I hate the holidays

[joyce47834]

Is it just me? The stress to provide a nice Christmas is overwhelming for some. What happened to the simpicity and love and joyChristmas brought. All the family "stuff" comes to surface-its just so awful. I wish we could all just have a simple celebration --and remember why we celebrate this holiday. I want to wish my OLS Family love and joy this Christmas season, and one more wish--we all win enough to keep a smile on our face and a twinkle in our eye. If at all possibe--Merry Christmas everyone

[wildbirds]

Happy Holidays to you too Joyce, I know things can get very stressful. It's hard to manage an easy holiday celebration when it seems everyone has such high expections. The one thing that has troubled me for as long as I can remember is not having the joy of singing, decorations and the excitement that comes with the holiday season. It used to be my favorite time of the year and something that I looked so forward to but DH hates the whole thing and it sure does take the wind out of ones sails to have someone who complains about anything and everything this time of the year. I don't know how yet but next year I have vowed it's all going to be different and I won't let DH steal my good mood.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and I wish you all peace and comfort.

[Maineiac]

This is a tough time of year for alot of people for a number of reasons. My Daddy passed away in Sept. and my step-mom passed away in August...I was an only child so this has been especially upsetting to me. I've picked up the phone to call Daddy more times than I can count, and just thought yesterday how I had to send their fresh haddock and lobster for Christmas Day. I'd be a liar if I didn't admit this is heartbreaking...BUT, a long shower singing "Here Comes Santa Claus" or "Oh, Holy Night" puts things back into perspective. We are a lucky bunch here...sharing hurt, hopes, and sheer joy. I'm grateful to be akin to this OS family, funny thing how this phenomena works...this is the first time I've expressed that I really miss my Dad (badly). Not to my DH, my Mom (she's remarried), not to my kids or coworkers. Thanks for being here...I wish you all a reflective and enlightening Christmas.

[sgbecb]

Hey, I took all the pressure off of myself this year. I let the kids pick out their own gifts. I gave gift cards to everybody else. Impersonal? Yes. Will I still be sane after Christmas? You bet ya!

GOOD LUCK TO ME AND MY FELLOW SWEEPERS!

[oldroses]

I hear ya! I do feel the pressure to provide my family with the picture postcard Christmas; unfortunately...that's just not reality! LOL! I think Christmas is so commercialized that all the joy and beauty is getting sucked out of it more and more with each passing year. And every year, I promise myself that I won't let myself be swept along with it, but all the same I find myself drowning in it yet again! :worry:

The past several Christmases, I've been dreaming of escaping the holiday chaos by going to Hawaii for Christmas, even though I've never been there before! LOL! Of course, we haven't or don't appear to be able to afford it at any time in the near future so the idea is very unlikely to happen. But ever since I joined OLS, I feel hopeful, because, maybe just maybe, I may someday win a trip to Hawaii thanks to dear old OLS and it's fabulous members! :halo:

I'd love to hear more posts about how others are capturing the joy and beauty of the season, instead of the craziness! :gvibes:

Merry Christmas Everyone! :gift:

[amy359]

call me scrooge...

I Hate The Holidays

always have since i was knee high to a grasshopper

:toss:

[Anewgranny]

I LOVE Christmas. It's the one time of year that I allow myself to splurge. I enjoy giving gifts and I gain happiness in my family's joy. I save $$ all year for Christmas shopping and I intend to have fun spending it.

[mpumr]

Well I'm torn, I hate the holidays due to the perception (thanks to the ad companies) that we must buy, buy, buy and kids gotta have it all. This year I have tried to set a reasonable limit on the amount of gifts DH and I are giving the kids (3, the oldest is 5). When I showed him what we were giving them he felt that we needed to get the oldest one more thing, then came back and said that he wanted to go and get each one a gift (not a slam against me, but a special present from daddy). Folks we are barely scrapping by and now this. We are staying here instead of going home because he wanted a "real family Christmas". Not that we didn't have them before we moved, he just doesn't remember them (we've been married 10 yrs, he has selective memory). Our friends here have invited us over for their family get-together on Christmas Day, but in the afternoon and DH accepted. What about our " real family Christmas"? I think that he is going to miss the family get-together back home and this will probably be the only Christmas that we spend here (we are wanting to move back home anyway, hopefully this summer). Personally I don't mind saving the money that would have been spent on going home. But I feel that my DH has issues within himself that he needs to confront about the holidays and his childhood. Whew that felt good to say!

But I remember what it was like as a child, not the presents, but the feeling of family and goodwill in our community. I'm lucky to have an extended family that isn't petty and doesn't break into a free-for-all brawl whenever they get together. We genuinely love and care for each other, a rarity these days. So I like that part. I just hate for my kids to miss out on playing with their cousins and spending time with their grandparents. I know that many families are spread out nowdays, but their is a lot to be said on a good family support system.

Heres wishing the holidays are good for everyone! No matter where you are or who you are with! :gift:
Marsha :halo:

[rojo13864]

:hugs: Joyce! I don't hate the Holidays. We don't have a tree for the first time ever, no presents, no spunk. Life has been difficult. so when I read about all the people that do, it thrills me and gives a glimmer of what used to be. It's not about what you have, it's more about what you carry in your heart..and friendships, family and love. The feeling I recieve from the OLS family is CHRISTMAS Joy and happiness! May everyone have a wonderful Holiday and keep the spirit going in all they do!

[skpaw]

Joyce, if it is a bad thing to go to a certain place with a group of people who will be fighting the whole time, just DON"T GO!! Make the plans that will be good for you and the family you live with. Sometimes extended family just cause problems and make you feel bad. You have the choice to have your holidays with the ones who you care about and who are good for you.

I know this because a long time ago I had to break off ties with a family member of my husband's who was causing serious problems and who was a very bad influence on my kids. Our live had so much less stress once she was removed from it. She tried to blame a bunch of made up stuff on me and tried to guilt me into coming back. There was no way in the world I was going to let that mess back into my home. It was not a loss, but a true gain for our family. Husband backed me up and choose not to see this person alone as he was offered the chance to do.

You have the power to change this if you want to. I did not see this before Christmas, I hope you had a good time in spite of the jerks.