Does anyone else feel this way re: the Holidays?

[TheOtherVillainess]

I know exactly how you feel. Many,many years in retail had totally sapped me of ANY holiday spirit whatsoever. I just wanted it over and done with so life could go back to normal.
I was inundated with Christmas music from two weeks before Thanksgiving until just after New Year's. It's gotten so where I won't even LISTEN to Christmas music because it bothers me that much.

I can't stand going to the mall because it's always so busy,everybody's in a hurry and the employees are ticked off at everybody. Nobody seems to be in a nice mood at all.

I am trying to get myself into the holiday spirit this year,since now I have more time to enjoy it with my new job and all. But it's hard,really hard. We've decided not to put up a tree because it would be too dangerous for DS (not to mention the cat). DH hasn't put up the lights yet and I doubt he's going to. We haven't done hardly any of our shopping and all the Xmassy movies/specials I see on TV seem to be so fake and filled with commercialism to me.

It's hard, I know. But somehow we'll all get through it, won't we?

TOV

 

[Alice28]

Me. I'm just kinda not caring too much this year. I got my kids all the toys they asked for (within reason) and two other families are sponsoring our family for Christmas (didn't ask, they came a'knockin) so we will hve an overabundance of gifts. But, I just want it to be over with. I decorated the tree with the kids last night and tonight and it was a pain in the butt. The gifts are wrapped, but I don't care if I get one thing. I just want my HUSBAND HOME!!!!!!! I think part of the reason I'm so 'eh' about the holidays this year, is because when they are over, my DH will only be days away from leaving Iraq....so that makes me anxious to just hurry up and get Christmas and New Year's OVER WITH!

 

[disneymom3]

Alice--why don't you just celebrate officially when your DH returns!! that would really be something to loook forward to!

 

[coinkc]

I'm so thankful that I'm living with my DD, her DH and my granddaughter - otherwise I'm not sure I could make it through this first Christmas without my DH.. Keeping "in the spirit" for my granddaughter is a big help, but last night as my DD & I were driving home from shopping and I was looking at the decorated houses and listening to a Christmas song on the radio, I started to tear up..

It's going to be hard, but it's something that simply has to be done.. I'm just about finished with my shopping and soon I'll start decorating my DD's house and baking cookies with my granddaughter..

It's hard to stay sad when I'm surrounded by three of the funniest, most caring, most loving people in the world.. I'm one lucky lady and for the most part, life is good..

Next Tuesday marks the 4th anniversary of my mom's death. It was so incredibly difficult to go through her illness and death and having the holidays shoved in our faces didn't help.

However, having my beautiful daughter around helped all of us. Children are so innocent and even though she lost her "best friend" (she was 5 at the time and extremely close to my mom) she brought the magic of Christmas back to all of us.

I have a wonderful story about spending Christmas with Jesus that someone gave to me that year. If you haven't read it and would like to, let me know and I will post it.

Here's a hug to anyone who is missing someone this holiday season
colleen

 

[Alice28]

Alice--why don't you just celebrate officially when your DH returns!! that would really be something to loook forward to!

other people have suggested that too, but I feel like I can't not let my kids open their gifts on Christmas- they wouldn't get it. (they're 8, 4 and then the baby who doesn't care anyway!! ). I mean, I could save some gifts to open, but I also don't want to leave the tree up til mid-January or so either. (It would be brown by then!). So, I know we are going to celebrate big time when he's home, but just not Christmas...DH wouldn't want me to put Christmas on hold anyway, he wants me to keep things normal with the kids.

If things unfold right, we MIGHT be able to sneak away for a quick trip somewhere and that would be a nice celebration...but I just won't know until he's home. Thanks though, for the suggestion!

 

[Planogirl]

I'm not in the holiday spirit at all this year. I can't believe it's almost here. My dh lost his job a month ago and we are just so stressed out. We put the house up for sale too. Not a fun time for us. I just want to move back home (we moved out here for this job only a year and a half ago).

My DH lost his job earlier this year. He found another one but he's not only basically living in another town now but his job doesn't pay enough to pay the bills. I'm job hunting but not having much luck so far and forget about selling used houses in this area. They're just simply not moving.

I feel for you but we'll get through it somehow!

 

[C.Ann]

I have a wonderful story about spending Christmas with Jesus that someone gave to me that year. If you haven't read it and would like to, let me know and I will post it.

Here's a hug to anyone who is missing someone this holiday season
colleen

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I'm sorry about your mom.. I can imagine how hard that is for you - and for your granddaughter..

I would love to see that story.. Maybe you could start a new thread for those of us who have lost someone we love..

 

[allie&mattsmom]

Wow everyone. I started this thread this morning and now I almost feel guilty about not feeling the spirit after reading what a lot of you have posted. I just wanted to give a big to those who are going through the loss of a loved one like I am. It's never easy, but get's a little harder at the Holidays (at least for me, but we lost my Dad right after the Holidays too). And for all of you who are just going through rough times right now, a hug to you too. So please forgive me for my "whiney" original post. I think maybe I just found the Holiday Spirit from you all!

 

[jayna22]

Hi, Nancy. I just saw this post tonight and wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you guys this Christmas. The holidays have been hard for me since my grandparents died. I don't think I ever got over that. Every once in awhile I feel happy and excited, but then I think of everything I have to do and I just want to crawl under my blanket and sleep for awhile. I'm sure it will be better than I expect--I just want it to get here!
Jana

 

[C.Ann]

So please forgive me for my "whiney" original post. I think maybe I just found the Holiday Spirit from you all!

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Hey! You're not "whiney".. You feel what you feel - and that's fine.. Believe me, there have been times in the past when I felt like you did - even when I knew others were much worse off than I was.. Even under the best of circumstances, Christmas can be very stressful for lots of people, for lots of reasons..

So hang in there and we'll all get through this just fine..

Now would someone pass the eggnog, please?

 

[allie&mattsmom]

Hi, Nancy. I just saw this post tonight and wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you guys this Christmas. The holidays have been hard for me since my grandparents died. I don't think I ever got over that. Every once in awhile I feel happy and excited, but then I think of everything I have to do and I just want to crawl under my blanket and sleep for awhile. I'm sure it will be better than I expect--I just want it to get here!
Jana

Thanks Jana!

 

[allie&mattsmom]

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Hey! You're not "whiney".. You feel what you feel - and that's fine.. Believe me, there have been times in the past when I felt like you did - even when I knew others were much worse off than I was.. Even under the best of circumstances, Christmas can be very stressful for lots of people, for lots of reasons..

So hang in there and we'll all get through this just fine..

Now would someone pass the eggnog, please?

Thanks for the kind words C.Ann. If I haven't said it before, I really admire you.

 

[coinkc]

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I'm sorry about your mom.. I can imagine how hard that is for you - and for your granddaughter..

I would love to see that story.. Maybe you could start a new thread for those of us who have lost someone we love..

An excellent idea! I have done just that on the community board. I posted the story there if anyone wants to read it.