I get where you are coming from.  For me, Christmas was most magical when my kids were kids, at home.  Since we are now empty nesters, I don't even decorate the house.  Too much work and no one sees/appreciates it but us.

I really dislike the listing of what one was gifted after a holiday.  I did that in 8th grade.

Now, when someone asks "How was your Christmas?" I answer with, quiet, private and lovely.  Which it is.

But Santa... is Santa.  Even in a dirty suit.

1 hour ago, MarblesMom said:

I get where you are coming from.  For me, Christmas was most magical when my kids were kids, at home.  Since we are now empty nesters, I don't even decorate the house.  Too much work and no one sees/appreciates it but us.

I really dislike the listing of what one was gifted after a holiday.  I did that in 8th grade.

Now, when someone asks "How was your Christmas?" I answer with, quiet, private and lovely.  Which it is.

But Santa... is Santa.  Even in a dirty suit.

I think it's also that I'm not religious any more, either. I mean, the scene in Home Alone when Kevin goes to the Church and there is the choir that is singing? That brings back so many memories. Smells, even. I have no desire to go to Church, but I do miss the acoustics of a good cathedral and some of the traditions. Like dressing up for Midnight mass, going out into the cold wearing a dress and a nice coat, coming home really late; waking up in the morning and going to visit my now deceased Grandmother and having a big family breakfast. (It's also Grandma's birthday.) Then we could go skating or go home and it just felt different. But now it more or less feels like any other day. I guess I'm sort of morning the loss of my childhood; and also I still really hate the listing of gifts. 

Just now, Maggie Mae said:

I guess I'm sort of morning the loss of my childhood;

This!

Things were great when we were kids, at least from our perspectives.  IT WAS CHRISTMAS and AWESOME!!!

When those memories are tainted with current adult life, and reality, it is like watching a silver or copper pot tarnish.  We can polish them, sure... but so much work just to get the original shine back, even if for a few months.

I go hot and cold with Christmas.  The last 2 years were bitter, cold years.  This year is luke warm.  This is a high-stress time of the year for me at work.  I hate gift giving.  I hate shopping.   Some years I can't stand Christmas music or decorations.  This year it's okay.  

7 or so years ago I told my mother and sister that since we are essentially exchanging money to not spend on me, I wasn't going to spend on them and go buy yourself a present instead.  This worked fine for a few years until Mom wandered down the dementia trail and then the cards that would show up with a gift card (delivered 3 weeks late because it went to a wrong address and I'm an apartment dweller in a college town), or cash (OMG, MOM) or a check (received 2 - one for me and one for my awol sister which mom sent/it came back so she sent to me then I sent and it came back).

I hate the how are you spending your holiday/how was your holiday questions.  (quiet - I like quiet.  I like not going anywhere or worrying about the weather for travel).  

And I hate the annual 'let's have a holiday food day' which has popped up again at work.  I'm busy, I'm stressed, I'm trying to lose weight and they want me to cook.  meh.  

There are no small children in our extended family at this time, so a few years ago I discontinued the gift exchange.  My MIL still likes putting out the Christmas stocking for our 30-something "child", so we do a low-stress Christmas morning brunch.  (We don't know how much longer MIL will be with us, so...)   I do a couple donations to some close relatives' favorite charities, maybe an angel tree present if I'm feeling motivated, but we don't travel, no gift unwrapping, mostly because no small children.

Oddly enough, I do like (some) Christmas music.  And pretty lights in the gloom of winter.

I am not as excited about Christmas this year as a usually am. I woke up with a headache and I am trying to motivate myself to clean my house so I can start getting it ready for Christmas. I know my six year old is going to come home from school and ask if we can start decorating tonight.  She will likely get bored quickly and I will end up doing most of the work. I will also be the one who has to put away all the decorations. I remember feeling frustrated one year when my mom did not want to do a cookie baking marathon. Now I get that she worked full time and was tired.

I hear you on the gift giving! Thankfully a decade or so ago, my siblings and I stopped giving gifts to each other. Then a couple years ago we all decided to stop giving presents to the nieces and nephews. (Overall, I am happy about this but at the same time it's kind like...hey...I bought gifts for your kids for 10 years and now that I have a child you never have to buy him anything.) My parents typically give us money and then a few smaller items. I never know what to get them so I just get gift cards to stores and restaurants they like. It feels like a cop out but at least I know they'll use them.

As for my husband and myself...we haven't really bought each other gifts in years. These days we either buy nothing. Or we end up buying ourselves things and just wrapping them for each other. Ha! For the most part, we just buy what we want throughout the year.

I've always hated gift giving though. It's way too stressful to figure out what people want. And if you get them something they don't really want or won't use it just seems to wasteful.