Christmas is for kids

[Gail T AGAIN]

I HATE CHRISTMAS. I think we (meaning the whole country have lost sight what Xmas is all about. My brother is going to tell me what his GF wants. now mind you she is the VP of a big corporation in Boston. No one has asked me what i want, I just get whatever everyone decides what is good for me but I am told what to buy them, Right now I am sitting here crying, I am done, i got them each a little something and that is what they are getting. My bills are over my head, I HATE CHRISTMAS!

 

[tiggerlover]

I am sorry to hear that others have dampened the Spirit of Christmas for you. {{{{BIG HUGS}}}}

 

[Mamu]

Gail with much sadness I read this post.

1. take the x out of Christmas and spell it out Christ-mas. Yes Christmas is about celebrations. Celebrating the birth of Christ. With gifts if you like.

2. don't let anyone tell you what they want as a gift. Gifts should be given from the heart, it doesn't have to come from the big name department stores, it can be something you've made.

3. try to celebrate Christmas by donating some of your time to needy organization, you will be surprised at how it improved your feeling about Christmas.

Most of all don't let anyone spoil your Christmas. It's a time to rejoice, not be sad.

 

[shortbun]

We all submit lists here but it is understood that
you might just get a gift someone wanted to give
you. My DS, age 7, asked for "suprises" this year.
We're two weeks out and still "suprises" is what
he wants. Gail, small gifts or gifts of time - like a
morning of coffee and good conversation gift
certificate are always nice. Light some candles,
turn off the other lights, turn on some good music
and sit in a chair and read. Relax and pamper yourself.
My best friend and I are getting side by side facials and
pedicures-we're paying for our own, just spending the
time together in total decadence. My book club is
having an all healthy food dinner at my house-everyone
is bringing a dish.

 

[JasonLyons]

Im with you buy a whole bunch for the kids and the adults get nothing

 

[browneyes]

{{hugs}} Gail. I ask everyone to not give me gifts. Even my parents and my SO. My SIL is the only one that is scared to defy my request.

 

[Pooh93]

{{{HUGS}}} I can honestly say this is the first Christmas season I have enjoyed for a long time. The best part is I won't owe anything on credit cards after January 15. I have been lighting my candles each night and turning the Christmas tree on with it's lights and relaxing in the darkness.

Don't let anyone stress you out over a gift. If people forget what Christmas is all about, then it's their problem, not yours. Christmas is not about running yourself into debt to be paying the rest of the year.

Take care of yourself first and foremost.

 

[Chattyaholic]

I'm sorry you're feeling so bad during the holiday season.
This brings to mind something that Caroline told Charles in my favorite Christmas episode of "Little House on the Prairie." She said "It's Christ's birthday, not ours." Just a simple statement, but so true. People tend to let commercialism get in the way of the true meaning of Christmas. When we stop focusing on what gifts to buy and max out our credit cards, and start focusing on what Christmas really means, the stress level goes way, way down.

 

[Dream]

I am so sorry that the commercialismof the season has gotten you down. Christmas is so much more than "things". And Jason...I hear what you are saying about giving to the kids and not the adults, but isn't Christmas about loving all of those around you? What about drawing names between the adults in the family. We started this years ago when the expense got to be too much. Now each adult gets a gift that is meaningful and special....for that "kid" in all of us. And yes we do shower the kids with love and special Christmas surprises because there is nothing like the glow in a child's eyes at this time of year!

Gail, I felt like you do now a couple of years ago. I found a book called "Simplify your Christmas"...it is wonderful...I hope you can find it. It really helped me get the season back into perspective. I don't know your religious affiliation, but another thing that calms me when it all gets too much is to sneak intoa church...doesn't matter which one...and sit in the back pew and soak up the peace and serenity. I do this in the middle of the day when no one is there. Giving yourself a little time to breathe can make a big difference. Sorry about the long post . Can you tell your words struck a nerve? If you pm me your address I will mail you my copy of that book...from me to you...from the heart...as all Christmas gifts should be. Feel better.

 

[cinlee3]

Gail - I am sorry you are feeling down about Christmas this year. I know how you feel. I have SIL who always gives me lists of expensive items for her kids and doesn't ask what mine want at all. She gets them cheap items or nothing at all. I used to spend so much time stressing about what to get them or whether it was the right gift. Now I just get them something I think is appropriate and I don't go overboard.

Last year was the best Christmas for me - we went to WDW and I only bought a few gifts for my kids and grandparents who we visted before WDW.

I don't let the gift giving get in the way of my enjoyment of the true meaning of Christmas anymore.

I hope you start feeling better about the holiday!!!

 

[sharbear]

So sorry that you are having problems being in the spirit this year. I have been in your shoes before, not having someone special to share the holidays with and no money. I bought my family very inexpensive gifts and you know what. They loved them. I was so suprised, I was embarrassed that I could not afford anything more but they didn't care.

The holidays are very hard for a lot of people. If you are feeling a lot of despair I would suggest calling a counselor. Talking to someone could help alot.

I still am not crazy about the holidays but I know that I am very blessed to have a great family and a good support system.

 

[ASFCurly]

We pretty much submit general lists, except for with my Mom, you know things like jewelry, dolphins, and Disney, or I want candles, but my whole family does that, we try to get things that we know the other person will like, not things that we want them to have.

I told my Mom things that I wanted and she didn't like my list, she wanted to give me other things, things that I didn't want but she couldn't see that, until finally she realized and now while she might not like the things that I want she will get them because I want them.