Christmas

[Quoll]

Can a newbie chime in? I hate how Christmas has become all about buying and receiving presents. I've lost some pretty important people in my life over the last several years, so for me - the real treasure is spending time with those I love. I enjoy them for their presence - not their presents. I wish more people thought this way. Just my 2cents....

Well said, Merry Christmas and welcome to lit.

 

[pink_elephant]

I like the holiday well enough, but not the clean-up. Every year we do a big dinner with lots of family over. All well and good, but who has to do the dishes? Me. And who was the one who cooked in the first place? Me.

I've managed to cut down by getting paper plates and plastic utensils and cups, but when all is said and done there's still a mountain of casserole dishes and pots and pans. Ugh! And then even when Christmas Day is passed, there's the leftovers in the twenty or more tupperware containers and the thought of New Years looming overhead.

Augh!

 

[Quoll]

 

[bobsgirl]

LOL

What d'ya want to bet that the cops showed up at his door?

 

[JustSkye]

priceless.

 

[sadangel]

I dislike most all of it. I'm the original scrooge.

 

[Eilan]

I dislike most all of it. I'm the original scrooge.

I hear ya. I don't decorate or bake or anything like that, I've barely done any shopping, and I pretty much don't give a shit. And then there's that whole lack of religion thing. . .

My husband and the girls put up the tree while I was at my book group meeting today, and I'm glad of that, because I hate dealing with it. If I had my way, the tree would go up on the 24th and come down on the 26th, if it even went up at all.

 

[Bandit58]

I hear ya. I don't decorate or bake or anything like that, I've barely done any shopping, and I pretty much don't give a shit. And then there's that whole lack of religion thing. . .

I haven't sent any Christmas cards yet, we don't bother decorating and we don't own a Christmas tree. The only gift we are buying is for Sir's mum. I am sending cards to my family in NZ and thinking about a donation to a charity which helps homeless and poor people.

I get so sick of the "spend spend spend, buy buy buy" attitude at this time of year. It's usually stinking hot and you can't find a parking spot for love nor money

The average Australian child receives 12 gifts and has about $250 spent on each of them at Christmas. Sir's daughter spends hundreds if not thousands of dollars (maxing out the credit cards) on her two kids (aged 9 and 7). They have every game console and gadget known, DVD players and TVs in their rooms and DVDs out the wazoo. They are spoilt little shits and don't appreciate any of it.

 

[Quoll]

I'm indifferent about it this year, Poss has done most of the christmas stuff throughout the year and with a reduced budget between us, by the time I get few things from the kids for her there will only be enough left for something small, we're both happy with that and it seems less stressful as well.

I did get the christmas tree this year ( I do every year, but under sufferance), I borrowed something from my childhood (perhaps mum had christmas issues too), a dead branch/es from a gum or similarly shaped tree (silk tree this year, victim of the drought), painted either white or silver and foliated with tinsel, lights and decorations, no mess, minimum fuss and the kids were involved from start to finish.

 

[culloden]

The Zen of Christmas

I come into the season with a Grinchy attitude. That's probably because I'm always too busy anyway, and Christmas can seem like one more damn thing I gotta do. The first couple of years I was with my wife, I nearly let that attitude ruin Christmas for her. I felt so shitty about that I began to deliberately adjust my attitude - finding the Zen of Christmas. Once we had kids, I realized that's way, way better.

Now, I pretty much enjoy it all; relatives, decorating, shopping (the internet made a huge difference there). It still takes a deliberate choice every year, but that makes the people around me happier, and them being happy makes me happy....

 

[CaRaMeLPoleDoll]

I enjoy the family aspect of Christmas... It's my birthday too, so i used to be a bit of a grinch... Hated having to share the only day of the year that i could call my own with, not only the rest of my siblings, but the rest of the world... Mum would try her best to make it special for me but being the youngest of her 5 kids made it a little hard.

As i've grown though, i've come to appreciate how close my family is and how important it is for us to spend christmas together... eating and drinking ourselves into a stupor. Everyone brings food to share, the house this year is minimally decorated, we play a present game so no one has the major expense of buying everyone a present (i'm one of 8 siblings, plus partners and parents, children etc) so it works out well.

I look forward to the time off work to recoup myself and go back refreshed and relaxed. This year i spent more on my partner than i usually would but he's definately worth it. I'm not a fan of the crowds and have avoided the shopping centres for the most part...

Christmas is usually a very organised affair with decorations and such. this year no one could really be bothered which is a releif... should be a relaxed day.

I think my christmas cheer will return when/if i have children because i will get to relive my childhood christmas shananigans with them and have some fun with it.

I hope everyone finds something they can appreciate about the holiday season (little or big) and have a safe and merry Christmas.

 

[CaRaMeLPoleDoll]

ps... Love the pic of santa peeing... PERFECT!!!

 

[littlebabyclit]

An actual, anti-Christmas thread ?

Oooooooh, it's dangerous to let me loose on a thread like this...but here goes, for those who have the stomach for it. Don't say I didn't warn you.


I hate how some (notice I did not say "all") people who celebrate Christmas go around wishing everyone they see a "Merry Christmas." Well, what if I don't fucking celebrate Christmas ? Stop trying to turn me into a Christian with your preachy little greeting. Oh, I know many people just say it out of habit. But the others, you know who you are. You're hoping I'm going to turn to Jesus. The world is FULL of people with other beliefs. MANY other beliefs. Learn to deal with it ! Jesus will forgive you for that !

I also hate how people sigh and yet give in to all that pressure to give every person in their life, no matter how insignificant, some kind of gift, any gift, when they don't give them gifts for any other occasion. Although, I'm sure the receivers of such gifts appreciate that. But wouldn't it be more effective to have the "Christmas spirit" thing going all year and just spread joy all the time, instead of knocking someone out of your way as you trample into Walmart so you can empty your wallet every year's end to give someone (who's probably going to re-gift it) a Chia Spongebob ?

I don't have to hate the malls at Christmas, because I pretty much stay out of them for December, so I don't get annoyed. Unless, that is, I get forced to go into one, to buy something for that stupid, mandated workplace Christmas gift-giving fiasco for someone I work with whom I would otherwise never give a gift.

And why do they keep making fruitcake, when so many people claim to hate it ??? Is that some kind of ironic commentary about Christmas lovers ?

The only thing I've mellowed out about regarding Christmas is the lights-and the trees. I can't help but like them. Purty is purty. But let me clarify- as long as it wasn't a live tree, cut down, just to be thrown out later. That's just so damned eco-unfriendly, IMO.

Thanks for a thread where I can rant about Christmas. And if you don't like what I say, then what the fuck are you doing reading this thread ?

 

[candyshellcomet]

 

[culloden]

"I hate how some (notice I did not say "all") people who celebrate Christmas go around wishing everyone they see a "Merry Christmas." Well, what if I don't fucking celebrate Christmas ? Stop trying to turn me into a Christian with your preachy little greeting. Oh, I know many people just say it out of habit. But the others, you know who you are. You're hoping I'm going to turn to Jesus. The world is FULL of people with other beliefs. MANY other beliefs. Learn to deal with it ! Jesus will forgive you for that !"

Interesting. I wish people a Merry Christmas all the time, and can't imagine why that would be a source of anger. I have no intention of changing their religious views. (And even if I did, so what? Tolerance is a two way street.) I'm merely expressing good will. If someone wishes me a Happy Hanuka or a Crazy Kwanza or a Reflective Ramadan, I don't assume they want anything of me. I say thanks for including me in their holiday.

 

[NippleMuncher]

My husband and the girls put up the tree while I was at my book group meeting today, and I'm glad of that, because I hate dealing with it. If I had my way, the tree would go up on the 24th and come down on the 26th, if it even went up at all.

I share in your bah-humbuggery as well. We've not had a tree in several years, just too damn much work and not enough space. While I enjoy holiday decorations, I'm pretty much dead sick of Christmas by the end of July when the first signs of Christmas crap starts hitting store shelves. This year, there were tv commercials before Halloween, an new height to the seasonal rape and pillage of the masses. Christmas music has been playing on the radio since about Halloween as well, how in the hell are you supposed to enjoy the "season" when it's no longer a season but a year long event? I'll bet if you polled the populace that 95% wouldn't even know what Christmas was about.


Don't even get me started on the roadways or general shopping environment this time of year.


P.S. - Littlebabyclit is the one who got me started ...

 

[Luna_Bella]

I guess I am one of the few who actually enjoys Christmas! I don't know there's just something about twinkle lights, glittery stuff, and snow that make me feel all warm inside its just all so romantic.

I am totally in agreeance with the fact that the whole thing is way too commercialized. It should be about love and family, not about money and presents. that is why I tend to make most of my presents.... I bake or cook something for everyone. My almond biscottis are one of my greatest hits. people are expecting them now! and they cost nearly nothing to make but they are a bit time consuming to bake .

Nothing beats a sleigh ride with some friends. sleigh bells, carols and a bit of spiked up coffee or hot chocolate. it could be done anytime during the winter but the holidays are the only time where the whole gang can actually get together(some of them don't live close but travel at that time)

as for fruit cake I happen to like it... now I wouldn't eat it all year long but a nice slice with a coffee or tea is definetly nice, Kinda like eggnog. It is good but once or twice during the year is plenty for me!

 

[Luna_Bella]

Oh and well I married a Grinch lol.. the poor guy.

 

[Quoll]