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THERE ARE JUST 20 days until Christmas, and for the unorganised among us, panic is creeping in.
Presents may still have to be bought, Christmas trees dragged out of the attic and decorated, cards posted to relatives around the world, and it can feel like you’ll never catch up with the to-do list before the 25 December.
While some may be adopting a more relaxed approach, with just three weeks until Christmas we want to know how you’re coping with the festive build-up.
So today we want to know: Do you feel stressed by the Christmas build-up?
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Over commercialised nonsense resulting in high expectations and stress. Takes from the true meaning of Christmas, which for me is celebrating the end of the dark days and embracing those closest to you.
@CODE 29: Christ is king
@CODE 29: The true origin of Christmas was celebrating the end of the dark days. Winter Solstice, Satunalia, etc etc
@Frank: yes. And that is the way it should still be celebrated. The new year beginning 21st. Longer days, more light, natural regeneration. Its hijacking by a group of absurdists trying to convince us that the world is a creation designed to embody a particular moral point of view is really regrettable and has had absolutely disastrous consequences. We all fear dying, but what a way to exploit that fear.
@Maximilian Kolbe: praise Jesus!!
@Frank: ‘Christmas’ is an abbreviation of ‘Christ’s Mass’. The word is recorded as Cristes-messe in 1131.
@Alan: If your not celebrating Christmas (Christs Mass) as the birth of Jesus Christ, and instead calling Christmas the celebration in ‘longer days’, then you’re not celebrating Christmas. You’re celebrating the winter solstice. So put up you’re winter soltice tree or your Roman sun god ‘Saturn’ tree. Don’t call it a Christmas tree.
@Frank: That’s what I said, isn’t it?
@Maximilian Kolbe: why put up a tree?
@Basildon Joe: Why does this jesus guy need to be constantly praised?
@Alan: you’ve hit the nail on the head. It was of course borrowed from the Roman’s.
@Maximilian Kolbe: nice factoid, but the festival pre-dates the word by quite a bit. We got it from the Roman’s, and they probably got it from somewhere else and the whole thing comes from the idea of celebrating in the midst of winter to give us a morale boost that the worst (shortest days) are behind us now.
I’m a man, I won’t become aware of Christmas until I’m sitting at a table and I see a turkey
@Bertie: it’s christmas time, there’s no need to be afraid…..
I wrote and re wrote this a few times. My answer, I worked in grocery retail for 21 yrs. After my 3rd or 4th, I said I’d never do another xmas. Finally this year I did it and traded it for a boring office job which I love. Best decision ever.
@Gerry Collins: Fair play. Noone who hasn’t done it has a notion what it’s like to work in any sort of retail at Christmas.
Yes “its the most stressfull time of the year”
Christmas is also a very hard time for people losing close family members wakeing up Christmas morning and there not there sad.
I feel stressed with the crowds in town. I hate this time of year because of that.
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: What town?
@CODE 29: Whoville
Its as stressful and expensive as you make it yourself
I used to until I set boundaries with family, I’m happy to spend time with them on Christmas Eve after I finish work, all of Christmas Day and Stephens Day morning, after that it’s me time.
Every year it starts earlier and earlier because of retailers and marketers who want to exploit it for every penny they can for a long as they can with zero consideration for the people who get suicidal from it. There should be zero mention of chrimbo anywhere until the first of December.
It’s the wife’s job to be stressed at Christmas.
I’m grand, thanks for asking.
Not at all stressed. There are so many people going through nightmares right now, being stuck in Christmas shopping traffic is a pleasure in comparison.
Can be tough, decades long resentments coming out over the mulled wine and vol au vents.
I’m a man, I will be cooking the christmas dinner. I enjoy cooking and find it de-stressing. I hope they all enjoy the turkey.
@troolll balonius: don’t undercook it, the in-laws will be terribly sick.
@Basildon Joe: I’d say that will be done purposely.
@David O Brien: he should not be poisoning them like that.
@Basildon Joe: Depends on what they are like :)
It’s all about money and greed I would would go asleep on the 23 December and wake up on 2 January when its all over
No not at all its on 1 special day in the year for kids & familys to be kind to eachother
I love Christmas….but it gets ruined by Visa.
Yes unfortunately. It’s no longer about what it’s meant to be about. Those who haven’t money r pressured into debt knowing they’ll receive gifts from people, feel they must purchase gifts they can’t afford. It’s entirely unnecessary. I’m not religious but always enjoyed Xmas as a kid with my family, but I wasn’t the one making it all happen. Now as an adult it’s difficult financially as well as spending time with some difficult and volatile family members i feel guilted into spend time with. I thankfully travelled to a country last year that doesn’t celebrate Christmas. It was a breath of fresh air. No gifts received, no spending time with either family, just having a completely new experience which was eye opening. I wish I could do it this year but not on the cards. Sorry to be a Grinchx
I love it, the best time! Just her indoors stresses me out.
@Basildon Joe: when her indoors stresses me out,I am he outdoors.
@Deano74: yes for a good few days
The worst part about Christmas is knowing everyone working in shops and restaurants serving people absolutely hate it.
Hate it. So much hype, fuss and loneliness
Work in retail. Love Christmas but people just won’t get out of the bloody way.
Seriously must we use the word “stress” in everything? I didn’t know what stress was as a kid now Junior Infants use it in school every day.
No, it’s the most wonderful time of the year
Got everything sorted, looking forward to the brussels sprouts.
I just try to ignore it but this is becoming increasingly difficult as it is being heralded now from about Easter on.
Not even a little bit. Don’t buy into the whole spend every penny on rubbish no one wants. Looking forward to a nice long break from work, good food and good wine…..
More stressed by the invasion by the ungrateful and incompatible with civilised society!
It’s up to each person! It’s only stressful if you make it stressful!
I always go to some sunny climate, usually the Algarve. My idea of a white Christmas is a snowy white beach. If I get wild, I go out to dinner or have a picnic on the beach. Family can join me, or they can stay home. Obviously, we will ring each other. I am single and retired, and that’s the good years: fit enough to travel, but I don’t have to work anymore. The relentless commercialization of Xmas is awful, and closing everything down for a week or 10 days, as in Ireland, just gets on my nerves.
@Tatjana Kytmannow: Don’t think anything closes down for that long anymore! And if they do they’re entitled to a break as well.
have your say