Lived Experience Forum

[Alessandra1992]

Sounds to me @kenny66 that your flatmate is family to you...and I reckon the friends you choose as family are who we want to celebrate Christmas with..

[Ellie]

I'm another one who desperately struggles with Christmas. I breath a huge sigh of relief when it's all over. I once tried to wean myself off it by explaining to my youngest son (then in his early 30's) how stressful the entire thing made me. He accused me of trying to ruin his Christmas and made it quite clear that if I was going to try and dodge Christmas, then I could go to blazes permanently.

Over the last few years, we're come to an arrangement whereby my two boys, my sister and myself plus my boy's children all get together for a B-B-Q on Boxing day. I go along only to keep the peace which adds even more stress.

It would be great to simply catch up with a couple of friends for Christmas and have a B-B-Q less all the commercialism that goes with the day. I really don't mind getting together with the family either. That can be fun, but I hate going shopping because of my sometimes intense anxiety which makes shopping for presents extremely and intensely stressful. I must sound like the original Christmas Grinch!!

[Baboo]

Ahhh, Christmas- Yes for me too it can be a difficult time- families fighting with each other- or having 3 odd families to choose from to visit- while the others then miss out and get cranky at you. Work, bills- presents for every one. Last year i was organised- this yearim far from it. I do the same strategy's as i do with any thing else stress full in my life- i write a big list of people to see for example- then half it. Making phone calls to people aroundchristmas time instead of visits if it comes to it. Id like to try video calling people this year- then i might be off the hook a little if i cant see some family members 🙂

[SCORPION]

Hi

What makes it hard for me is every one saying cheer up its christmas.

Oh ok i will just tell depression and PSTD its holliday season and just go away . ya right When they keep saying this it just makes it harder and i get more depressed than usually.

Why cant people accept that to some all this just isolat's some of us more by being over the top in trying to cheer us up. They make me feel that i am causing them to have a bad time because i am not running aroud with a silly grinn . If they would not make such a fuss about trying to cheer me up and let me go along quietly it would be so much better.

Anway thats my take

SCORPION

[Loopy]

Alessandra1992, I am sorry and apologise to everyone but I found this wonderful christmas cartoon site.I just had to share this one withn you all. I am laughing so much I have tears running everywhere. I found it, sort of  "cuttin ".

loopy

[Alessandra1992]

Love these comics you are posting @loopy!! Very funny..
I reckon a few of us will be thinking of the hese comics when we are experiencing the awkward Christmas moments we will encounter.. Such as "don't you have any plans for Chrissy?" Or if you are at a Chrissy lunch , tolerating the opinionated when you are wishing they would shut up!! Heck..that might be me 🙂

[Loopy]

Alessandra1992, thank you sometimes I am a bit of  a comic at heart, or devil. I refuse to tolerate those who continually say, Gee your quiet is everything OK?". No it is fn not and I just leave. They just don't understand that I take the medication instead of smoking or drinking myself  into oblivion, of course i'm not ok.

loopy

[Eagle]

I often find Christmas day overwhelming. Everything is great - but I think I just get way to exicted and then I crash quite quickly.

I tend to take an afternoon nap to recharge. A lot of my family will crash after a big Christmas lunch - so I use it as an excuse to have an hour to myself and snooze. I have to force myself back up though - otherwise I miss the night time festivities.

I guess my main tip would be to find time to be by yourself if you need it.

[Loopy]

Ellie, Christmas for me is a time to pretend you are having areal fun time watching people get drunk as skunks, stuff their faces with as much free food as they can the all piss off until next year. Then I sadly go home and crawl into my safety zone and think, "how many more of these do I have to persevere with".

loopy.

[Rick]

I simply choose to spend the time with people I love and like and stay away from those I don't.

Not always possible for many due to family constraints. I have only my daughter as family in the world.

I will have my daughter over xmas eve and return her to her mother in the morning. That will be lovely but sad too, I will then go see my best friends and my God children and since they've seen fit to adopt me, be with family I very luckily like.

I wish everyone the very best during this ambivalent time. 

Remember! Presents are cool!