Does anyone else get stressed out about Christmas

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Hey I was wondering if anyone else gets stressed out about Christmas because of all the crowds and all the gatherings. Don't get me wrong I love Christmas for what is really stands for and the decoration and will confess I don't mind getting some nice presents lol but it sometimes gets hard to cope with especially when I have to be around certain relatives I don't like being around and I'm sorry to say that but that is sadly how it is at times. I hope this makes sense and I was wondering if anyone relates?But I do wish everyone a Merry and wonderful Christmas

I used to. I'd procrastinate going places for visits until the last minute so I didn't have to deal with the social anxiety of being there the whole time.

Not so much this year, though. I've been a fair bit more social and am enjoying myself. And rather than my typical last minute shopping and 4am Christmas morning gift wrapping, this year I got almost all of my shopping done before December.

The only thing I'm stressing about is completely self imposed. I'm trying to think of the perfect thing(s) to say to my closest friend and his family on Christmas morning when I swing by to deliver some unexpected gifts for them as I have a few special thank you's to give & a bit of a speech I've been mentally rehearsing for weeks. I just hope it's all well received and I don't piss my friend off or embarrass him.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

I do get stressed out but for a different reason. Money. In my teens it was over how many presents I would get and what stuff I would get. Before that I never got stressed out, I just had to do the waiting game to wait until Christmas day to open presents and not knowing what was in my presents.

I get stressed out because I usually have no clue what to get everyone, so I end up not buying too many presents as a result.

This year though, I honestly don't want much for Christmas in terms of a gift.

I'll get stressed out because as a child I always wanted a "TV Christmas" or what I called a "normal Christmas". I wanted father and mother and siblings (I met my father when I was 21 and have no siblings from my mother and didn't know about them until then either) and a clean house and nobody drunk, nobody crying, nobody yelling about presents, a real dinner at the table, relatives coming over or just anybody coming over, any highlight to my Christmas vacation other than a shopping trip to Five Points West and to Eckards.

I get stressed out now because I want to provide not only a normal Christmas for my family, but a perfect one too. I don't want any arguing, any disappointment, anyone upset, anyone sad. I want everyone to be happy and satisfied and glad to be a part of this family for Christmas. So trying to make that happen, and yes I focus on my surroundings because I was raised in such an awful, nasty, messy home, is important to me. So I get stressed. Which is why one year I baked over 400 Christmas cookies. Then I was furious when after I went to bed, my oldest son, my oldest daughter and their friends ate them all! I made them to be eaten, but not at night by kids, and not all at once. That was overboard of me, because I had this one idea in my mind about it and rather than letting them enjoy them the way they want, I insisted they enjoy them the way I wanted them too. I shouldn't have baked on the night my son had a party, I'm just saying. I know that now.

But yeah, I do. And when I get so stressed because I know I can't even provide a near perfect Christmas, I throw in the towel, crawl in bed and say "Forget Christmas, whats the use?" This year is a good year though. I'm happy this year. Working like hell right now to get the house straightened back up because I was sick for a few days, but it's nothing like the nasty crap I grew up in, this is just a normal "messy" which has almost all been cleaned by now.

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I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
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It sure stresses me out - having to buy stuff, having to help with cooking, decorating, having to act a certain way for people you only see once every year. My idea of a relaxing winter break/Christmas is just schlepping from room to room in my pajamas with my blanket, laptop, and plushies, and watching some of the classic Rankin-Bass Christmas specials from my childhood.

Absolutely.

I try not to get stressed out in terms of buying stuff for everyone, but it always comes off as obligational to me.

When I was a kid, I used to do a disappearing act at Christmas.

It is very easy for me to take on other peoples stress, so I saw this as my only option. As I lived in an environment that could be quite disturbing, even at the best of times.

These days it is very different.

I relate perfectly. There are a few relatives I want absolutely nothing to do with. Sometimes they come over for the holidays, and my parents want me to see them. On Thanksgiving, I just had to see someon THREE TIMES just to get my mom to stop telling me to. Once wasn't enough! It's gotten better over the years, because I insist on spending Christmas in a way that makes me happy. I love spending Christmas alone with my pets. Just what is so wrong with that?