[alex3659]

my wife is on her 4th trip of the day to crystal peaks , everytime she comes back she's forgot something or bought the wrong thing.
she wont relax and chill out . her mother never stops phoneing about her dads present or the dogs farted or whatever she can think of to spend an hour talking nonsence about , we are only a small family i dont know how people with bigger families go on trying to sort this one day of the year out. we have enough food to keep half the vermin on the tip on boxing day happy for a month ,cos most of it gets wasted and chucked. is anyone else as sick of it as me?

[Jay69]

Sounds like ya stressed pal . Thank god my OH did her crimbo shopping in september ! So all is carm in my house thats untill the little devil comes home from her nan's lata and wrecks the place .

[alex3659]

just got an update , daughters bringing grandson to stay overnight ,mind you i love him staying with us . anyway pal just phoned meeting in norton meadowhead in one hour anyone wants to come if you can pick me out ill buy you a drink .

[Dozy]

[QUOTE=alex3659;2953206]just got an update , daughters bringing grandson to stay overnight ,mind you i love him staying with us . anyway pal just phoned meeting in norton meadowhead in one hour anyone wants to come if you can pick me out ill buy you a drink .[/QUOTE]

I don't suppose it's occurred to you that if you actually got involved in helping with some the Christmas shopping - instead of disappearing off to the pub - then your wife might not be quite so stressed and running round like the proverbial blue bottomed fly?

It never ceases to amaze me that some men happily leave all the shopping and organising to their wives, and then have the cheek to moan about them! Their sole contribution is to casually enquire, "What have we bought for my mum/dad/cousin George?", or something similar.

[Treatment]

[QUOTE=Dozy;2953468]

Originally Posted by alex3659

just got an update , daughters bringing grandson to stay overnight ,mind you i love him staying with us . anyway pal just phoned meeting in norton meadowhead in one hour anyone wants to come if you can pick me out ill buy you a drink .[/QUOTE]

I don't suppose it's occurred to you that if you actually got involved in helping with some the Christmas shopping - instead of disappearing off to the pub - then your wife might not be quite so stressed and running round like the proverbial blue bottomed fly?

It never ceases to amaze me that some men happily leave all the shopping and organising to their wives, and then have the cheek to moan about them! Their sole contribution is to casually enquire, "What have we bought for my mum/dad/cousin George?", or something similar.

Do I detect a hint of acrimony ?

[Mandem]

Ninety per cent of men think that Christmas just happens, that they get up on Christmas morning and Santa has been and that the elves have done all the shopping and prepared the dinner, for them to sit down to at allotted time.

[Agent Smith]

[QUOTE=Dozy;2953468]

Originally Posted by alex3659

just got an update , daughters bringing grandson to stay overnight ,mind you i love him staying with us . anyway pal just phoned meeting in norton meadowhead in one hour anyone wants to come if you can pick me out ill buy you a drink .[/QUOTE]

I don't suppose it's occurred to you that if you actually got involved in helping with some the Christmas shopping - instead of disappearing off to the pub - then your wife might not be quite so stressed and running round like the proverbial blue bottomed fly?

It never ceases to amaze me that some men happily leave all the shopping and organising to their wives, and then have the cheek to moan about them! Their sole contribution is to casually enquire, "What have we bought for my mum/dad/cousin George?", or something similar.

That's funny, because I help my wife with the Xmas shopping, for pressies AND food and yet we still end up with a food mountain, despite my protestations. And yes, she invariably ends up getting stressed even though I try to be emotionally supportive etc. In other words, I do my best to help, and she still gets stressed!!!!! I think your post is a little harsh to be honest, some people do get carried away and put themselves in a stressful position, where Xmas is concerned.

[balmoral]

My wife !! (the first ONE !) used to ALWAYS be going out !!

AND when I FOUND OUT WHY !!! (I DID satisfy her !) She AIN'T my wife ANYMORE !!

(

[Dozy]

[QUOTE=Treatment;2953477]

Originally Posted by Dozy

Do I detect a hint of acrimony ?

Not personal acrimony, certainly, but from my observations, quite a lot of women do feel a certain resentment towards their less-than-helpful other half at this time of year!

[Whatif wewin]

I generally do all the food (and wine) shopping, but my wife decided to go to Morrisons with my son last night.
Muggins still had to put all the shopping away of course, anyone got a spare freezer?
She spent a fortune now we have all the same stuff I bought on Wednesday, so with all the BOGOFs we have 4 of everything.
Wimim eh!

[Dozy]

[QUOTE=Agent Smith;2953506]

Originally Posted by Dozy

That's funny, because I help my wife with the Xmas shopping, for pressies AND food and yet we still end up with a food mountain, despite my protestations. And yes, she invariably ends up getting stressed even though I try to be emotionally supportive etc. In other words, I do my best to help, and she still gets stressed!!!!! I think your post is a little harsh to be honest, some people do get carried away and put themselves in a stressful position, where Xmas is concerned.

You will note that I was careful to qualify my description of men with the word "some"! I am by no means accusing all men of being unhelpful at Christmas, just quite a lot of them.

[IDSFLK]

Originally Posted by balmoral

My wife !! (the first ONE !) used to ALWAYS be going out !!

AND when I FOUND OUT WHY !!! (I DID satisfy her !) She AIN'T my wife ANYMORE !!

(

That sounds like me a few years back - except my now ex husband didn't find out why and didn't satisfy me.

That was a wonderful time.

[Dozy]

Originally Posted by Whatif wewin

I generally do all the food (and wine) shopping, but my wife decided to go to Morrisons with my son last night.
Muggins still had to put all the shopping away of course, anyone got a spare freezer?
She spent a fortune now we have all the same stuff I bought on Wednesday, so with all the BOGOFs we have 4 of everything.
Wimim eh!

My bold

Well, as long as you haven't got 4 wives, I should stop moaning and be grateful

[Agent Smith]

[QUOTE=Dozy;2953545]

Originally Posted by Agent Smith

You will note that I was careful to qualify my description of men with the word "some"! I am by no means accusing all men of being unhelpful at Christmas, just quite a lot of them.

Fair enough. Have a brilliant Christmas!!!

[H.P]

everyone seems to be stressed out. Went to Tesco earlier for the last few bit's and people were fighting, over parking spaces,meat,veg... this was 10a.m this morning. There were tonnes of people just ramming trollys into each other and scowling.. glad it's all done this end.. just hope the flu's gone for christmas day

[Titanic99]

With my good lady wife it is a totally illogical thing.

Over the last couple of weeks she has:

Taken the kids to 3 shows: Crucible, Lyceum and Leeds Playhouse
Met her family to deliver presents on at least three occassions
Met her friends for the same reason
Been to two works Christmas dos
Taken the kids to scout camps
Been to two nativity plays
Been to a carol service
Gone into work for 2.5 days (she's currently on holiday)

I'm sure there are others I've not thought of.

To top it all she has arranged now:

To go to her Aunts Xmas eve night
Her Mum/Dads Xmas Day
My families Boxing Day
Her Mum/Dads New Years eve

Meanwhile I've continued working and now I'm getting the "I'm stressed cos I've got too much to do and you've done nothing" argument.

Surely a little bit more emphasis on priority would negate some of the stress, I daren't tell her that though!

[Dozy]

Originally Posted by Titanic99

With my good lady wife it is a totally illogical thing.

Over the last couple of weeks she has:

Taken the kids to 3 shows: Crucible, Lyceum and Leeds Playhouse
Met her family to deliver presents on at least three occassions
Met her friends for the same reason
Been to two works Christmas dos
Taken the kids to scout camps
Been to two nativity plays
Been to a carol service
Gone into work for 2.5 days (she's currently on holiday)

I'm sure there are others I've not thought of.

To top it all she has arranged now:

To go to her Aunts Xmas eve night
Her Mum/Dads Xmas Day
My families Boxing Day
Her Mum/Dads New Years eve

Meanwhile I've continued working and now I'm getting the "I'm stressed cos I've got too much to do and you've done nothing" argument.

Surely a little bit more emphasis on priority would negate some of the stress, I daren't tell her that though!

My bold

OK, so how would you prioritise things? Not take the children to shows - not bother to attend their nativity plays - not give people presents - not have fun with friends - not arrange to see family and friends at Christmas?

Or just not do any of the things that make Christmas a celebration for most people?

And the fact that you've carried on working hardly excuses you from making a bit of effort yourself. There are plenty of women who manage to work full-time and still run a home and family - yet their husbands/partners seem to think that just going out to work excuses them from ever doing owt else.

[bagger]

[QUOTE=Dozy;2953468]

Originally Posted by alex3659

just got an update , daughters bringing grandson to stay overnight ,mind you i love him staying with us . anyway pal just phoned meeting in norton meadowhead in one hour anyone wants to come if you can pick me out ill buy you a drink .[/QUOTE]

I don't suppose it's occurred to you that if you actually got involved in helping with some the Christmas shopping - instead of disappearing off to the pub - then your wife might not be quite so stressed and running round like the proverbial blue bottomed fly?

It never ceases to amaze me that some men happily leave all the shopping and organising to their wives, and then have the cheek to moan about them! Their sole contribution is to casually enquire, "What have we bought for my mum/dad/cousin George?", or something similar.

Totally agree with you!

[Titanic99]

Originally Posted by Dozy

My bold

OK, so how would you prioritise things? Not take the children to shows - not bother to attend their nativity plays - not give people presents - not have fun with friends - not arrange to see family and friends at Christmas?

Or just not do any of the things that make Christmas a celebration for most people?

And the fact that you've carried on working hardly excuses you from making a bit of effort yourself. There are plenty of women who manage to work full-time and still run a home and family - yet their husbands/partners seem to think that just going out to work excuses them from ever doing owt else.

OK, surely the decision is down to personal choice.

To be objective I'll reverse it round and assume she worked full time and I was off on leave, I would have:

One trip to theatre for the kids
Both nativity plays
Co-ordinated a handover of presents for all the family
Met the friends
One works Christmas do
Arranged one trip over the holiday to both families
Not bothered with Carol service or Scout trips (personal preference)

I think this would be a reasonable Christmas and it may have alleviated some of the stress now being felt.

But as I said it is personal choice and hopefully we will enjoy the rest of it!

[bigthanks]

[QUOTE=Dozy;2953536]

Originally Posted by Treatment

Not personal acrimony, certainly, but from my observations, quite a lot of women do feel a certain resentment towards their less-than-helpful other half at this time of year!

Dozy I totally agree with you!!!!!
I got all the pressys out last Saturday to wrap and my OH was ohhh you have been busy, the only bit of input he has is holding the wraping paper while I sellotape it.
He is in medowhall as we speak choosing my prezzy, I made him take our Daughter, to keep an eye on what he is buying
I have bought all his side of the family too (we are a large family), without his input.

He has no stress what so ever, and it really peeveeesssss me off!

Are all men the same I wonder?