We are canceling all plans for the holidays this year. No Christmas, thanksgiving, Halloween

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are using the money we normally allocate for these festivities for a new home away from the city. The kids will not be celebrating this year. They seemed Fine with this. No decorations, no special trips, and no presents. The year has been such a bust, why celebrate it.

You either has unbelievably expensive holidays or plan to buy a very cheap second home.

I think some celebration of holidays is important for the psyche but you do you.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone think this is the same OP as the one from the “how to tell children life as they knew it is over forever” thread?

She probably counts the asparagus spears out exactly for her executive dinners.

And peels her corn in the store...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm thinking about a pinata for Halloween instead of trick or treating. Kids still get to have some fun, get candy, but don't have to interact with strangers.

This is brilliant — thank you!!!

[Anonymous]

OP, this is so weird. We're decorating and celebrating even though it's just the two of us. Got to keep spirits up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

Ha! Was going to say the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Halloween is easy to write off (we’ll just turn off all the lights in the house and hide downstairs, may leave the dog upstairs to scare away unwanted visitors). Thanksgiving is also easy - we are going to order Chinese and tell the kids the pork is turkey and call it a day. It will be topped off with a fortune cookie. Christmas will be the hardest - as the celebration is nearly a month long. No music, no decorations, no mention of 🎅🏻

Are you the "how to tell kids life as they knew it is OVER" poster?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm thinking about a pinata for Halloween instead of trick or treating. Kids still get to have some fun, get candy, but don't have to interact with strangers.

This is brilliant — thank you!!!

A pumpkin piñata! I’m going to do this too! Great idea PP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Halloween is easy to write off (we’ll just turn off all the lights in the house and hide downstairs, may leave the dog upstairs to scare away unwanted visitors). Thanksgiving is also easy - we are going to order Chinese and tell the kids the pork is turkey and call it a day. It will be topped off with a fortune cookie. Christmas will be the hardest - as the celebration is nearly a month long. No music, no decorations, no mention of 🎅🏻

This is so weird, unnecessary and borderline emotionally abusive. Because you’ve had a shitty year, you have to take it out on your children?

My sister did this one Christmas. She had a bad year and said she wasn't in the mood to celebrate, so she didn't decorate or buy presents. My nephews, who were 8 and 12 at the time, decided to put up and decorate the tree themselves and hand write Christmas cards. OP, you might not feel the need to celebrate, but that doesn't mean that your kids feel the same.

[Anonymous]

This is weird. I cannot imagine celebrations so lavish that they would fund a down payment for a house! You really needed to cut back, OP!!! That’s an obscene amount of consumption.

We’re actually doing the opposite—this year we’re going all out on celebrating the holidays. We’re going to make decorations, crafts, cookies, activities around every major (and minor!) holiday. The entire month of November will be about Thanksgiving. Then we’re going to do advent AND the 12 days of Christmas until epiphany. I’m already saving recipes and ideas. We’re definitely roasting s’mores in the fireplace at least once!

That said, the cost of our celebrations could never fund a down payment on a house. Maybe if we cancelled holidays for the next 20 years we’d be in the ballpark...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Halloween is a mostly outdoor activity. I'm surprised so many people have already written it off. If parents distribute it with gloves on and kids come home and wash hands, it could be possible. A lot of schools may be opening up the next day (November 1st)!

No one wants covid candy corn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol.
#WhenPeopleWriteRandomThoughtsOnDCUM

Isn’t that what DCUM is for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone think this is the same OP as the one from the “how to tell children life as they knew it is over forever” thread?

She probably counts the asparagus spears out exactly for her executive dinners.

Lol. Yes, this. One of the most striking things about DCUM, the number of anally retentive, class conscious, "freak out constantly for every inconvenience like some...rain," hyperbolic weird pearl clutchers. I'll never get it and I've been here 15 years. Unclench, people!

/From NYC originally where we are not known for being particularly "chill"

[Anonymous]

Great, fewer people around! Thank you OP!
I am going to go and try trick or treating anyway, hopefully some people will decorate and put out the candy anyway.
And if my trip to Europe falls through I will go visit family on the other coast for Christmas.
I also like the piñata idea as a backup plan if there’s no one giving out candy. I am not sure where to hang it though! I have a small patio and no tree branches over it. Advice?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm thinking about a pinata for Halloween instead of trick or treating. Kids still get to have some fun, get candy, but don't have to interact with strangers.

This is brilliant — thank you!!!

A pumpkin piñata! I’m going to do this too! Great idea PP

OP of this idea, you are my hero. I love this and my kids will go nuts. Heck, I might get a Santa pinata and a turkey pinata while we’re at it!

We are doing slightly-different versions of holidays, mostly bc we can’t celebrate with our usual family groups for various reasons. But we’re still “having” the holidays, sheesh!