‘I won’t be doing Christmas’: Sharyn Ghidella’s festive confession

For someone who’s always embraced the festive spirit, I do find this terribly hard to admit … but this year I’ve decided I won’t be doing Christmas, writes Sharyn Ghidella.

A beach Christmas tree

For someone who’s always embraced the festive spirit, I do find this terribly hard to admit … but this year I’ve decided I won’t be doing Christmas.

Well, that’s a slight exaggeration. I still intend to celebrate with all the Ho Ho Ho I can muster. But by not doing Christmas, I mean I will still be doing Christmas – just not with all the festive trimmings that normally go with it.

Since I can remember, Xmas has been a big part of my end-of-year ritual. The pendulum on the countdown clock starts swinging early.

I’m normally eyeing off gifts for others, writing lists and checking them twice when spring springs to life. Why wait until summer is almost upon us, although the Black Friday sales may be a good enough excuse these days.

You see, this year, something strange has happened. A new world order has dawned. The tectonic plates on which I stand have shifted. The usual Ho Ho Ho, it seems, has deserted me … or maybe it’s been extracted from me after what’s been a less than Christmas star stellar kind of 2024.

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And on that point, sadly, I don’t seem to be alone. While catching up recently with some girlfriends, the overwhelming sentiment around the table was one of festive “fatigue”.

Every one of us, for differing reasons, was cooked. Done. Baked. Fried.

The Christmas turkey has had quite a bit of the stuffing knocked out of it this Yuletide. The elf has fallen off the shelf!

Which meant, no matter how many glasses of eggnog were consumed, we all reached the same carolling consensus: even if we squeezed ourselves into our Lorna Janes and laced up the trainers, we were definitely not match-fit ready to start buying gifts and stocking stockings.

Sharyn Ghidella. Photo: Claudia Baxter

Because, let’s face it, sourcing presents, organising Christmas lunch, fashioning a reindeer-shaped charcuterie board out of salami and cheese (all hail those baby cheeses for his nose!), creating something rivalling Balmoral Castle out of gingerbread and blowing up inflatable Santas who now seem to have sprung a leak, needs more energy than even the sun can generate with one festive flare.

If only I was one of those overly thoughtful individuals who waltzes into the store at 4.59pm on Christmas Eve, having found the perfect park out the front and manages to buy 30 of the most incredible, people-pleasing gifts anyone could place under a Christmas tree. (Who knew a novelty wind-up Santa that belches and blows wind to the tune of Jingle bells could bring so much joy to so many. )

But I’m just not that person.

Operation Gift Buy for me requires months of military-style precision and planning. Every individual gift recipient listed on a detailed spreadsheet with 10 potential “Oh wow, this is the best Christmas gift ever” ideas attached to their name.

Then there’s the highly secretive reconnaissance mission required, as I tackle the online sales or the stores … armed with a pre-planned map of the shortest routes between each business.

It’s exhausting just thinking about it.

So, this year I will be paring back, prioritising.
My Christmas spirit will not include buying gifts like I did before.

I don’t have the energy. In fact, I don’t even have the energy to pretend to like Christmas fruit cake any more.

The focus this year will be on festive experiences. Let’s go to dinner. Let’s just catch up. Your presence is your present. Operation Gift Buy has been consigned to the same place all my Christmas cards have gone – consigned to history.

My Yuletide survival philosophy now is simple: the best gift does not require gift wrapping and a bow. Christmas will be about creating memories that last longer than any gift card or wind-up Santa that belches and passes wind … (although I’m secretly hoping he never stops!)

I’m embracing the real meaning of Christmas and the experience that comes with spending quality time with people you love and adore.

Yes, Christmas this year is going to be a very different affair.

I’m still going to put up the tree, though. And there will be ham and turkey. There will be a red- nosed reindeer and yes, the house will still be festooned with all the Christmas lights from Bunnings’ Boxing Day sales past.

Well, of course, the lights will be twinkling. That’s what happens …. when you didn’t have the energy to take them down from the year before!

I really do love Christmas … so Merry Christmas to one and all.