The creeping canker of obligatory sentimentality

[Yamin151]

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Really excellent advert that will yield millions. I do HATE having my emotions so ruthlessly exploited though, really hate it. If it doesn't make you want to cry then its no good. Horrible, cold and calculating wringing out of our wallets. When did everything worthwhile have to be so shamelessly sentimental?? I'm as emotional and weepy as the next person (probably more so) but I really dislike this harvesting of our emotions by ad execs who couldn't care less about us and are just doing it because it makes lots and lots of money. Have the same issue with loads of TV programs (good old funny DIY SOS, used to be funny useless DIY disasters, now without a weeping back story it doesn't make the show), X factor, all that other rubbish.......

Whinge over, I'll get my coat.......

[ToadMum]

I have a feeling that out in the real world, those cute little bunnies would find out the hard way the consequences of waking bears up in the middle of their hibernation period...

That apart, pet hates of the "festive season" so far (Happy November", anyone?) are the stupid woman setting whirling mixer blades loose in a bowl of dry cake ingredients, and the mispronunciation of "fröliche" in the Lidl ad

[southbucks3]

He would be like a "bear with a sore head" ! What would he do, Crush all their xmas tree baubles?
At least he can ask his cousin for some really soft loo roll to use before snuggling back down.

Personally I would love to be able to Christmas shop in the heady heights of John Lewis, with the sweet smell of winter pot pourri, freshly hoovered carpets, and nice assistants offering me samples of obscure delicacies they have whizzed up in the moulinex they are promoting. My shopping experience seems to have narrowed to the hideous jumble of sports direct and an Amazon wish list! Although I do have a lot of fun finding stocking fillers from all the local charity shops, and lovely books from the charity book stores.

Not having an extended family can be a somewhat isolating experience at Christmas, there are literally 11 of us total, and that includes the kids! I know I would moan if the boot were on the other foot, but we often yearn to experience the big family Christmas everybody complains about.

[hermanmunster]

SB - spending a bit of most Christmas days at work, I can assure that the "Big Family Xmas" is actually a rarity for most and those that do have seem to have some crisis or other....!

there is always an assumption that "everyone else is busy and with huge numbers of others.

As for TV adverts - haven't seen any as don't watch much TV and if I do I mute the ads.

As for John Lewis ... Have lived in Yorkshire for 8 years now and they have been promising a JL in Leeds for years ... I think they are STILL building it .. we'll have moved by the time it opens!

[talea51]

SB - spending a bit of most Christmas days at work, I can assure that the "Big Family Xmas" is actually a rarity for most and those that do have seem to have some crisis or other....!

there is always an assumption that "everyone else is busy and with huge numbers of others.

As for TV adverts - haven't seen any as don't watch much TV and if I do I mute the ads.

As for John Lewis ... Have lived in Yorkshire for 8 years now and they have been promising a JL in Leeds for years ... I think they are STILL building it .. we'll have moved by the time it opens!

The big family Christmas is a rarity for us as well now that we live here. There are 6 of us in total! Occasionally there might be 10 of us if my brother and his partner join us.

We used to have huge family Christmases, there would be more than 50 of us but it got too big and unmanageable so we all ended up splitting up anyway and then we were down to 15 but now that we've moved, we are down to 6 most years. I do like a big family christmas and I would love to be able to give that to my children but it's not possible anymore.

Like HM, I don't see adverts because most of the TV that I watch is recorded so I just fastforward the ads!

My christmas shopping is virtually all done online, I rarely venture into an actual shop... I'm not sure if that's a good thing or if I am missing out on an essential Christmas experience.

[ginx]

Do we all shop online? I do, apart from stocking fillers which I really enjoy buying. Father Christmas is still part of the magic of Christmas for our four children.

Talea51, dh and I used to have a day out Christmas shopping and come back exhausted and frustrated, having spent a fortune but usually not managed to get what we wanted. We don't even want to do that any more. A wander round a Christmas market is more fun, knowing we can buy everything online.

Southbucks (you make me feel I should be called "eastwarks" which sounds like walking east), there are six of us, our family only, on Christmas Day, which is fine. I have five siblings, four in England, one single, three with babies. Much as I love babies, I am quite glad we don't see them on Christmas Day when everyone is tired. We tend to meet at my parents' for one day and that's it. Dh has one sister.

The worst part for us is dh only gets Christmas Day and Boxing Day off, that feels bleak when it seems everyone else's husband is off for a week or so.

There are too many Christmas adverts on now. Ds2, aged 7, wants to get a Christmas tree now. He says all his friends have one. Hmmm.

[southbucks3]

I know this will sound daft, but I would love just to have granny' s and grand dads, parents, uncles, aunts to buy presents for...I do spend ages getting the boys stocking fillers, and put lots of care into my dh and bruv and sis in laws gifts, but often wish there were more parcels under the tree. We are an enigma, as not only are parents no longer with us, but for one brilliant father in law, but the others were single children, and both our brothers chose not to have families with their wives.

I have told my boys I want lots and lots of grand kids and very quickly! The eldest seems up for it, the youngest looks aghast.

Never see ads, except through YouTube, i players have killed tv advertising, although worryingly the kids still see a lot, more than ever I think.

[talea51]

I know this will sound daft, but I would love just to have granny' s and grand dads, parents, uncles, aunts to buy presents for...I do spend ages getting the boys stocking fillers, and put lots of care into my dh and bruv and sis in laws gifts, but often wish there were more parcels under the tree. We are an enigma, as not only are parents no longer with us, but for one brilliant father in law, but the others were single children, and both our brothers chose not to have families with their wives.

I have told my boys I want lots and lots of grand kids and very quickly! The eldest seems up for it, the youngest looks aghast.

Never see ads, except through YouTube, i players have killed tv advertising, although worryingly the kids still see a lot, more than ever I think.

It doesn't sound daft to me! I'd love it too. It was great when we were near dh's family and we had all those people around, I loved it. It was hard work getting everything organised on the day but each year we rotated houses and everyone pitched in and brought things for the meals etc. It was great and I wish my kids could experience it.

Now it's just the 4 of us and my parents. My brother has a partner but has no intention of having children. My kids are the only children there at Christmas, it's a bit sad really...

I told my girls I would like grandkids and my youngest told me that there was no way she was having children as it's too painful for them to come out of her - well you know where babies come from!!

[Yamin151]

I combine shopping online with one day a year when i go for a long day in town and try to blitz anything not sourced, stockings etc. No one to buy for on DH side, my parents will be with us for the day and then us four. Last year my sis home from New Zealand so her and us and my other sisters altogether in my parents place. Was great fun but so so many people and so many cooks!!!!
Am looking forward to smaller christmas this year although we love getting together as big group on boxing day.
Am looking forward to escaping my cage for the shopping tomorrow, as have spent last 6 weeks trying to type with one of 7 puppies on my lap (thats my excuse for typos) and it'll be great to have a break!!!

[Oshosh]

I know this will sound daft, but I would love just to have granny' s and grand dads, parents, uncles, aunts to buy presents for...I do spend ages getting the boys stocking fillers, and put lots of care into my dh and bruv and sis in laws gifts, but often wish there were more parcels under the tree. We are an enigma, as not only are parents no longer with us, but for one brilliant father in law, but the others were single children, and both our brothers chose not to have families with their wives.

I have told my boys I want lots and lots of grand kids and very quickly! The eldest seems up for it, the youngest looks aghast.

Never see ads, except through YouTube, i players have killed tv advertising, although worryingly the kids still see a lot, more than ever I think.

Hello southbucks, my heart went out for you, when you said you wish there were more parcels under the tree. Well that make two of us.......i too wish there were more people for me to buy presents. Mine and DH side of family are all of the over the globe...and we have only one DS. So really it is just us and some close friends, work friends and and neighbours. The list is small, but it still fills me with pleasure to do my shopping for them.
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