So how was your day?
By LUCY ORMONDE.
Greetings!
We’re breaking the rules today and bringing the weekly best and worst post forward so you can tell us all about how your day was yesterday.
So how was Christmas? Did Santa come? Did you burn the turkey? Eat too many shortbreads? And what do you have planned for the next days?
I’ll start….
Best: For me, yesterday was the first time in forever that I haven’t tried to fit in 165+ family gatherings in one day. It was just the perfect combination of eating, drinking, eating, drinking, napping, eating and drinking, topped off with a sunset walk along the beach with the family.
Worst: Too many cocktails. I’m feeling it today.
Your turn now…. How was your Christmas day?
Comments
216 Comments so far
We make wish lists for each other in my family! Makes it so much easier and I’d much rather get everyone something they definitely want and don’t already have! Also I live overseas so makes the whole online thing much easier! Don’t judge!
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Best 1: Santa got me the most awesome present ever!!! A new boyfriend
He’s a guy who I have been friends with for a little over a year, and it evolved and we stay up all night talking, and I forgot how good first kisses were. I’m so happy, been smiling for days.
Best 2: First Christmas with my most adorable new nieces. Loved it, was amazing. My family is in such a good place at the moment.
Best 3: There are no worsts.
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What a great story! I think MM should do a story on friends who become involved.
Good luck with it all x
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Best – I love Christmas; the magic, the carols, the food! I loved seeing how excited my kids were, the wonderful Xmas lunch and catching up with all the in laws (25 of us inc. kids). A few mildly tense moments have been had, but nothing serious enough to ruin anyone’s day/week.
Worst – 17 hour drive with three kids (inc. a baby) to get here! Husband being annoyed with the weather and other things (ironic, seeing it is his hometown and his family). Being stuck in bedroom trying to get Miss 2 to sleep while chaos and merriment echo in the not so distant family room (I am in here right now, have missed dinner and feel like a prisoner!)
OMM – empathy for those doing it tougher than me (and dinner to be honest, I didn’t get lunch either.)
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Omm: my mum goes completely over the top with presents at Christmas. There are 4 kids and when it cane time for then to open the presents from her – they just went nuts.
My husband and i have discussed the over indulgance several times. We both agree that it’s sending the kids the wrong message – if you ask them what they got from their Nanna, they couldn’t tell you half of it! Not only that – we just don’t have the room in our house!
I’ve asked my mum to tone it down before, and she has somewhat – but her present pile is still triple anyone elses.
It’s my daughter’s bday tomorrow, and i just know she’s gone over the top – and it was just christmas a few days ago!
I feel stuck in the middle – i don’t want to offend my mum as i know it brings her great excitement, but i also want to be supportive of my husband and out thoughts and views with this over indulgence.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
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Sorry, don’t have any suggestions, but just wanted to empathise. I could have written your comment word-for-word – from the mother, to the 4 kids, to the previous discussions, to the no-room-in-the-house.
Let me know if you come up with anything that works!
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Best: A fabulous day with both sides of the family. Got to meet my baby nephew for the first time and had lots of cuddles. My boys are old enough now to get through the whole day with smiles rather than tears.
Best 2: Arriving home after 6 days away with extended family. Love my relatives to death but so glad I don’t have to live with them. Sure, my own husband and children are grumpy and difficult at times, but they’re mine. (And just quietly, my sisters-in-law are all so bossy!! Love them, but bossy!)
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OMM- where is OOPSYBOOPSY????????
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Best: Catching up with family. Eating far too much great food. Watching the kids (big and little) enjoying their presents.
Worst: No space. Rostering/schedules so that everything can happen 34 times a day (e.g. 34 showers can happen over the course of a day without anyone running out of hot water). Saying goodbye to loved ones.
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Best: First ever Christmas on the beach with only my husband and three year old son. My sons excitement and joy was so heartwarming and this Christmas was so very special. No fuss, no bother. Pure bliss.
Worst: Nothing.
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worst – shingles and ear infection a week before christmas – felt too sick to do any last minute jobs etc and taking all sorts of pills meant a alcohol free christmas day
best – hubby was really happy he had a driver! spent christmas eve, christmas day and boxing day in 3 different places in different ways this year. really shook things up for the better. the kids loved splashing in uncles new pool. another party there this weekend! great christmas!
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BEST: spending Christmas with a really lovely family who took me in and made me one of their own. I’ll be completely and utterly eternally grateful.
WORST: first Christmas alone in a foreign country. No family around and no presents to unwrap (not an issue, but weird). My family at home didn’t even send me something little, or something online. I felt pretty neglected. It’s like I’m not a part of the family because I live on the other side of the world.
Here’s hoping 2013 brings a whole heap of happiness to all x
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I hope 2013 brings YOU a whole heap of happiness, mixed emotions xx
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Best: Christmas morning with our 3 and 6 year old boys. Their excitement Christmas eve, just magic to watch and so much fun.
Worst: missing the rest of my family – parents, sister, her family who live in another state. Spent the day missing them.
OMM: it’s my oldest and dearest friend’s 40th birthday next month and I’m not sure what to give her. She also lives in another state so it has to be something I can post. I’m thinking jewellery. She tends to buy herself anything she likes so I find her a bit hard to buy for!
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Christmas Day, Boxing Day and half of the 27th on Hamilton Island with my husband and our 3.5yr and 2yr old sons. Christmas lunch was heavenly. I have been eating very strictly since May so my eyes were rolling back in my head during dessert. Sun, sand, swimming, beautiful views, good coffee and even a champagne at the swim up bar made for a lovely few days. Even having our very young toddlers with us (yes, the occasional melt down did occur) didn’t worry us. We are now thinking about going back for our wedding anniversary in April!
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Best: Christmas with my sister and BIL, my mum and her partner, my dad and his wife, and my hubby and our kids. Away at the coast together. I thought it would be bad, having the divorced parents together – staying in the same house for 4 days but it went pretty smoothly. There was the usual passive-aggressive bullshit, but we’re used to that now. Also best – the amazing food! Ham & cheese croissants and fruit salad for breakfast, prawns and salad for lunch followed by apple crumble. Dinner was roast pork with crackling, slow cooked rosemary and garlic turkey, rosemary potatoes, Italian style slow cooked peas (the only thing I cooked all day), and pavlova for dessert. Just awesome! Also best – the lovely, very expensive mywalit iPad sleeve from my sister, who told me that I’d spoiled her for years when she had no money and now it was my turn to be spoiled, and the beautiful red mixer hubby gave me. Plus 4 sets of earrings – all of them gorgeous.
Worst: hubby and I had a spat on xmas eve that he hung onto into Xmas day. Then he didn’t really like my gift (a painting, I thought he’d love it. Sigh.) which didn’t help his mood. Also worst, my dad told my sister he didn’t like kids. It was cemented for me during the day when my 5yo was playing with the cool paper plane making kit he received and my dad threw the plane down the stairs, stating “that should get rid of him for a while”. What the hell?!
Subsequent worst – while driving to the beach yesterday hubby put my window up, without realizing I’d hooked my fingers over the top of the window. It was a total accident, but he didn’t (and still hasn’t) said sorry. It’s eating at me. It really fucking hurt and he should have apologized.
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Best: three days before Christmas, I snuck home for two days in the sun with my parents. My in-laws are completely unaware, as we usually take it in turns to visit each set of parents, and this year was “their turn”. I truly felt that this year, for me, Christmas was on Sunday 23 December!
Worst: having to spend the actual day with my in-laws. These are the type of people who make lists of what to buy them for Christmas. I feel it is completely wrong, and ruins the spirit of giving. It makes me happy hunting for the perfect gift, as it makes me feel that I know the person I’m buying for so deeply that I can find them something they will truly want. Providing a list to shop off is just wrong, especially as we’re all adults, and are yet to have children who make Santa lists. It completely goes against the spirit of not just giving, but also receiving gifts, as it is a completely selfish venture.
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Best best best Christmas ever!!!!!!! After 5 years on dialysis I got a kidney transplant 3 weeks before christmas and christmas eve hospital called to say it was functioning at 100 percent! Woo hoo – freedom!!!!
My two young kids finally have a well mum – my hubby has a healthy wife and we will be finally able to travel. So good health was my present and everything else fades into the background. Thank you to all the donors out there… Bless you and bless my donor’s family xxx
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Congratulations Sarah. That must be absolutely wonderful.
All the best for your new life.
Thank goodness for families who donate.
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That’s wonderful, I’m so happy for you!
I feel so strongly about organ donation, as it gives people like yourself a second chance at life
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What a wonderful Christmas present for you and your family.
Best wishes to you. xx
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Best wishes to you Sarah, my Father has had a transplanted kidney for about 30 years, so I hope you have long life and health that is possible.
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Sarah, you take the cake. Nothing I can say could possibly compare.
Congratulations, and warmest wishes for a long, healthy and happy life.
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Wow, Sarah, that has just put an awful lot into perspective for me. I’m so glad you’re feeling so well, and that it seems you feel you have a second lease on life. Good for you.
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Perspective plus here too! What an amazing gift. Best of luck to you. X
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Best: Being with all the in-laws, gorgeous food, totally spoilt with presents.
Worst: Scrapping with hubby over my phone and I was kidding around but next thing he’s yelling at me (I call it yelling but it’s really just that hissing-rumbling thing men do with their voices) and grabs my wrist to yank the phone out of my hand. I leave the room, a tad upset and talk to him about it later and say he’s not allowed to be aggressive with me like that… and he ends up grabbing my arm again, this time it leaves a mark. I started crying and ran away. He then got really mad and said it was my fault and tried to make ME apologise. I stood my ground and eventually he apologised for hurting me but now I just can’t look at him the same. It really hurts when the person you need affection from causes you pain.
Perhaps I’m overreacting but I’ve always been really nervous of men and he’s bigger, stronger and louder than me and he scares me a bit.
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I don’t think you’re overreacting Rose. If you don’t stand your ground when things like that happen it’ll just get worse, that’s been my experience.
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I’m pretty sure it’s not good to be scared of your husband. Probably good to sit down & talk when all the Christmas stress has calmed down.
Listen to those warning bells.
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+ 1 – agreed! Dear Rose, i dong know mich about you or your sotuation but the dact alone that your husband is saying you provoked him and trying to make you apologise to him rings all kinda of alarm bells for me. He might seriously need to see someone about managing his temper, before it escalates into something even more serious. xxx
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I was scared of my ex- has been when we argued.
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Oh I have a hubby who is like that too. He’s decent when all is well, but a big bullying tyrant when he gets in a bad mood. What to do, right? :-/
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Worst: Spending a week in hospital beforehand. Feeling frightened and really, really ill.
Best: Being released on Christmas Eve. Having my divorced parents be civil to one another because they wanted to look after me.
Today: appreciating the beautiful blue skies and sunshine after all the literal and metaphorical dark clouds this week.
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My Christmas was better than expected! I have had some shocking Xmas’ the last few years as it is generally when emotions are highest and family conflict is rife! Fortunately this year was quite nice. My sister had come up from Melbourne and we had a lovely lunch with my Grandma and father and his family. I had spent a few days baking presents and making lovely salads so I was happy that people seemed to enjoy them. I was worried about seeing my father’s wife as we don’t get on but she made an effort to be nice so it went well. Then it was off to my mum’s side of the family for dinner. It went better than I anticipated also with lots of laughs. I did feel a bit sick and anxious so was glad to get home but overall it was quite a good day. Now contemplating getting back to the gym after such excess!!
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DISASTER! House fire cooking the dinner, loosing over $10,000 worth of equipment! So an emotional rest of the day thinking about our loss. Then Boxing day, my one day of the year where I had planned to sit in front of the box and do absolutely nothing……I spent cleaning walls and cupboards and throwing out pressious belongings. This is definately a Christmas I would rather forget!!!
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Oh no, so sorry to hear that. Thank goodness you are all safe. Xx
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Best: Watching my little boy open his presents and have a really fun and exciting day.
Worst: Being asked three times when we are going to have a second baby three weeks after having a miscarriage, was tough
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That is very thoughtless of them especially if they knew of your miscarriage. Hope you’re ok xxx
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Best: spending time with my family. I much prefer my side of the family for xmas as it’s chilled, not hectic and it’s actually relaxing. It’s ok if the house isn’t spotless or if the potatoes are burnt. It was also really cute watching my dog sniff out and try to open all the presents so she could get to her wrapped smackos!
Best 2: we received so many gifts for our new house, things like pots and pans, kettle, toaster, cutlery, plates, mugs, bowls etc. I’m getting very excited about moving in March.
Worst: being exhausted as we do so much on xmas day. Also my boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend being completely ungrateful despite receiving so many thoughtful presents. It’s makes it worse because she’s jewish so doesn’t even celebrate Christmas and refuses to buy anyone gifts yet still receives so much and can’t even muster up a smile and ‘thank you.”
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Best: My third child’s 1st Chrissy (9week old so a little too young to get it) but fun all the same
, our other two enjoying the unwrapping, my Mum and her partner showing up and spending a couple of hours with the kids unexpectedly (surprise for the kids when they woke to find Gran and Pa where here) but most of all learning to loosen the reins -so to speak – and let others help, I’m a bit of a control freak in the kitchen particularly at christmas, for when people asked “what can I do? they got a job to do…
Worst: The loss of both my husbands parents this year means our table was a little smaller and quieter that years past
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Best: found out I’m pregnant with our second child
Worst: not being able to drink or eat all the beautiful cheeses or even the ham on offer. I forgot about all the dietary restrictions :-/
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Congratulaions!!!
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Worst Christmas ever!
I am so upset about it.
I am a newlywed. We got married 2 montgs ago and we were supposed to be on our honeymoon now.
But 4 weeks ago my husband suffered a head injury at work and had skull fractures and bleeding on the brain. I found him covered in blood and incoherent, called an ambulance and then spent 2 weeks by his bed in hospital. Not how i envisigned our marriage starting at all!
But i can deal with all that.
What i cant deal with is the way he has changed. Personality changes and mood swings. He is just a nightmare to deal with. We had a huge fight Christmas morning and i was in tears. He refused to come to my family lunch. He did come eventually but was a dark cloud.
It is so hard to cope with. I know a lot of it is the head injury abd keep trying to remember that but it is really hard to seperate the person and the illness.
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Thinking of you. Hope things get better. xxx
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That’s so sad Fairy Princess – virtual hugs to you, and hoping your husb recovers.
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A similar thing happened to my brother years ago. It’s really hard at first, but from my experience, they do get much better with time. I think it took 2-3 years for my brother to come back to being ‘himself’ and now it’s 10 years on and he is totally as he used to be before the accident. Hang in there, time really does help head injuries to heal.
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Hang in there FP. I am 18 months down the road and my husband is still not himself, but much better than he was. It’s hard. Just hang on. Thinking of you xxx
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I’m so sorry to hear this Fairy Princess.
If you haven’t already, please get a referral to see someone (I’m a doctor who works in this area). Depending on where you live, there should be a brain injury rehabilitation clinic (where you’ll see a rehabilitation medicine specialist). Ask your GP, or if you’re still seeing the neurosurgeons, they’ll know where to refer you. While we can’t ‘fix’ the brain injury, we can give advice, and possibly therapy to help manage the symptoms.
This is really hard, but it sounds like you’re doing a great job.
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My day wasn’t so great. Walked into that kitchen at 7.30 am and out of it at 11.30 pm. Christmas sustenance was 8 coffees, 4 red bulls (lies, those things dont give you wings, they just keep you upright) and 7 cigarettes. Husband and children went to my in-laws, seems a good time was had by all, but everyone asleep when I got home. Sooked for a bit, then amused self by re-writing Christmas songs, hit a wall when I couldn’t find anything to rhyme with heart palpitations (sp?) Husband got me in the KK, and bought me a SAUCEPAN! OK, it was copper, French, and v. sexy but I nearly brained him with it in his sleep with it. That was the only present I got, and yes, I know Christmas is not about presents, but if it was going to be shiny and expensive, I would rather it went around a finger or a wrist or in my ears. Today, however took the cake. I was supposed to take daughter to get her a final gift, but I was fucked.Sideways. Could not have touched my knees, let alone my toes. He did it but I got the full lecture about how she just wants to spend time with me etc etc etc. Right about now, I would kill to be a SAHM, even though my kids are probably a bit too old for it. Ok, sorry rant over, but this old chick is just so tired. Just so fucking tired. And I know these are such FWPS, but too damn tired to even feel guilty about that.
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I really feel for you, thanks for sharing.
It’s important to hear about how Christmas is for those of us who have to work on the day (chefs, waiters, nurses and doctors, shop assistants, etc), but your working day was just too long. I know what it’s like the day after a sleepless stretch of time, must have been awful for you when everyone else was out celebrating.
Hugs to you, I hope you recover, and it’s better next year.
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I think any shift worker feels very keenly what they miss out on at this time of year and it’s not something you can understand unless you do it yourself.
Haves great big sleep and hopefully your day will be better today.
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Aww, you’re entitled to whinge. You had a shocker. I’d have done the same thing with the saucepan.
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Best: first Christmas with my son.
Worst: a reminder my dad is no longer with us and being snubbed by my mother in law. We used to have a great relationship then I had my son now I’m treated like I’m just not good enough. Also found out its my sister in law leading the march.
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I’ve had something similar happen to me with no explanation… I would love to know what changed to make your MIL & SIL treat you differently. I’m still in the dark 2 years later – It doesn’t matter what anybody else says, it hurts!
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Best: my son’s first Christmas. It was perfect. I loved every minute of my time with him! I ate alot, drank nothing and lazed by the pool all the day with my family. It was lovely until…
Worst: husband got really drunk, an arguement ensued, my mother got involved, it ended badly with my Husband staying in a motel for the night. He is back this morning and I have put a ban on all alcohol indefinitely. I don’t have high hopes. So sick of this crappy merry-go-round we are on. Fingers crossed for a wonderful 2013!
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Bloody alcohol!
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Best: it was my birthday!!
Worst: I was missed out in the family kris Kringle and my fav champagne that I was given by my husband was spilt into my lunch. As I had offered my family a glass as well there was none left for a second glass and I had to watch them enjoy my champers while I ate my soggy turkey. Seems silly but as I only get one day a year to celebrate I want it to be perfect. Next year, no sharing.
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Happy Birthday! As a fellow Christmas Day baby I feel you. We always have to share our one special day per year, with everybody!
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Do the people with ungrateful, ungenerous and unhelpful husbands actually tell them how they feel? If it were my partner, they’d be getting a kick up the behind. Or they just wouldn’t be getting an extravagant christmas feast.
My family has christmas dinner (usually) at my parents house and everyone just brings a dish or two and mum buys a leg of ham and a rolled turkey roast (unless someone else really WANTS to do the whole shebang), and usually the men are instructed what to do by the women. Everyone does something to help – all it takes is a bossy sister and a bossy mother to delegate – and a mother who insists christmas should be more about relaxing and less about the food – and it is not stressful at all.
As for presents – over the years I’ve watched my mother rip things out of catalogues and hand it to my Dad and say I want this. He’s hopeless, as many men are. But men generally can go out and buy something if you say you want it. It’s like being a teacher in a classroom. Set the expectations higher than you want the student to achieve… always yields higher results.
Christmas doesn’t have to painful, and extravagant feasts are not necessary. Your men are probably happy with prawns on the bbq and a few beers and if not, EXPECT them to help by telling them what you want them to do. Slaving in the kitchen all day and then whinging later will never ever get the message across. I am sorry, but it won’t. That is all
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So true. Love this. Get the lazy asses to pull their weight. It’s not an entitlement to gorge on a Xmas feast soley prepared by the slaving wife. Get them to work. Unless you enjoy cooking and cleaning all day!!!
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“He’s hopeless, as many men are”?
That’s lovely.
Want to hear some stories about hopeless women?
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Sure. Fire away. I am sure there are loads. Just pointing out that there are lots of men that are hopeless at present buying because there are lots of women complaining about their men lol
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We went to the supermarket late on Christmas Eve, thinking all the food would be reduced but they’d closed early so we got nothing! Ended up buying “Christmas Feast” sandwiches from the 7-11 for lunch!
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Do as my mum has for years. Buy her own gift and wrap it from my dad under the tree. Lovely surprise for both of them on Christmas day
!
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Best: Christmas spent with hubby’s family this year. Great company, with too much fabulous food, and love how all the nieces and nephews have a great time together!
Worst: Husband’s parents refusing to join us! Said they feel like they just “warm the seats” as no-one speaks to them in their language ….. well only their kids speak the lingo and the rest of us (partners and children) don’t! They’ve been here long enough to understand basic English, and we can usually have a decent conversation especially when we’re all together, but feel they’re just using it as an excuse! FIL getting crankier by the year and what grandparents don’t want to spend time with the grandkids?
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Best: kids opening pressies and loving everything they got, after 12 years with three boys this was the first year the clothes didnt get tossed aside. The actually looked at them and appreciated them! Unheard of until now.
Worst: 2 out of 3 coming down with virus half way through the day and its been hell ever since. Poor things. Also my MIL saying she couldnt visit Christmas day as the drive was too long. Yep she lives a big old 25kms away! And she is only 57ish so not a dotty old lady. Feeling the love……
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Best Christmas I’ve ever had: all the joy and excitement of knowing we’re finally getting the much-desired baby we’ve tried to have for so long, but still got to sleep in yesterday and today! Guesing next Christmas wil be very different.
No worst, none at all.
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Huge congratulations from Team MM, Neola!
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How good is that!!!!! Very happy for you!!!
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Ohhh!! I teared up reading this. I remember the Christmas that I was pregnant with number 1 after nearly five years of infertility. Such a special feeling. You’re right, next Christmas will be so different and even more amazing. Congratulations!!
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Best: announcing to our whole family that we’re expecting our second child.
Worst: knowing my little sister who just miscarried and is desperate to get pregnant will feel that little bit more like crap because of it and there’s nothing I can do.
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It is so hard for you. A friend of mine actually miscarried and she hadn’t been trying to fall pregnant, whereas I was. She said to a mutual friend, ‘How am I going to tell Simone?’ She didn’t want to NOT include me when she was in shock, but she didn’t want to upset me because she had achieved a pregnancy by accident, and I was desperate. For the record, I have since had two (mostly) wonderful boys.
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Well, you could have announced your pregnancy to her privately beforehand, rather than in front of everyone at Christmas.
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Yes, how inconsiderate of me. I could have told her to her face and forced her to look me in the eye, one on one, fake a smile and act like she was fine when there was no way for her to give me any other response. Don’t you think i might know my sister a little better than you, anonymous? Believe it or not, I did the best thing for my sister, not some random you might think you know, as the way I chose to tell meant she didn’t have to fake a response to my face and gave her a chance to compose herself without me scrutinising her for a reaction. But by all means, judge away. You obviously know her so much better.
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It’s actually not a bad idea from a stranger that doesn’t know you and wasn’t necessarily judging you. That way you could forewarn her and give her a hug or whatever.
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I know you’re in a very difficult situation but why do you say that she would have to fake a response to your face? You know she’s hurting. She sure as hell knows she’s hurting. Maybe openly acknowledge that? We’ve all read posts on here from women who’ve miscarried & struggle with friends or relatives pregnancies. Why not have a proper conversation with her?
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Instead your sister had to fake a smile and act like everything was fine in front of everyone else, rather than take some time to absorb the news and cope privately before ‘putting on a brave face’. That is all I’m saying.
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I totally get where you’re coming from, it would be easier for her to blend into a crowd than have to deal with it one on one. Either way she’s going to feel a bit sad, I’m sure you picked the best way for her.
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Why are people so quick to judge each other? If we make sure our intentions were pure before we act, aren’t we just trying to do our best?
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That’s all well and good, Lou, but people don’t always put much thought into their actions. I’m speaking in general, here. Not only that but sometimes another point of view can be very helpful. I’d love it if Bittersweet came back to say she’d had a conversation with her sister about the pregnancies – both of them. It might help her sister.
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Best: Spending Christmas with my Mum, Dad & brother. They make Christmas amazing for me every year – through their presence and the memories we make.
Best 2: Not as important, but they also spoilt me with presents that were totally unexpected but so incredibly thoughtful. I am totally blown away and haven’t stopped thanking them for their kindness & generosity. They also loved their gifts! I love buying presents for people, so to see them so thrilled was just amazing. We all always put in a lot of effort, going in together for presents etc. and this year all were well received. Gifts aren’t the important thing, but they do make for lots of fun
Worst: Just the missing places at the table from family members lost. No matter how many years on, it still hurts that they’re not there and they are missed.
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Oh minim. Your best sounds like mine – despite the fun of getting the whole extended family together, the best bit of Christmas is always being with my mum, dad and sister. We’re a good team
Hope you had a wonderful day. xxxx
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Nothing compares to them
Thanks Jamila, hope you did too! xx
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Best: Our 13 day old sons first Christmas. It was a very special day for us spent with our family & our first Christmas as mummy & daddy!
Worst: None!
)
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How come you drew the short straw and had to work today, Lucy ? I would have thought that a few people at the office might’nt have been celebrating the day as vigourously as a good Irish girl, such as yourself.
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Oh Bradley – so compassionate
I covered actual Christmas Day but Lucy got the Boxing Day short straw (actually she got New Years Day too, poor bugger!)
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Hey Jamila !
Compassionate is my middle name. Seriously ! My parents were hippies !
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My wife got me a copy of Lourousse’s Gastronomique in hardback. I have wanted it for years !
She also got me some amazing Italian jewellery featuring images of Medusa. You should see my ring.
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Best: watching my kids (nearly 3 and nearly 5) open their presents and be sooo excited and happy. My daughter kept squealing because she was so thrilled. Everyone that we bought for loved their presents, I love giving gifts and put a lot of time and thought into a gift they will love so it was so nice to see people happy. It made the months of shopping worth every minute.
Lovely lunch, yummy bubbles and happy family and children. I love Christmas Day!
Worst: So, so, so tired!
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Best- seeing my daughter open her presents – and spending my first Xmas with my partner
Worst – fighting with my sister, again,like I do every year!! Sigh
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Best – seeing my children’s faces as they opened their presents and getting a reprieve from having to work a night shift.
Worst – My FIL has cancer and asked forgot the whole family to have lunch together. My brother in law and his wife decided to volunteer at a Mission Australia lunch, and we could look after their kids. All their friends will think that they are amazing, but for one year whilst our FIL is ill, why couldn’t they stay and share a meal?
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Best: giving my boyfriend his first Christmas. He is muslim so has never celebrate it before. It was fun to share it with him
Worst: The rain!!!!
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Anon…..your fella sounds like a keeper. Credit to him for doing his bit to fit in with your customs and traditions just as I’ll assume you do your bit to fit in with his.
Harmony….it can be achieved with very little effort !
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He absolutely is!
And you are right, harmony can be achieved with just a little bit of understanding from both parts, and by doing so you become better as a person
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Best: 3 year old daughter opening the presents and saying thank you unprompted. Her excitement all day, and the magic of Santa for the days leading up to it. The ham – ’twas my first time glazing and even my husband who usually does it, declared it the best ham ever!
Worst: nothing really – maybe the lack of sleep as the 4 month old woke 3 times overnight. But I didn’t really mind that much.
Omm: family.
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Best After worrying a bit about having xmas at my brothers that I have a few issues with , the day went really well and all was calm and happy . My really proud moment was when my parents suggested that as a family each couple contribute money to buy a donkey for an african family , we were $50 short then my 19 year old uni student daughter said she would contribute it .
Worst Feeling a bit guilty that I have so much and so many in the world are less fortunate
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Best: My 8 month old son’s first Christmas. It took seven long years of fertility treatment for him to arrive, but he has brought such true happiness and joy into our lives it was all worth it. He has also brought our somewhat fractured family together again.
Worse: My husband didn’t bother to buy me a present this year. Not even a bloody card. I see now, that this is not unusual. So I am very thankful for this discussion. I thought I was alone!
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I am thankful for this post too being present less from hubby. Why is it that because we are mothers we no longer are our own person with the same feelings as before. I feel very hurt. Do we no longer have our own identity?
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After reading the MM post earlier in the week about Christmas being women’s work, then witnessing it particularly on the day (Mum and Auntie in the kitchen while everyone else was relaxing), it is the very least the men in our lives could do is show thanks. Not necessarily in gift form, just an acknowledgment that the magic of christmas day has to be created, over months of preparation, would be great.
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I had a truly lovely Christmas Day so I hate to whinge but it occured to me afterwards that I had 3 able bodied men in my house and not one offered to slice the turkey or ham when I was preparing lunch and when I served up all the food, no-one had bothered to set the table, pour drinks or unpack the Christmas crackers.
And all I got for Xmas was a box of chocs that I bought myself.
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That’s not fair! Could you try delegating in advance next year? I made a list of jobs that needed to be done on Xmas Day and let the family choose a few each on Xmas Eve.
Husband carved turkey and made gravy, dad cut ham, BIL peeled prawns, daughter set and cleared table. Son ironed everyone’s clothes in the morning!
My mum & MIL got to relax, they’ve done it all for years. It nearly killed them to stay out of the kitchen!
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They should buy us a bloody fantastic present! They should spoil us on a lovely weekend away eating in great restaurants or book a great holiday, buy us tickets to a musical or rock concert or something we would enjoy, take us jewellery shopping so we can choose something we love etc. I know some men do do this & their wives/partners are very lucky!
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I watched my MIL baking all week up till Christmas. She patiently involved my 4 and 7 yo girls in the process, whilst I stood back and helped by doing the dishes when they were done. My MIL worked tirelessly all Christmas Day, roasting two huge turkeys and making a 3 course meal to feed 17 of us. All the women in the family helped where we could but she ran the show. At the end of the meal, my brother in law lead a toast to her and we all stood up at the table and gave her a standing ovation. I think she loved that moment. She seemed to love putting all that work in to make the day special and the appreciation she was shown made it all worth the effort. Since Christmas Day I have made sure she hasn’t had to cook a meal (as she staying with us for a few months) and I’m enjoying watching her reading a book out in the garden with her feet up. I’ve just told my husband to make his mum a nice cup of coffee and bring it out to her. Another story of Christmas being woman’s work, but I hope we make sure we’re a family worth making the effort for.
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That is my dad to a tee- so I make extra effort to spoil mum every christmas. I would say if your hubby doesn’t pull up his socks soon enough, your kid/s will eventually (hope you don’t have to wait around as long as my mum did). Your best is absolutely wonderful
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What’s wrong with these guys? I’ve got two ex wives and I give my kids money to make sure that they buy their mother’s something decent.
But I buy the ex’s mother’s day pressies too, we may not be together but they are still the mothers of my children, and do a bloody awesome job too.
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My husband I give each other the perfect present for Christmas – no presents and no stress … so easy at this busy time of year. I can’t think of anything better, so don’t buy him anything next year and that can be something special that you do for each other
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Best; everything! This year was the first time in 2 years it felt like a proper Christmas, after my grandmothers passing away. We spent Christmas Eve having dinner in a nice little restaurant talking about ‘the old days’. Christmas Day we opened all our amazing presents and spent the day eating lovely food cooked by mum and dad.
Worst part of the day; nothing!
Bring on Xmas 2013
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I got a stockpot from my boyfriend for Christmas
And we’re gay!
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That is both amusing and sad !
Better luck next year !
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Was it at least a Le Creuset?
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Its not just the men – my ( female) partner bought me a slow cooker, after her wanting a new one all year and my protesting that the one we have is fine.
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So, did anyone get a good pressie from their husband?
If so, can they tell the rest of us so we can give our hubbies ideas in advance for next Christmas!
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My husband bought me pearl and diamond earrings. This is a major achievement after 9 years together. There was no prompting on my behalf.
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My amazing husband was quite sneaky….beautiful pearl earrings, two new handbags, DVDs, lovely bottle of perfume. Love that man..
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Holy cow! That’s an excellent hubby you have
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Not all hubbies are bad. Mine got me a necklace, runners I was going to get but didn’t want to pay $200 for, a glasshouse candle and a book
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My husband bought me a diamond bracelet. But then, he cheated on me last month, so he’s doing everything in his power to make things good.
The good for me was that we have been trying really hard to get our marriage back on track and focused on making Xmas special for our daughter. She had a great day. Actually, we all did.
The bad was trying to not focus on the fact that less than a month ago he cheated on me. Urgh – it was not an easy Xmas at all.
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My husband bought me a coffee machine. Love it!
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I got my wife a couple of handbags, a stack of jewellery, a cookbook written by her favourite TV chef, perfume and some alcohol.
….and a big jar of anchovies ! She absolutely loves anchovies.
I buy bits & bobs throughout the year and put them aside for her birthday, Christmas etc. I have enough put aside to not have to worry about gift shopping for her for at least the next three to four years !
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Yum! An anchovy-buying husband sounds heavenly to me. The other gifts sound spot on too, Bradley. I bet you’re popular right now!
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Thanks for the pat on the back, Macgee !
The anchovies were actually the icing on top of the proverbial cake for my wife.
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Is Kymmo your wife Bradley? She got the same presents, she didn’t mention the anchovies though!
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No my husband is Karl! I think he and Bradley are awesome shoppers though.
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I should perhaps feel offended that my Christmas present was a robot vacuum cleaner. But I’m not! My husband does more than enough around the house that I’m always happy to take responsibility for the floors and this has been a godsend – used it twice already.
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Reading some of these posts, I guess I should be saying I’d be grateful for any present from a partner…but if I got a vacuum cleaner I’d probably cry. I hate cleaning, so any product associated with cleaning could never count as a gift lol
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In theory, I totally agree, the idea of being given a cleaning tool as a gift is so wrong, but this is the gift of non-cleaning! Free time to sit outside, read and still feel like I achieved something on the to-do list!
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Shushu now I wish you hadn’t asked! Jealous wife/mother here….
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My hubby got me a new digital camera. I’ve been wanting one for ages but find shopping for technology overwhelming. He made sure it had everything I wanted and it is awesome.
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My hubby designed and got made a diamond ring for my Xmas present but I feellike a terrible and ungrateful wife because I think it looks hideous and don’t like it at all. Would have loved just a simple voucher
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Kat, I will swap my box of chocolates for your diamond ring
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Zmy husband always buys me jewellery zi don’t like but it comes from a place of love so I wear it with pride as it shows his love for me( and maybe his cluelessness as I am not a jewellery person at all)
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My lovely husband gave me a bottle of Chanel No 5, seven books (individually wrapped) and a photo scanner, which he actually remembered me mentioning earlier in the year. A great effort on his part!!
Sorry if I come across as boastful.
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After 6 years of no presents my hubby got me a new 3G iPad! He had time off in November and for the first time saw what I actually do all day (I work from home with 2 kids). Lol. I got him socks!
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My wonderful husband bought me an e-reader, replacement iPod, and some lovely books about Paris and fashion.
He’s a keeper!
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My husband bought me a beautiful swarovski crystal rose. I suppose it helps that I circled it in the catalogue and left it on the table
. After 25 years you get to understand that sometimes they need a little help!!!!
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My husband bought me a two night stay at a Day Spa Retreat. Two nights and three days to myself – Yay!!!
That was a one best Xmas thing, the other, watching my beautiful 4 year old son with autism, work out what Christmas presents are about, and open them with excitement. He even said thank you without prompting – Great Xmas all around!!!
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Best: delight on my kids’ faces when they open their gifts, and the happiness on my hubby’s face when he opened the present the kids had ‘given’ him (chosen, purchased, and wrapped by me – a book about a subject upon which he is passionate). SPending time with family and a delicious lunch and champagne.
Worst:Husband forgot to buy me a present from the kids, so the kids had to give me ‘his’ gift. SO no gift from hubby, which annoys me a bit (first world problem, I know!). But what really sucks about Christmas is that every time I get in the car, the radio station is playing ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham. Any programming directors reading, please take note: That. Song. SUCKS!!! Like an imploding black hole.
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I so agree – we had that very conversation in the car yesterday whilst enduring it for the 3rd time by 2pm
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After 17 years I gave up waiting for my husband to organise a gift without prompting! I now arrange my own & at least I get something I want – if he even dares to ask the price I give him the death stare. As I explained to him “It’s not like Christmas is a surprise… You have 364 days notice each year”!!!
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I probably shouldn’t pipe up with this given that there are so many people with husbands thoughtless enough to not put in any effort on the gift front, but my ex husband still buys me a present, even after 15 Christmases of being exed. I certainly don’t take that for granted, that’s for sure!
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That’s lovely and he’d be a rare ex!!
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Best: children’s excitement on waking up, seeing Santa had been, eaten the food they left him & even left a letter for Ms 6!
Worst: husbands lack of effort or thought put into present for me. Nothing from kids & bought me something I told him I didn’t want. I had bought something small myself that he or kids could give me but he “forgot about it & now can’t remember where it is”. Plus rolled his eyes at the kids gifts – all of which I had organised & he had barely asked about. He had as much idea what was under the wrapping paper as they did…..
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Oh Anon, your husband’s behaviour sounds just like mine. After trying to wake him up 3 times the kids sat on the bed and unwrapped his presents for him. He emerged a few hours later and rolled his eyes at the boys’ presents. No Merry Christmas for anyone, I have given up thinking he might buy a present for me, or organise one that the kids could give me, as I do for him. I used to make excuses for his behaviour on Christmas, given he has always said how much he hates Christmas since his mum died, but it is now 7 years since she died and surely he could make an effort for the kids??
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Thanks Katiek, after I posted that I felt like I was just a firstworldproblem whinger but it really bites doesn’t it? Especially when we do so much to make everyone else have a happy day.
I know it is not all supposed to be about presents but when you have young kids it does become a big part.
my husband has lost both his parents and thinks Christmas is now all about my family but like you I think he could make an effort for the kids – it about “our” family now. Seriously they need to grow up.
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I was so relieved to read your post because I thought it was just me! So nice to know I am not alone in this. Yep, my hubby thinks Xmas is all about my family too. When will they realise that it is about OUR family? Hopefully not when the kids have grown up and they look back and realise the precious times they wasted. I will definitely be thinking of you next Christmas and sending you good vibes. Actually Easter is usually a repeat performance, so will think of you then too. xx
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Thanks – I will think of you too! And, yes….Easter, wedding anniversary, mothers day, my birthday…….!!! A girlfriend called me today and we had a mutual moan about respective partners. She wants us to go away next Christmas and leave the men at home with the kids! Love the idea but not sure I could do it to my girls….x
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Anonymous, my mother died on Christmas Day and sure it was bloody sad, but my kids are little and Christmas is about them. I told my husband that we wouldn’t tell them about Grandma until the next day and we just got on with making Christmas a good day for them.
I think about my Mum every day and miss her every day, one day a year isn’t worse than any other. I don’t mean to sound like I’m blowing my own trumpet or anything, but sometimes you just have to be bigger than the situation. I think you are right to be angry with your husband about his attitude.
Good luck sharing your feelings with him.
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Thanks for sharing your story InKL. My husband knows exactly how I feel but thinks it is all my issue.
Sorry to hear about your loss of your mum. My dad has also passed away (which my husband conveniently forgets as my parents were divorced & my mother had remarried). So I do also understand what it is like to miss them.
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