WAG Need to vent: Christmas!

[Redford]

I used to love Christmas.
That was before someone introduced me to responsibility and christmas parties.
It seems to be obligatory for every school, club, institution (...) to throw a christmas party. Why??? What is wrong with a spring party? An end of winter party? A start of school party? (Parents with several kids, how on earth do you survive all the christmas partying?)
So just like everyone else our gym is giving a christmas presentation, each group is supposed to prepare a routine. Great...
I'll go and prepare a routine with my 3-5 yo 1 hour rec class, with an attention span of almost 3 minutes, no big deal!
I'll go and prepare a christmas routine with gymnasts who should be preparing for a competition!
I'll spend sleepless nights searching music and inventing routines for kids and co-coaches goofing around, complaining and not being able to recall what I said 5 sec ago.
I'll just memorize all 32 routines for presenation and competition myself and replay them whenever needed!

Sorry, I was just screaming against solid walls today...

 

[Deleted member 15064]

Well if you lived in a politically correct place like me, you would not be allowed to celebrate Christmas. Haha...

I feel your pain, though. :-(

 

[GymMom67]

We have a team party for all the teams combined, but it is just that.....a party. No gymnastics involved!

 

[Aussie_coach]

Well here in Australia, not only is it Christmas but it is also the end of the school year. So not only must we find time to squeeze in all the Christmas parties but also the graduations, break ups, end of year concerts, dance recitals and everything you associate with the end of the year too.

 

[raenndrops]

We do have a team Christmas party... gift exchange and open gym! No routines... maybe a game or 2... but mostly open gym for free
The rec classes only go for 2 weeks in December and that's it.
The only time rec kids learn and perform routines is at summer camp. They are there for 5 days, 2 hours a day. Day 1, they are put into groups based on known or suspected ability / age / size, and is spent evaluating them and having fun. Day 2, the groups are changed if necessary based on the previous evaluations. They start to learn the skills for a beam and a floor routine, do bars, vault, and air track, and still have fun. Day 3 - Start learning the routines and continue working other things and having fun. Day 4 - Continue with everything. Day 5- 1st hour - final practice and finalize order on all events and solos, duos, trios. 2nd hour - Showcase routines and open gym.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

We have two weeks of gym, the only 2 weeks off all year.

 

[emilykatherine]

We have a party where will bring gifts to donate to a children's hospital and then we have a team sleepover

 

[Redford]

Interesting to read what other gyms are doing, none of them seems to stress that much about it. And it's not as if there was the tiniest bit of christmas involved, it's just because everyone seems to feel like something should be done.
I'm also not a huge fan of joining all the groups (I don't even know how many groups there are!) This is destined to be uncomfortable, long, boring and the pure stress.
I would LOVE an open gym!

Well here in Australia, not only is it Christmas but it is also the end of the school year. So not only must we find time to squeeze in all the Christmas parties but also the graduations, break ups, end of year concerts, dance recitals and everything you associate with the end of the year too.

I. would. die.

 

[2littlegymnasts]

We also have a team sleepover. The girls do a sock swap and sometimes make up their own skits to perform.

 

[Seeker]

We don't have a Christmas party...we all buy our coaches gifts, but no official party. We do have a huge banquet at the end of the year.

 

[OzZee]

Well here in Australia, not only is it Christmas but it is also the end of the school year. So not only must we find time to squeeze in all the Christmas parties but also the graduations, break ups, end of year concerts, dance recitals and everything you associate with the end of the year too.

Yep got to love end of year in Australia.
Though at least we get it all over and done with.
My 6 year old is in so so many different things though I am pretty sure she will never remember what routine goes with what. I'm sure a bit of ballet in the middle of the school concert will go down just great, lol.

And the timetabling to get everyone to various extra rehearsals and shows and graduations is interesting (we already have several things on every afternoon between them all) - put it this way we aren't worrying about makeup classes this term, if they get to a class then that's great.

The kids do love the gymnastics end of year show - but it's the end of year show, not just a Christmas thing.

 

[thefellowsmom]

Our girls just work right through Christmas. Usually extended daytime practices except on Christmas eve and day. Meet season starts in force around here right after the new year so it really isn't a good time to lose focus. I love it because it keeps her from going stir crazy around the house and gives me short breaks in the day to breath away from family and it is so peacefully quiet at the gym, but many families don't like it one bit.

 

[kandkfunk]

Our girls are doing a service project this year as a team (I think it's called Operation Christmas). It's new for us this year since we have new coaches who are emphasizing giving back to the community. We will also have a Christmas party that is basically a potluck and open gym. We don't really get any time off from practice except the actual Holidays.

 

[Muddlethru]

Aussie Coach, Christmas and end of the school year at the same time?!!! I'd run away from home!

 

[GymBee97]

Nothing big here. they have a "party" They take the last 30 min or so of a practice to do gift exchange (secret santa gifts usually under $15) Everyone brings in some type of snack food (usually involving lots of sugar). so gift exchange and eating sugary snacks and home all wired LOL.

for those that don't know what a secret santa is - about 2 weeks before the party all the girls and coaches choose a name out of a hat and then purchase a gift for that person for the party. During the 2 weeks they will leave at each practice little treats (like a candy bar, or something from the Dollar store) without that person knowing.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Aussie Coach, Christmas and end of the school year at the same time?!!! I'd run away from home!

There is one advantage though. We get our long summer holiday from school at Christmas so after Christmas we have plenty of time to recharge the batteries.