Why saying goodbye to Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year

Social media was awash with memes, slogans and posts on Sunday night which lamented both the passing of Christmas and the inevitable return to work and school. If you saw these uploads and didn’t experience the classic sinking feeling that you should expect to feel when contemplating the return to normality, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

I bit my tongue on Saturday when friends and family practically fell to their knees and wept for the passing of the festive season, I kept schtum when my husband turned to me at 5pm on Sunday evening looking like a dog that had his tail caught in a car door and whispered: “Don’t make me do it.” And I tried to ignore the increasing feeling of excitement I felt at the prospect of a standard, run-of-the-mill, festive-free week.

I know, I know. I sound like a classic Christmas Grinch. With four kids - three boys and a girl - surely I must bask in both the festive season and the magic of Christmas, and here’s the thing; I do! Until I don’t. Christmas as a stay-at-home mum can suddenly feel like your space has been invaded and while you know you may sound irrational, this can be a little hard to deal with.

I spent weeks trying to create the perfect Christmas atmosphere in our home only to be called a nag when I politely suggested that perhaps wrapping paper could be disposed of if it’s been lying on the floor for over 36 hours ( I slid on it and nearly put my head through the neighbour's wall during their Christmas dinner). I was then called a moan when I asked if charades could be played without my youngest son suffering actual bodily harm and a buzzkill (that’s a new one) when I requested that carols take the place of a One Direction album. Frankly, I’m done.

The thoughts of spending a little alone time with my toddler while my other three head back to school, return to a normal routine, and if I’m really honest here, return to a normal diet fills me with relief. After finding my second youngest son gnawing on frozen chocolate profiteroles in the cupboard under the stairs on the first day of the New Year, I knew some form of order has to be restored.

Christmas is lovely, I know this, but all too often I fall victim to the desire for a ‘perfect’ Christmas. By a ‘perfect’ Christmas, I don’t mean a fight-free dinner, a tree that magically doesn’t shed and a husband who knows how to properly cook a turkey as those things clearly don’t exist and I'd be a damn fool to think otherwise.

No, I want the type of Christmas where I don’t have to bring my son to A&E because his brother can’t control his limbs during a game of charades, the type of Christmas where my daughter doesn’t lock herself in her room for three days because I said she reminded me of myself when I was her age and the type of Christmas where my head doesn’t almost burst through my neighbour’s wall.

Basically, I want Christmas to last a couple of days where we all enjoy ourselves, shake hands at a job well done and swiftly return to normal life. If you feel the same, don’t worry I won’t tell anyone. But quick, go enjoy these few festive-free months while you can. Rumour has it Christmas is starting around July this year.