Completely unmotived for Christmas this year.

[disykat]

I would be in the Christmas spirt this Christmas season, WHEN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON ARRIVES.

I'm enjoying the START of the Christmas season, but I'm with you! Why are some people talking like Christmas is tomorrow? I try to enjoy the process of getting ready for Christmas.

I gradually prepare for Christmas, then like to celebrate until Epiphany. It always makes me sad that so many people started so early that they're sick and tired of it by the time it arrives and take their trees down on the 26th. I don't get it?

It drives me nuts that the Christmas music starts on the day after Halloween for some stations, but you can't find any Christmas on the radio a day or two afterwards.

 

[minniecarousel]

I've bought very little for Christmas, the outside lights are up - but nothing else is done. DH & I are going out of town for 3 days. We need the R&R. But we will be hitting the Outlets on our way to and from our destination.

I'll have the week before Christmas off and plan to do the wrapping & baking then. I will have my sons and daughters-in-law here on Christma Eve and then all my siblings and their families on Christmas Day. This is our first Christmas without our Mom, so we'll all need each other. And I want to do things as close to our usual ways for everyone.

 

[Sorsha]

I am really having trouble getting into the swing of things around here too.

I have been working a lot - retail is crazy right now and I just have not had time. Also DH and I are down to just one car so we are sharing rides and that doesn't leave us a lot of time for random shopping. Money is tight and the kids' schedules are very full... what it all adds up to is I feel lucky if I have time for a cup of coffee, a load of laundry , and the Dis Boards , let alone a trip to the mall.

So far I have bought exactly 1 (!) Christmas present, and it isn't wrapped yet. I haven't even bought Christmas cards yet, let alone begun to make them out or address them. Bad llama, now I have guilt.

No decorating has been done yet either, as a matter of fact, the fall/Thanksgiving stuff is still up. We do plan to try to do some decorating this weekend though, when I have a little time off work. We shall see... I literally have been at the cursed fabric store every darn day since Thanksgiving. I am exhausted...

What's worse is I just don't care. Its been snowing steadily since before Thanksgiving - we have 18 inches on the level, not counting the drifts - and its COLD - currently 28° but has been and will be much colder by morning. I am already sick of winter and it isn't even here yet. All of my Ho Ho Ho is gone, and I am ready to bring on the Easter Bunny. I am feeling pretty Scrooge all right. maybe it'll be better later this weekend, after we hang some lights and put up the tree.. maybe...

 

[Nayan]

Eh, I'm not feeling it this year either. I've gotten most of my shopping done and I was thinking when the Amazon box arrives just sticking a bow on that and saying 'here ya go!' . We have lights to put up this weekend, the tree has to go up. I really dislike assembling the tree since it's a 'put one branch on at a time' kind. Maybe I'll look for a smaller one today that I don't have to deal with putting together.

 

[luvsJack]

I got a start to my shopping on black friday, but I still have my fall decoration up. I really need some time between getting through with Thanksgiving and starting Christmas. With dd and her friends here all of their Thanksgiving break, dinner with the inlaws and another dinner with our kids plus a little shopping, I'm not quite ready to get started on Christmas yet!

But that will change this weekend, a Christmas parade will kick things off Saturday and then decorations will go up Sunday (we usually try to do the tree Thanksgiving weekend but just couldn't fit it in this year).


And I have finally reached the point in my life where I realized that if dd and I don't make the "Christmas" cookies before Christmas (or watch a night of Christmas movies or whatever other family thing we want to do)--oh well; we do it in the week between Christmas and New Years. Its the time we spend together not when we do it!

This is only the first weekend in December anyway!! We rush things along too much in this life.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am scaling back Christmas this yr so I think I am OK since the pressure is off.

I have bought a couple of things for my dd's and that is it. I am still doing holiday cleaning before I can put up my decorations.

 

[Pooh67_68]

So not going to post, you all will hunt me down and beat me up.

 

[PatsGirl]

This year sure is different from any other year for me, I just can't seem to get jolly I've been scaling down each year but this year I can't figure out what to get my kids or their cousins.

I'm disappointed with Sis and SIL because their kids can't seem to come up with a few ideas and they both purchased gift cards for my cards who specifically ask for no gift cards and provide a list to anyone who asks for it but are happy with anything some thought went into. I asked last year if we could have the kids each pick a name so that the older teens' wishes could be realized (for whatever reason my nieces and nephews cannot think of anything in the under $40 range) but no one wanted to do that so here I am trying to come up with six gifts for tweens/teens in the $25 range.

DS is in Japan and this will be my first Xmas without both my kids I didn't think it would hit me so hard but just writing it down brings tears to my eyes. Maybe its just menopause Trying to come up with ideas for him has been difficult too. I want his Xmas by himself to be at least "okay" but I'm restricted by shipping costs and variables. When I was asked what others should get him I told everyone I would pay the shipping and pack everything but would appreciate it if they would send small wrapped gifts so he'd have something under his tree and gave them ideas (snowboarding gloves, Red Sox hat, Almonds, Movies, Xbox games, etc.) ~ every single person who buys for him bought him an Itunes card. Yeahhh, fun, can't wait to see his face when he opens five Xmas cards with Itunes cards inside

Well, now I'm sounding bitter and unappreciative so I'll stop. I'm hoping my mood improves soon or this is going to be a miserable Xmas. Doesn't help that I've had the flu for ten days and my house looks like gremlins have been living here Oh good, I still have a sense of humor in there somewhere.

Just wanted to add something about the gift cards because I know many people love the idea of giving/receiving them and my kids and I certainly don't mind getting one or two of them but DD had a particular birthday one year and received gift cards from EVERY SINGLE one of her friends (I think it was her 10th birthday) and it took alot of the fun out of opening gifts. She also had one year that every kid gave her a Webkinz (every person) in the same wrapping from the same store

 

[C.Ann]

And I have finally reached the point in my life where I realized that if dd and I don't make the "Christmas" cookies before Christmas (or watch a night of Christmas movies or whatever other family thing we want to do)--oh well; we do it in the week between Christmas and New Years. Its the time we spend together not when we do it!.

The Christmas cookies are the only thing that I honestly feel stressed out about.. DGD & I have been baking Christmas cookies together - just her and I - since she was old enough to kneel on a chair and hold a spoon in her hand.. It's our very special tradition and she really looks forward to it every year..

Last year I threw my back out just days before we were going to bake (the weekend before Christmas) and I never recovered until after New Year's.. My DD tried to take my place, but baking cookies is not her "strong suit".. I could see that DGD was disappointed, but I couldn't even participate sitting in a chair..

The only time the two of us can bake is one of the weekends this month - prior to Christmas - because she easily has 2 to 3 times as much homework now that she's in the 7th grade.. So - that doesn't leave a lot of time as she also has to squeeze in a weekend to go Christmas shopping with her other grandma (to buy gifts for all of us) - and who knows if there's going to be some event or some big project for school between now and then.. If we could just get the baking done (and we've already discussed cutting way back on the number and varities of cookies this year), I'm not at all concerned about the rest of what needs to be done.. It will fall in place one way or another..

But our baking tradition? I really would hate to see that get fouled up again this year..

Funny...We knock ourselves out for weeks and weeks getting ready for Christmas; doing all of our other Christmas activities and traditions; and then by Christmas afternoon we're sitting around saying, "That's it? It's over??" LOL..

I don't do even a quarter of what I used to do, so aside from the baking, at least I don't feel quite as overwhelmed as I did some years past..

 

[kellyg403]

Yes, I am completely unmotivated. With everything in my life feeling like it is in a mess, I am having a personal crisis. I have no decorations put up, I have bought for the grandkids but other than that, I lost the spirit sometime last week. Hit me full force, my family has grown up!

Kelly

 

[SC Minnie]

I thought I was the only one.

I haven't put out one Christmas decoration. Last night I saw most of my neighbors already had their houses decorated and lights up. I am just not in the mood to do any of it this year and for no particular reason. I have bought a few gifts and still need to go shopping for the Angel Tree child. I told DH last night that I wish I could go to sleep and wake up in January.

 

[pooh4evr]

@ Kathi - yep next friday is their last day until Jan 4 or something like that- we go yr round (last yr for that - we loved it) elementary ages only yr round-- we liked going to wdw in these early weeks of Dec- great weather, lowish crowds and the special holiday stuff -- oh well - we are going to put the tree up tonight, and we have to get the stocking and stuff up because we celebrate St Nick Sunday night-- I think i am just tired of running everywhere- we are finally finished with outdoor soccer, only to start futsal and basketball-ACK! Just a week or 2 without running all over town from 5-8 each evening would be great!

 

[Miniefan]

I feel the same way this year, no motivation, no cheer and no Christmas spirit. I feel lately like my life is spiraling downward but I try to find happiness and joy in the small things and be grateful for the wonderful husband and children I have. Two months ago I moved 1200 miles away from my hometown and all of my family. I don't have any friends or family here, I basicly interact with no one until my kids get home from school. I have been looking for a job since we got here. I gotta say, applying for job after job, going to interviews and no jobs happening is very hard on one's self worth.

The impending holidays are depressing for me this year, not only will we not really have the money to enjoy as we had in the past years, but we will also be 1200 miles away from our family and friends. I really feel like I don't have anything in life these days to look forward to. I'm sorry for the pity party guys but I really don't want to unload this junk onto my family because they don't understand.

I am really trying though, my tree is up, we put it up on Sunday night but we spent three days searching for the ornaments, and now it is finally decorated. I need to find the energy to do the rest of the house and the outside. I woke up last night with vomitting and diarrhhea so no chance of that getting done today. Thanks everyone for listening, I guess I'm not the only one in this boat.

Kim

 

[dawn1620]

I'm just not that into the holiday spirit this year. Heck, it's only the 2nd of December and I'm ready for January.

Every weekend this month weekend is already packed with work/school/church/girl scout/Tae Kwon Do/family activities. The one weekend we had free DH just committed us to yet another family party - one we have managed to weasel out of the past three years. And on top of that they wanted it to be at our house.

I have not done one bit of shopping, we are going to decorate the tree/house this weekend in between working on the huge Science project DD forgot about that is due Monday and baking a bazillion cookies that for some reason I volunteered to do for church.

On top of everything DH had leg surgery a week and a half ago and cannot do anything, he is on crutches and has to keep his foot elevated so I had to takeover his chores around the house.

This is why I look forward to the week after Christmas...because then I get to rest. This is going to be me New Years