ago)
(Actually, I guess that's not true anymore. One of my cousins moved to San Diego.)
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:44 (eighteen years ago)
(What The Rev isn't saying is that he means his 'family' in the sense of the cult he leads. Why do you think he's rolling in all that dough?)
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:44 (eighteen years ago)
We DO NOT talk about that to people outside the family. We DO NOT talk about that to people outside the family. We DO NOT talk about that to people outside the family. We DO NOT talk about that to people outside the family. We DO NOT talk about that to people outside the family.
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 19:33 (eighteen years ago)
You mean just like that time your uncle drank a bottle of egg-nog and threw up over the television?
― snoball, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 19:51 (eighteen years ago)