Bah, Humbug

[DawnM]

I need some help I think.

I am just NOT feeling the Christmas spirit this year. I don't have any desire to get my decorations out, I loathe the thought of Christmas shopping, wrapping, or shipping this year......

I usually love Christmas.....I don't know what is wrong with me. I just really want to hide in a corner until the entire season is over this year.

Dawn

 

[usnuzuloose]

I have been feeling like that for 4 yrs now. But you know I have to think about my husband. So I try to focus on things other than my circumstance. Is there something that has happend to make you feel this way? You certainly need a big . You are not alone and sometimes it sure feels like that dont it? Take one step at a time. Find someone to get out of the house with. Even if it just coffee. It will get easier. Just know I care. Let us know how things are going. Jo

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

There with you Dawn. I am on a very tight budget for shopping this year and will trying making a number of gifts. I can't bear the thought of pulling out the tree and rigging up lights only to tear them down again in a few weeks. I wonder if it's because my DD is no longer a little girl? I used to love getting the decorations out and making the house cheerful. This year, just trying to get to the end of the year to start anew.

 

[unlimiteddisney]

I am right along with you. I do have a reason though. I lost my twins this summer at 5.5 months preg. I was so looking forward to sharing the holidays with them. It breaks my heart to think they will not be here. I don't have any other children of my own, just a step daughter. I could care less if I have a tree,decorations etc... Usuallly my favorite time of year. I feel your pain. I have to for my sd sake decorate and have a tree etc.. I would much rather go to bed till January I'm trying my hardest to stay positive but it's hard. Best wishes to you. Hope your holidays go ok.

 

[Kay1]

I've felt that way for a few years. It was a lot more fun when my children were little and believed in Santa. I know a lot of even older people who just put out a pre-decorated tree and send out checks; Christmas is a lot of work.

This year we are simplifying and money has nothing to do with it. Sometimes it's all just too much, and too much pressure.

 

[C_leen]

Hello Dawn!

I am keeping this non-religious as I don't know your background whatsoever.

Flip through your photos from the past year. Think about all of the wonderful events that you shared with the people in your life. If you are like me, they might all be sitting on your digital camera! Who are you going to be glad to see in the coming weeks? Who are you going to miss? Who do you need to just deal with? Are you worn out from fighting your way through some troubled times?

Christmas is about love and relationships. It really isn't about the endless decorating, buying, wrapping, shipping & baking.

Remember the Grinch. Xmas comes if we are ready or not. See if someone will step up and help you get ready with all of the work, but if not, maybe this is a year that you just do the bare minimum and let Xmas just come.

Be well and don't be too hard on yourself!

 

[usnuzuloose]

I am right along with you. I do have a reason though. I lost my twins this summer at 5.5 months preg. I was so looking forward to sharing the holidays with them. It breaks my heart to think they will not be here. I don't have any other children of my own, just a step daughter. I could care less if I have a tree,decorations etc... Usuallly my favorite time of year. I feel your pain. I have to for my sd sake decorate and have a tree etc.. I would much rather go to bed till January I'm trying my hardest to stay positive but it's hard. Best wishes to you. Hope your holidays go ok.

I am so sorry! Many to you. It is so hard to understand why these things happen. Its ok to grieve. But you loved and cared about. So you do what you can.

 

[Purseval]

Christmas for us is just another day. Our kids are grown, the nearest grandchildren are an ocean away. We mail out presents first week in December then we might make a couple of phone calls Christmas Day. Year round we do pretty much whatever we please so it's not like we are waiting in anticipation for some great present. But we will have a nice meal, decorate the house and sip some eggnog.

Tomorrow we'll be in Orlando, maybe seeing everything decorated for Christmas will get us in a holiday mood.

 

[Terry36]

DawnM I'm feeling the same way. DD and I decorated the tree today however I felt like I was on autopilot!

Hoping that next year is more prosporous for my family.

to you unlimiteddisney.

 

[DawnM]

Honestly, I have no particular reason to feel this way. Time is running short, we are actually heading down to Disney on the 11th and I AM excited about that! I haven't seen the lights at Disney since we moved from CA. DH's work schedule usually doesn't allow him to get off in Dec.

DH has a job. We are not in any dire straits. We stay within budget, so it isn't really about money (although with pay cuts things are tighter, but hey, he has a job.)

Honestly, I think part of it is that I had pneumonia most of November and couldn't get the gifts made I had hoped I could and now there is no time.

We don't go anywhere or see anyone different at Christmas (family all live far away) so there isn't anything special that way.....

Just can't get in the "spirit" this year.....maybe it all just seems like too much work, overwhelming to try to get gifts off in the mail, etc....in time. It may just NOT happen! Christmas may have to come late for some people this year.

DH's family is hard to buy for. Don't want to go into too many details, but they stress me out.

Dawn

 

[DawnM]

So sorry. That is so hard. I remember my first mother's day after my miscarriage (at 3.5 months so not nearly as bad). Mother's Day fell right about the time that baby would have been due. I had to leave the church service, I couldn't take it.

Then I went out in the lobby and saw a mother walking around. I knew her story. She had one child and he had not spoken to her in years and she was heartbroken. I knew she had it worse than I did. That helped me.

I also think of a dear family who lost their 15 year old daughter to a car accident last weekend.

I have SO MUCH to be thankful for and I don't mean to minimize my blessings by any means.....maybe I am just tired of the whole commercialization of Christmas......not really sure why I am in this funk.....

Dawn

I am right along with you. I do have a reason though. I lost my twins this summer at 5.5 months preg. I was so looking forward to sharing the holidays with them. It breaks my heart to think they will not be here. I don't have any other children of my own, just a step daughter. I could care less if I have a tree,decorations etc... Usuallly my favorite time of year. I feel your pain. I have to for my sd sake decorate and have a tree etc.. I would much rather go to bed till January I'm trying my hardest to stay positive but it's hard. Best wishes to you. Hope your holidays go ok.

 

[Jill in Chicago]

Give yourself permission to do Christmas differently this way. Instead of going out to do shopping, do it online. Instead of making or finding special gifts, go with the "okay" gifts instead. You can do special gifts next year.

For those hard to buy adults think food. Hickory Farms has free shipping right now. Sausage is a great guy gift, and they have boxes with sweets too. There is a food gift for everyone.

For all the kids go with gift cards. I know, so many folks hate gift cards. Too bad. Do it this one year; it won't kill anyone to get a gift card. AND they are so easy to mail and no wrapping. Spend your time picking out extra special cards for each person, but only IF picking out cards is fun for you. (Maybe cards is something you would have time to make?)

Don't haul up the Christmas decorations. No one says you have to! How about picking up a nice festive floral centerpiece?

Sit yourself down and ask what does the season mean to you. Does it mean: giddy, cozy, thankful, giving....What does it taste like? Is it sweet or a big meaty dinner? What do you hear? Silly Christmas songs, angels singing... Now be honest with yourself and put those meanings into action. If Christmas is angels singing get to church. If it is about giving, find someplace to give your time. If it is warm and cozy sit your butt right down and enjoy your home. If it is friends pick up the phone and plan a get together.

Give yourself permission to enjoy Christmas your way.

 

[shelwoj]

I totally understand how you're feeling.

We're right in the middle of getting our house ready to put up for sale and the thought of digging through the Christmas stuff and putting it up does nothing for me. I will however because...our 17 ds asked us to. It's our last Christmas in this house and it's what he wants for Christmas!

So only do what you feel you can handle and make the best of it.

Merry Christmas!!

 

[usnuzuloose]

Honestly, I have no particular reason to feel this way. Time is running short, we are actually heading down to Disney on the 11th and I AM excited about that! I haven't seen the lights at Disney since we moved from CA. DH's work schedule usually doesn't allow him to get off in Dec.

DH has a job. We are not in any dire straits. We stay within budget, so it isn't really about money (although with pay cuts things are tighter, but hey, he has a job.)

Honestly, I think part of it is that I had pneumonia most of November and couldn't get the gifts made I had hoped I could and now there is no time.

We don't go anywhere or see anyone different at Christmas (family all live far away) so there isn't anything special that way.....

Just can't get in the "spirit" this year.....maybe it all just seems like too much work, overwhelming to try to get gifts off in the mail, etc....in time. It may just NOT happen! Christmas may have to come late for some people this year.

DH's family is hard to buy for. Don't want to go into too many details, but they stress me out.

Dawn

You know sometimes doing something different for xmas may get you into a better mood. So change it up and do something different with your husband. Let me know you might give me some ideas

 

[njsweetP]

I am right along with you. I do have a reason though. I lost my twins this summer at 5.5 months preg. I was so looking forward to sharing the holidays with them. It breaks my heart to think they will not be here. I don't have any other children of my own, just a step daughter. I could care less if I have a tree,decorations etc... Usuallly my favorite time of year. I feel your pain. I have to for my sd sake decorate and have a tree etc.. I would much rather go to bed till January I'm trying my hardest to stay positive but it's hard. Best wishes to you. Hope your holidays go ok.

 

[tinkarooni]

Honestly, I have no particular reason to feel this way. Time is running short, we are actually heading down to Disney on the 11th and I AM excited about that! I haven't seen the lights at Disney since we moved from CA. DH's work schedule usually doesn't allow him to get off in Dec.

DH has a job. We are not in any dire straits. We stay within budget, so it isn't really about money (although with pay cuts things are tighter, but hey, he has a job.)

Honestly, I think part of it is that I had pneumonia most of November and couldn't get the gifts made I had hoped I could and now there is no time.

We don't go anywhere or see anyone different at Christmas (family all live far away) so there isn't anything special that way.....

Just can't get in the "spirit" this year.....maybe it all just seems like too much work, overwhelming to try to get gifts off in the mail, etc....in time. It may just NOT happen! Christmas may have to come late for some people this year.

DH's family is hard to buy for. Don't want to go into too many details, but they stress me out.

Dawn

Soul Sister!!!! I have been posting stuff like this all week....and the creepy thing is I had pneumonia all of November too....does it make you feel any better if I said I started with Whooping Cough and have been sick all of October and November?

I'm trying to find the humorous side of all of this. The last week I was ordered to stay in bed I internet shopped like nobody's business. My kids are done.....it's the rest of the "obligation" gifts I am really struggling with. We too haven't decorated anything, I stuck some electric candles in the windows and that's it so far....still have the fall wreath on the front door.


So I decided to give myself a pass this year. I have DD10 and DS12 so we will make it festive. I'm skipping the labor intensive lights outside in the trees and just sticking the light up snowmen in the yard. The kids have always wanted to decorate the tree on their own and do it "their" way. This year is the year I let them loose....have at it. We'll put on some loud Christmas Carols and I will make them hot cocoa while they do it. We usually make tons of cookies in different varieties....we are going to make one kind of cookie each weekend until Christmas and that's it.

I have marked tons of things off of my to do list and I am thrilled about it. My excuse started out that I am still recovering but deep down inside I know that our holidays (like so many other peoples) has just gotten out of hand. This is my chance to scale it back and enjoy more in the process. The only good thing to come out of pneumonia is that I have this opportunity to scale back and nobody in DH family is giving me a hard time (which they usually do) because "the poor dear" has been so sick. Cough....cough....cough...I'm still feeling so tired Aunt Gertrude and haven't been able to shop.....maybe we could just exchange Christmas cards this year?

What is your favorite thing to do? Just start with thatand ditch the rest. If it doesn't mean something to you and your family than don't bother.

 

[threecrazykids]

You are NOT alone. My family knows I am the biggest Christmas fanatic in our entire family and I am struggling this year to find the "umph". My husband was laid off on Monday, and we buried his uncle yesterday. I don't know why, but even without those 2 events I'm still just not "feelin it" like I normally do. I'm going to start playing Christmas music and doing some fun things with my kids, and doing a little gift making/shopping to see if that helps get me back in my normal holiday spirit.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm not lacking in holiday spirit at all - -- did all my shopping online and most all of the packages have arrived..

What I am lacking is the physical energy to get the things done that I need and want to get done.. I know that I'm sick - and have been for awhile now (long enough that I would call it "chronic") - but I ran into a bunch of red tape getting my new health ins. and I can't go to the doctor until the card arrives.. I know she's going to order a slew of tests - but even if I went on Monday (if I had the card) by the time the tests are scheduled, all of them are done, and the results are back in, we'd probably be past Christmas before I knew what the underlying problem(s) are/were and started whatever kind of medication or treatments I would need..

So - I'm just taking my time and doing things as I can.. One of the many issues is lots of dizzy spells - and since I've already had 2 bad falls in 9 months - I'm being a lot more careful about what I'm doing and how I do it.. (Not carrying things down into the basement; not climbing on the step stool unless someone else is here in the house and awake; etc..)

Tomorrow I'm going to play some Christmas music though - for the first time - and maybe that will give me a little energy boost..

I'll get what I have to do done eventually - but geez - I'm just tired ("weak" kind of tired), ya know?

So - in the spirit? Yes! Got the energy? No..

 

[StitchBuddy]

I hear you! I was in the most blah mood about Christmas. I am usually the one who gets the ball rollling and plans where everyone will meet and plans the dinner and tells everyone what to bring. But, my heart just wasn't in it this year. I almost even canceled my annual Christmas party. But, I finally commited to the party, because everyone kept asking me about it. That made me have to decorate, because I have it the first Sat. in Dec. My husband goes hunting for a week every year so I do it when he is gone. But, I let my grown niece take over the actual planning for Christmas dinner etc...
I don't even miss it! Now, if I could just get my daughter to agree that we only need a table top tree next year. What I would give for a pre-lit table top tree. I would just decorate it with all my Disney ornament.

 

[Coll0610]

I'm having trouble getting into the spirit too. My sister died of breast cancer in August and I am dreading the first Christmas without her. Thanksgiving wasn't too bad because we could just pretend she was at the in-laws but I am afraid Christmas will be really hard. I think it's also just being tired of doing the majority of the stuff around the house without getting any thanks or even acknowledgement. And DH likes to leave his shopping to the last minute which drives me crazy.

The tree is up and a few presents are bought, but it really hasn't been fun. I can sympathize with the previous poster who wants to go to sleep and wake up in January.