Mr. Heartbreak Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I am with Radiant Witch Face on all of the comments above. I don't celebrate organized religion, no family in the area, so to me it's all just a hassle. Happy when it's January 2nd and we can get back to normal.Thankfully, my fiancee is a Buddhist, and once we are married I will have an official excuse for opting out of the holidays completely. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Well, at least enjoy a day off. Christ. Oh wait.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I second the comments about trying to find some joy in it even if you're not religious or "on board" with the season in general, as hard as that may be. Take in the simple pleasure of a day off and treat yourself. It's not always easy, but making small changes in one's attitude can make a big difference. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JUDE Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Dear Flick, I know you are quite generous with you time and volunteering. Maybe you should focus on the positive feelings you get from that through out the year rather than the negativity you seem to be focusing on presently. Also, I didn't mean to imply that one should only think of others during the holidays, sorry for the confusion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doug C Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 No need to apologize for me. If you go into something negatively, you're not likely to find anything positive about it.I was not aplogizing for you. I was sorry for the reply, meaning that I felt sorrow that she had to read it. Find the positive in everything is a nice platitude, but it, like most simplistic solutions to complex problems, is about as effective as "Just say no". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I used to start getting in a funk about 2 weeks before Thanksgiving and stay in it until after new year's. Then it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. I now watch squirrels and birds when necessary and they get me rooted in the present; and I remember that only humans create this ridiculous notion of linear time and holidays and anniversaries and that all the emotions I associate with same are made up in my head and totally avoidable with a little help from my friends. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ih8music Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I love everything about Thanksgiving -- food, family & football! What's not to love? I mostly enjoy Christmas -- decorations, gift giving, food, traditions, etc. What I hate about it is that the "holiday season" (ie when retailers put out their Christmas crap) gets earlier and earlier each year. My local Costco started in late august this year! That just pisses me off. But once thanksgiving is over, I'm perfectly happy putting up the Christmas lights and celebrating the season. That said, I can appreciate how annoying it must be for some folks. You really can't escape it, no matter how hard you try. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I love everything about Thanksgiving -- food, family & football! What's not to love? Oh I know this one! It's football! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smells like flowers Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I like it better between Xmas day and NYE. That's the money shot, there..I'm with you. Time to sit back, spin the Frank Sinatra Christmas LP (for some reason, my daughter loves it!), eat the cookies, drink the nog, take a walk in the cold woods. I find the weeks before to be torture, but I stopped doing cards and entertaining and it's a bit more manageable that way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 As usual, I'm all over the place with Christmas. I used to enjoy it immensely when I was the kid on the receiving end of all the presents and attention. Then as I grew up, got married and divorced and didn't have kids of my own, it started seeming less relevant and more of a hassle. My only sibling had two children and it was fun to be with them on the holidays when they were kids, but they're grown up and have moved away. Both of my parents died a long time ago, and my sister and I get along about as well as we did when we were kids, which is to say, not at all. (We're fine as long as we stay at arm's length!) A few years ago, I announced to my sister, ex-brother in law, niece and nephew that I was opting out of gift giving--I wasn't going to give or receive. The first year was rocky and I felt very Scroogelike, but we got through it and I now feel very happy to have unburdened myself of the obligatory "I didn't know what to get you so here's a gift card" ritual, which is what gift-giving had devolved into anyway. Either that, or if someone did make an effort to pick out a gift, it was "Oh, I love it! Did you keep the receipt, by chance?" We do always manage to scrape together some little holiday gathering with food, and I'm glad to be around what little family still remains, but do I look forward to the holidays? Not really. I think that what makes the holidays rewarding is family, whether it's your own blood relations or the extended friends/family you've created for yourself. It's a lot easier when you're part of a traditional nuclear family, though. When you're not, there's stress about feeling like you should be in the same warm, bubbly spirit as it feels like everybody else is. You can feel very out of step and lonely. I've grown to believe that it's not something you should feel guilty about or try to artificially manufacture. But on the other hand, I try not to whine about it either, becasue why rain on everyone else's parade? I have experienced that warm, holiday feeling, with your loved ones all around you, a fire crackiling, too many cooks in the kitchen, babies crawling on the floor, getting excited about ripping into presents, and yes, it's wonderful to have that. It's just that life doesn't necessarily turn into a Norman Rockwell picture for everyone, and most of the time that's OK--there are other compensating activities and relationships. (Hint, hint: Wilco addiction!) It's mainly during the holiday season that it's easy to get all wistful for what you don't have, when all around you the relentless "Christmas spirit" gets shoved in your face so much. I work for the Red Cross and have to be at blood drives often over the holidays, which is probably a good thing, even though it doesn't feel like it in the moment. It gives me something to stay busy with while other people are taking time off, and being around blood donors is actually pretty damned inspiring. It's still very impressive to me that people will carve out the time to donate blood in the midst of all the holiday hubbub.In fact, the best suggestion I can offer to anyone feeling a little blue and empty over the holidays is to do something positive, like DONATE BLOOD!! Or even volunteer at a blood drive. Just being around people doing something unselfish and uncommercial is kind of nice, and it can lift your spirits and get your head out of your own ass. And remember that there are a lot of people who have it so much worse than you do--they may be sick or starving or going through really dramatic hellish life experiences. As Jeff Tweedy says, things could always be worse. And if all else fails, remember that in just a couple of months it'll all be over. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kim Bodnia Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 you could say I like Christmas for the most "mundane" reasons: the shopping, the lavish dinners, the winter weather, the colourful street lights and the Christmas TV specials (plus Christmas music). I like the season because I'm on vacation those days, but to be honest the "true meaning of Christmas" so to speak, does not touch me, sincerely or spiritually, I started losing interest in the deep meaning of Christmas when I learnt that my friends from the Balkans celebrated Christmas around January 8th, as dictated by their religion (this taught me that "Christmas" was a relative concept with no Universal meaning) also, when I first saw Hanukkah celebrated in the streets of Miami, in early December in the late nineties, the image did strike a chord with me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cold as Gasoline Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 It's interesting to see that, as in all things, there is a wealth of different perspectives on Christmas, all of them valid human experiences. My dad died a couple days after Christmas many years ago, but it still does color my perspective on the season, and sucks out a lot of the joy that I always associated with the holidays in my youth. The sight of the Christmas tree with presents still under it untouched on New Years because nobody wanted anything to do with them on Christmas is hard to erase. And I loathe the crowds and commercialism, so that doesn't help. I tend to err on the side of giving some extra money to the local food pantry rather than give extravagant gifts, though I do love seeing my niece and nephew open their gifts with total joy, unclouded by melancholy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I love the season even though it has no religious significance for me at all. Something about knowing I have several days off work (we get a paid week off), you have the Christmas lights going and the tree in the corner. Fireplace going, a little whiskey and nog or scotch, snow outside. Last year I smoked a joint and watched the SNL Martin Short/Paul McCartney episode and it was magical. But I do have a single friend that gets so depressed that he becomes unreachable for a few weeks every year despite my best attempts and I know it affects many people that way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I love the season even though it has no religious significance for me at all. Something about knowing I have several days off work (we get a paid week off), you have the Christmas lights going and the tree in the corner. Fireplace going, a little whiskey and nog or scotch, snow outside. Last year I smoked a joint and watched the SNL Martin Short/Paul McCartney episode and it was magical. But I do have a single friend that gets so depressed that he becomes unreachable for a few weeks every year despite my best attempts and I know it affects many people that way. That SNL episode *was* magical. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 My mom and I were in a book store this weekend, I saw this on a calendar, laughed, and showed it to her: She said "oh honey, think about the happy things". My mom is not the least bit depressive, but she knows it's an issue for me. I had thought this was funny, but then I just got sad that she worries about me like that. I wanted to tell her that no, the holidays are kind of my happy place. Of all my problems, holiday blues aren't even on the list! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Radiant Witch Face Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 I enjoy the days off, that's certainly a plus. I have some friends that may be coming to the city to visit, so that will be nice. I think the main reason why I started this thread is because I miss my family. the holidays are not the same without them and it's always a big get together with extended family. like I said, they're 1,000 miles away and no one can afford to make the trip to visit either way. I love being with my husband and we make Thanksgiving and Christmas our own with gifts and food. I really want to just get on with it and begin the new year. it's been a difficult year and I'll be happy to see it go. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I really want to just get on with it and begin the new year. it's been a difficult year and I'll be happy to see it go. I know that feeling. You'll get through it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Same old shit, different day. Life's a bitch and then you die. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I really want to just get on with it Woo-hoo! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I was getting a little bah-humbuggish until I walked into Subway this afternoon and heard the greatest Christmas song ever recorded. turned me right around. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I was getting a little bah-humbuggish until I walked into Subway this afternoon and heard the greatest Christmas song ever recorded. turned me right around.And that song was. . . .?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 isn't it obvious? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 He's talking about Darlene Love's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 you know that I am not. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 He's talking about that date-rape song....baby its cold outside....you know the rest Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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