Xmas or New Year?

Christmas every time. Just love everything about it. I'm working this year though so DH will be doing all the cooking for our guests

We have family time at Christmas, spend a couple of days clearing up the mess and recovering from the chaos., then have a small party with some neighbours on New Year's Eve. Everyone takes it in turns, all bring a bottle and a buffet dish, numbers vary from year to year , can be anything from 6-18 people. Last year we did a 60s night. This year it's a black tie/ glam evening! No driving, just walk over the road, good food and drink and usually a parlour game or quiz. Quite low key but we really enjoy it.

Neither if I'm honest.
Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier, I hate the commercialisation and I avoid NYE celebrations like the plague (miserable old bat aren't I?)
I do like New Year's Day, it's always seemed like starting with a clean slate, like opening a new notebook.

Christmas decorations go up as late as possible (depends when DD is here, she loves them) and come down by NYD. I think if I lived alone I'd go away over the festive season to as country where Christmas isn't celebrated!

Yes durhamjen that is so, it would be good to move Christmas but quite an upheaval to people in all the Christian countries around the world who celebrate it. I was thinking we don't need two winter festivals so close together so why not make it New Year only?. It would cheer up the middle of winter, and the New Year is already celebrated by many other countries (although for some of them the New Year is in March!).

I have a set routine for New Year's Eve , no one is allowed to telephone me, I go to bed in time to hear the midnight chimes of Big Ben, the beeb announcer wishes everyone a happy new year from all the the beeb centre and then straight into the news . I do like those few minutes , takes me back to my childhood when I allowed to stay up to hear the chimes , cosy feeling

rubysong I take them down as soon as I can but certainly by 12th night. OH likes the decorations up mid December so they are around forever or so it seems. My choice would be Xmas Eve to New Years Eve...

Love Christmas.
I like New Year's Day but I really dislike NewYear's Eve- I find it depressive.

I do quite like NY day, it's just the eve I don't do. We always have a nice meal and I do no housework. We might have a walk if it's nice or do a jigsaw. I used to always sort out the previous year's photos but now they are all electronic.
Mollie do you take your decorations down at New Year? I leave them until after twelfth night.

Christmas; tree goes up on 23rd and comes down on the Twelfth Night. Christmas is a religious festival which is gradually morphing into a crazy, commercially lead, gluttonous, spending spree and I am as guilty as the next for being drawn into it...... For me, it's time to be with the family but I am looking forward to a simpler time this year. I find New Year quite a sad time, especially since DH died but I will still be out with friends and raising a glass or 3

I'm amazed at how many dislike New Year and how many say it makes them sad. I used to feel the same about New Year's Eve and the midnight chimes etc. and would sleep through it but now I stay up with a glass of something. But I actually look forward to the next day and that special feeling of a totally fresh new year. All the decorations are down and the house is back to 'normal' and the days are getting longer and there's so much to look forward to...bring it on!!!!

Actually, starbird, it's Christmas that should be done at a different time. They hijacked the winter festival. Christ was not born on December 25th.

I would like it if Christmas was only celebrated as a Christian Holy Day by those who believe, and the winter festival of family, friends, presents etc was done at another time, eg New Year which could be a 2 day holiday.

Christmas for me. I can't stand new year so I stay in while DH goes to the pub. It all seems very false to me and there's all that kissing when the same people barely speak to me the rest of the year. I don't really think DH enjoys it all that much but he's part of a 'Friday night gang' in the pub and they all make a big thing of it.

I really like Christmas but hate New Year. It makes me sad and is full of false promises

We love Christmas but tend to have a very low key New Year. It all goes on for too long and I can't wait to get back to normal.

Absolutely love Christmas and always find new year a something and nothing. Perhaps my love of Christmas stems from 35 years teaching little people in primary school....so many magical and funny moments.

I am not a huge fan of either, but prefer Christmas to New Year. Christmas is a family time, but I no longer look forward to New Year. We always spent it with particular friends but there have been so many passings that it's just sad now. If we go out, it's usually for a quiet dinner, not for a big celebration.

I am a member of the bah humbug brigade. Although I am Scottish, New Year passes me by and I wish that Christmas would also.

New Year , Christmas goes on too long seems to start earlier & earlier

Christmas for me. Really don't like New Year it makes me sad for some reason. Strange considering I'm half Scotish.

Really dislike New Year and all the false bonhomie and kissing that goes on at social gatherings. We give them a miss these days and I usually go to bed early to avoid it all - especially the fireworks.

Love Christmas though and enjoy everything about it.

Neither, if I'm honest!

No, I like Christmas, but do think that it goes on a bit too long, for me it is 3 days ( Ch Eve, Ch Day and Boxing Day) and then I want to get back to normal. The New Year is always more popular in Scotland, but fairly low key here, although we do visit friends and stay up to see the New Year in.