Christmas Expectation Vs Realty

Christmas is so hyped up. The Christmas Films, Music Videos give us some expectations that can't possibly lived up to. So, here are my expectations vs realities...

Putting up the Christmas Decorations:
In my head, you have the music and everyone is singing. You're with the family all just enjoying yourself, perhaps with some wine or maybe a hot chocolate. It's genuinely just a lovely and festive time.
However, in my experience, it's not quite like that.
We don't get a real tree, we never have, I don't know why it's just like that in our family.
So, the first stage is getting the boxes from the loft. The worst time ever. It's so stressful. We have to get the ladder up to the third floor and then have to basically risk our lives to get down these boxes.
Once we have finally retrieved the boxes and brought the downstairs, it's time to build the tree.
This seems to take forever, and this is where the first argument occurs.
Then comes the Christmas lights, which I graciously let someone else take care of.
Then we let loose and decorate.
Tinsel is itchy and I can't stand it. By the time we come to do the fun part, everyone wants it to be over.
Then in the end, my Mum will always rearrange the decorations anyway.
Then we have to do it again as my family insists on having two trees.
Nothing quite like a decorative, festive argument. Am I right?


Eating Christmas Dinner:
You imagine sitting around the table with your loved ones. Everyone is happy and jolly. We eat all the delicious food and have enough room for dessert. But does that really happen?

I have such high expectations when it comes to food. The dinner that I have with my family is always delicious; no doubt about that.
However, I feel like I always get full too fast, but haven't eaten what I wanted so I carry on then for the rest of the day I am bloated and full and am just followed by nausea.
Another thing, there is always someone at the table (in my family) that is a little annoyed for whatever reason.
Everyone may be happy and jolly but the person who cooked is STRESSED OUT.
One thing that I cannot believe though. EVERY YEAR! someone spills their drink.


Christmas Day
You imagine the day full of festive fun, singing, drinking and just enjoying the day while you have it.
But.
If I am going to be honest, I am not a big fan of Christmas Day. I love buying the presents and the food and the lead up, but the day itself isn't my favourite.
It goes on forever...
In my family we just chill, which is great. We watch movies and all the Christmas specials which is nice, but the alcohol sends people to sleep and we just sit with my Dad snoring on the sofa.
I just find the day underwhelming, it starts off exciting and then gets quieter and quieter.
May I add, anything I have ever contributed to the Christmas dinner I have failed...


Christmas Present Reveal
You spend ages thinking about what you are going to get everyone. You feel like you have finally cracked it, you are ecstatic to give your gifts out; you have put so much effort into it. They open their presents and you can just see on their face how happy they are with your gifts.

But does that really happen? Sometimes I get lucky and people love their gifts, however that's not always the case.
It's much worse when someone doesn't like what you got them when you have put in a lot of effort. It's just awkward because you both have to pretend, they have to pretend that they love it and you have to pretend to believe them. The whole thing is quite sad.
However, I don't want to jinx it, but I think I got it good this year and I won't have to pretend anything.

The Weather
Snow is falling, snow is settling. Everywhere is covered in SNOW!

That never happens though. I feel like every Christmas day it rains and if it does snow, it's not the fluffy kind that we want. It's the slushy, wet and sloppy stuff that causes constant slipping over.

Christmas Markets, fairs etc
You have your little bobble hat on and a hot chocolate while you walk around the market tasting all of the Christmas Snacks. You stop every so often to play a fair game, it's the perfect time.

This doesn't happen though. At least not for me.
It's always expensive to get things. A hot chocolate will cost you an arm, a fair game will cost you a leg.
You see where I am going with this?
It's always so packed as well, squeezing through people and losing everyone you are with. Not quite what I had in mind.

Obviously, this is light hearted. I love Christmas and love spending the time with my family, especially now as I live so far from them when I am at Uni. But I hoped you enjoyed it and would love to hear anyone else expectations v reality.