Charlie O'Brien blog: Is it time to say no to the pressure of Christmas?

It is just me that feels the pressure to 'keep up' at Christmas?

Everywhere I look people are doing book advents with their children, activity advents, and even making 'December’ boxes for the run up to Christmas.

All I’ve managed so far is an over priced Thomas the Tank Engine calendar off eBay because they sold out everywhere else and some vague ideas of making Christmas chutney for friends and family. Even though I discovered today that it’s supposed to ‘mull’ for a whole month before you give it to people to let the flavours combine. That’s my idea out of the window then.

Am I wrong to think things are getting a little extreme?

When I was a kid we had the nativity at school, the decorating of the tree at home a couple of weeks before Christmas and then we got excited on Christmas Eve. And that was enough.

Now it seems that celebrations start right after bonfire night and there is so much us parents feel we should be doing so our children aren’t missing out. Don’t even get me started on Elf On The Shelf.

As cute and fun as I think it is (and sure I’ll end up doing it in a couple of years) who really has time to think up 24 unique and quirky ways for the mischievous elf to be found in the morning?

Perhaps I am bitter because I was born without the crafty gene – and Pinterest just leaves me feeling highly inadequate as both a mother and a human being. And don’t get me wrong – I LOVE Christmas. I really really do. I just think it’s all got a tad competitive.

I already slightly hate myself for once again leaving my shopping until the last minute and for not thinking up a unique advent calendar idea for Noah my one-year-old. Not that he cares. At all.

Am I alone or do you agree? Has Christmas got crazy or are you all over Elf On The Shelf like a Christmas jumper rash?

Let me know!

Charlie x

Watch Charlie live on Facebook every day in the run up to Christmas here