“I’ll Be Taking It Straight Back!” - When Gift Effort Isn’t Matched at Christmas & Work Party Drama!

On today’s festive episode of The Therapy Crouch, Abbey and Peter are fully embracing the chaos as Christmas Eve quickly approaches. 

With Santa hats on and patience running low, the pair dive headfirst into the realities of family life at the most wonderful (and stressful) time of year. From mismatched gift expectations and Secret Santa dramas to the unseen mental load that comes with organising Christmas, nothing is off-limits.

The episode is packed with classic Crouchy banter, including a Christmas bike purchase that didn’t quite go to plan, debates over midweek work parties, and why men somehow always miss the brief when it comes to presents. In the Agony Abs, listeners write in with festive dilemmas ranging from clashing family traditions to the disappointment of unbalanced effort under the tree.

There’s laughter, a few emotional moments, and plenty of honest reflection on what Christmas is really about — slowing down, being together, and surviving the madness as a family. 

A proper festive Therapy Crouch, just in time for the big day.

00:00 - Chaotic Christmas energy and opening jokes

00:49 - Father Christmas enters the chat

01:33 - When your partner hates your jokes

02:14 - Christmas presents and control arguments

02:43 - Brutal “you’re middle-aged now” voice note

04:49 - Abbey vs Peter: who actually does everything?

06:15 - Mental load of Christmas and invisible labour

09:19 - Bike-gate: the kids’ disastrous Christmas bikes

11:20 - Secret Santa spiralling out of control

15:18 - Why midweek Christmas parties are a nightmare

17:04 - Unexpected deep dive into nature documentaries

20:48 - Emotional moment about losing a family pet

22:12 - Why Christmas is about slowing life down

25:29 - Agony Ab: clashing family Christmas traditions

31:17 - Agony Ab: unmatched effort in Christmas gifts

35:03 - What Christmas is really about

35:52 - Final Christmas chaos and sign-off

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