Shopping at Christmas. Screaming inside!

Shopping and Christmas, the two words I dread more than any other. Christmas is my least favourite time of the year. When I was a lad Christmas was much more about the family, meeting up and having a good time. That side of Christmas has changed since and it is more about the presents and decorations. I suppose when I was younger we were recovering from the war and there wasn't enough money for all the extra trimmings.

I can remember a Christmas at my mother and father's home, I would have been about seven years then. Our house was only small. The toilet was in a shed at the bottom of the garden. The heating came from big stove in the kitchen and we all sat around it to keep warm. The presents were made by my mother, clothing she had done herself and the day was spent sat around having a laugh and a damn good time. That for me was Christmas. I don't see that anymore and I don't suppose I will again.

At christmas I used to buy a lot of my presents at garden centres. They often are quieter,and there is a garden to nip into for fresh air.

Yes.  You describe it exactly.  Noise, fuss, fake smiles, fake bonhomie, same old songs, same old people saying the same old things.  And the likes of Jeff Bezos are rubbing their hands...

Yeah I totally get what you mean dazahomestead. Christmas time is always a little stressful for me because it is a time of family and friends getting together... Noise, chit chat... I feel tired thinking about it... Now I know more about Autism, it makes more sense why I feel like that.

hate shopping.... hate christmas.... the latter has already been planned for me..... 5 days worth (thus far) of guests!!! - Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrgggghhhhh 

I avoid the shops as much as possible - luckily, almost everything can come via the interwebs.

Yeah the Christmas shopping crush is an experience to behold...  (Preferably from about 3/4 of a mile away with a good pair of binoculars :-).