Your BIGGEST Holiday Peeve

[Freyja]

And here I am, thinking I decorate early. Just thinking about putting up our outdoor lights (very subtle, all white) tomorrow. Won´t decorate indoors until December and the tree never goes up until December 21nd the earliest. Most people here don´t put theirs up until the 23rd.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I had to really dig deep, because I love everything about Christmas... I put my tree up today, I have presents wrapped, started my Christmas cards... fa la la la la...

If there's one thing I don't like, it's having to watch more than thirty seconds of that stupid "you'll shoot your eye out" A Christmas Story movie. I can't even put into words how much I hate that movie.

And truthfully, obviously people can feel whatever they want to feel... but people who are annoyed that I have my tree up already are slightly annoying to me. Don't take away my joy. If I didn't want to put it up to enjoy it, I wouldn't have done so. There is no right or wrong.

 

[surfergirl602]

People who put up their Christmas Trees..........

BEFORE Thanksgiving!!!




My MIL does this every year=I absolutely can NOT stand having a lit Christmas tree in the living room as we are eating our Thanksgiving Turkey

Sorry, but if I could I would. We wait until the weekend after thanksgiving so we can get a real tree though. We are not fake tree people. Some people aren't around for the holidays, we travel, so we have to celebrate christmas sometimes two weeks early at our house, which means we get a tree early, so that we can have the decorations up and enjoy them longer. Just because its thanksgiving doesn't mean that we can't celebrate Christmas too. it's the holiday spirit.

Now, something that bothers me is when people put up every lighted thing they can find in their front yard and make the neighborhood glow. Now I'm not talking about things that look nice, I'm talking about lighted junk. lol

 

[DVCLiz]

People who think they can comment freely about others' gift giving habits - especially those who are smug about limiting gifts to three. They often invoke the Wise Men while doing so.

News flash: If you want to talk about the "reason for the season" then go to church. Worship in formal services, sing with the choir, attend Sunday school functions, read the Bible, participate in a living Nativity on Christmas Eve, etc.

But STOP trying to "out-holy" me because you think I buy too many Christmas presents for my family. It's none of your business and it doesn't make you right.

 

[surfergirl602]

People who think they can comment freely about others' gift giving habits - especially those who are smug about limiting gifts to three. They often invoke the Wise Men while doing so.

News flash: If you want to talk about the "reason for the season" then go to church. Worship in formal services, sing with the choir, attend Sunday school functions, read the Bible, participate in a living Nativity on Christmas Eve, etc.

But STOP trying to "out-holy" me because you think I buy too many Christmas presents for my family. It's none of your business and it doesn't make you right.

I would be upset for my kids if they only received three Christmas presents. We dont go overboard, but the grandparents do!

 

[tink20]

I had to really dig deep, because I love everything about Christmas... I put my tree up today, I have presents wrapped, started my Christmas cards... fa la la la la...

If there's one thing I don't like, it's having to watch more than thirty seconds of that stupid "you'll shoot your eye out" A Christmas Story movie. I can't even put into words how much I hate that movie.

And truthfully, obviously people can feel whatever they want to feel... but people who are annoyed that I have my tree up already are slightly annoying to me. Don't take away my joy. If I didn't want to put it up to enjoy it, I wouldn't have done so. There is no right or wrong.

OMG! That is one of my favorite Xmas movies.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Here's some advice for those who hate the way toys are packaged and have young kids. Before you wrap the present, take the toy out of the package. Undo all of the annoying twisty ties and cut all of the plastic straps. Put batteries in the toy if it needs them and test it to make sure it works. Put the toy loosely back in the box and wrap it up. On Christmas morning when the kids are ripping through the presents, all they have to do is open the box and take out the toy. There's nothing worse then having an impatient 3 year old screaming in your ear while you're trying to get a toy out of the dang package! If you know that relatives are giving your kids toys with annoying packaging, encourage them to do the same thing before wrapping. This is guaranteed to make Christmas more peaceful for everyone!

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

People who think they can comment freely about others' gift giving habits - especially those who are smug about limiting gifts to three. They often invoke the Wise Men while doing so.

News flash: If you want to talk about the "reason for the season" then go to church. Worship in formal services, sing with the choir, attend Sunday school functions, read the Bible, participate in a living Nativity on Christmas Eve, etc.

But STOP trying to "out-holy" me because you think I buy too many Christmas presents for my family. It's none of your business and it doesn't make you right.

I completely agree with you... and I have a very strong faith. I'm the one who would want to do all those things you mentioned (except that I can't sing so the choir is out). But my belief in the "reason for the season" does not negate the joy I get in buying and receiving gifts. If you're doing it with the right attitude (ie... a joyful heart; not necessarily "religious") then there is nothing wrong with that. I don't understand people who think the two things need to be mutually exclusive.

Sometimes I just think people are weird and need to make themselves feel better by tearing others down. And I feel confident in saying that is definitely NOT the reason for the season.

OMG! That is one of my favorite Xmas movies.

Yeah, most people love it. It makes my teeth bleed.

 

[worm761]

I love the Christmas decorations but I hate that Thanksgiving seems to be completely overlooked.

As for the gifts in the horrible packaging.... use a can opener on the side of the package. Usually works like a charm!

 

[C.Ann]

I love the Christmas decorations but I hate that Thanksgiving seems to be completely overlooked.

I hate that from Thanksgiving until Christmas literally goes by in the blink of an eye - and then January and February are each three months long!!

 

[DVCLiz]

Also, as far as packaging goes - and as a bonus for that hard-to-buy for person in your life - the Black & Decker electric scissors are a lifesaver!! They cut through even that really heavy plastic that big scissors have a hard time with. They even make them in pink as well as traditional black and orange!!

I've given them to my ex-husband (my girls' gift to their dad one year), his wife, my daughter's boyfriend's dad one year, and his mom the next. Everyone loves them!! Not too expensive, either...

 

[luvsJack]

Amen. I'd rather just not spend time with these people.

Thank you. I'm one of those "women who don't mind being treated like servants" because I enjoy cooking, cleaning, presenting, the whole shmoo without our men under my feet. The women in our families seem to have a knack for taking care of babies and cooking at the same time, so that's not a problem.

My satisfaction comes from seeing their faces and listening to their conversation, whether it's from the women in the kitchen bickering over the differences between butter and margarine, or around the table talking about what-all's happened this year, or if it's sleepy conversation floating in from the den after dinner, I love it all.

I don't need to be thanked profusely, have them rave about all my hard work or get in my way trying to "help". I just need them to eat, drink and be merry. I enjoy "serving" and being a Kitchen Diva. Especially around the holidays.

Obviously that isn't what makes you (and many others) happy, which is fine. We're all different. But having that "enlightened woman" around making snarky comments about what makes me happy, as if what I enjoy is somehow degrading to her, well....I'd put up with it, but it would definitely detract from my joy of the day.

So on behalf of your kid's father's family, I thank you thank you thank you so much for not being there. This way everyone is happy!

I agree. Whether we are eating at my mom's or at my in-laws--working in the kitchen is when all the women get the chance to really talk without the men underfoot (and most of the kids out too). Its a bonding thing for us.

On any other day of the year being considered as "serving" my husband or any other man would be something I would have to take a stand against; but when its on a day like any holiday when all the family women are together, its a totally different thing. We are usually in the kitchen having a ball (shhhh--don't tell the men they will want in the kitchen next year)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

People who put up their Christmas Trees..........

BEFORE Thanksgiving!!!




My MIL does this every year=I absolutely can NOT stand having a lit Christmas tree in the living room as we are eating our Thanksgiving Turkey

For your information.... while it you can't stand it some of us grew up with that as our tradition.

I CAN'T stand threads like these.

 

[mariolatry]

:
On any other day of the year being considered as "serving" my husband or any other man would be something I would have to take a stand against; but when its on a day like any holiday when all the family women are together, its a totally different thing. We are usually in the kitchen having a ball (shhhh--don't tell the men they will want in the kitchen next year)

I do every single stitch of shopping. I clean the entire house from top to bottom. I decorate the whole house. I prepare the whole meal (two appetizers, two main dishes, two sides, two desserts, plus veggie trays and beverages) by myself. I do all of the post-meal clean up myself. I also have to keep my young children from eating sunblock or biting each other while everyone else "watches" them. My entire family is 900 miles away. Who benefits from my work? My in-laws, of course!

Oh wait, it gets worse. Where is my husband? At work. In the eight years I have known him, he has worked every single Easter/Memorial Day/ July 4th/Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's. He comes in the door at 6 pm to tuck into a nice meal after I have been wrangling buys kids, about $300 worth of food, and *****y in-laws the live-long day. After any holiday, it takes me at least five days to get my house back in order and catch up on my sleep. If you're not currently in an inter-cultural marriage, I'd recommend against it.

So yes, I feel like a servant. I dread the holidays. My dream is to someday go out to eat on Thanksgiving.

 

[cydswipe]

Holiday Pet Peeves...

Whew... this should be good to vent!

My MIL shops as early as April for Christmas. DD 9 and DD 6 give her a list that she helps them write. Last year the girls got EVERYTHING (and I mean everything!!) on their list.

It's so bad, this year they don't have a suggestion for mom and dad or Santa.

She loves to buy American Girl doll stuff for them. The sad truth is, THEY DON'T PLAY WITH ANY OF IT! This year MIL had FIL spend $500 on tools @ Sears so he could make AG look a like beds... Another piece of firewood to feel obligated to store for the rest of their lives... great.

She blows SO MUCH $$$$ on us... I wish she'd just open a savings account for us or add to the college funds. She goes way over the top. Rarely do I get asked what I want. My DH told me to "play the game" correctly. (Can you tell he's an only child?)

Last year, I asked for one giant gift... a cricut.
So after opening 6 bath towels, MORE bath and bodyworks.. I get to "the" box. I was slightly excited, as the box "looked" the size of the cricut. Only for me to open it and find QVC bakeware in western print... My husband laughed out loud...

They leave for Texas for the winter the first weekend in Dec. We celebrate the holidays early. Last year we were barely out of bed the morning after "Christmas" and the tree was down. We helped put the entire house deco away so they could get on the road.

Now keep in mind my family is dandy too!

Last year, my PICU nurse sister showed up Christmas Eve with a 1 year old who had RSV. My youngest sister's wedding was 2 wks after Christmas. The bride's daughter (9 mo) and my niece (7 mo) ended up with RSV shortly there after. Boy, we are quite the crew!

My other sister decided to "share" their appetizer idea of throwing fresh mushrooms in a crockpot with a stick of butter. Did I mention, they went straight from the package to the crock pot... no washing?!?!?!?!??!?!?!? Yeah, she's stupid. They are unbelievably broke. My family doesn't do gift exchanges as we all know they couldn't buy gifts w/o going on CC. Yet, the 8 year gets a Wii, 2 yr old gets Bitty Baby twins, and the baby gets RSV (yeah, thanks to oldest sis!)

Mix this all together with a 69 year old dad/grandpa who got a DUI 1 wk before the above mentioned wedding. Oddly, I'm the only who thinks there's a problem. What 69 year old man drinks Crown by HIMSELF on a 6 hour roadtrip? Equivilant of 13 shots... Thank You GOD he did not kill someone or himself. Van was destroyed.. frantic 2 hrs trying to find what ER he was in after my mom received the call from a stranger (4 hrs away) via Dad's cell phone "home". "Gosh, he looked so gray in the ER" says the siblings... ya think????? he was WASTED!!

Holidays at my parents involves 10 grandkids under the age of 9. A BIL that verbally (if not physically) abuses autistic son. The oldest child, my brother who won't close down his hillbilly bar for Christmas Eve... My mom and I end up doing ALL the dishes, as the rest lack the tact to offer help. (Yes, but still ask for the leftovers to take home... love that one!!)

Yay, we are quite the bunch aren't we? Yes, I'm the middle child of 5.

I would love to just go to Disney over EVERY Holiday... but wait, if that started then the inlaws would invite themselves along.


I'm not looking forward to the Holidays this year... can you tell? To me, things have gotten so out of wack with society, my family, and life that it seems the celebrations happen to often.

Very sad, as we should be celebrating the birth of Jesus. I can celebrate Jesus' birth every year... gladly.

I can't "celebrate" family dynamics yearly though...

Wish me luck.
Thanks.. that felt really great to get off my chest!!! Maybe I will send out cards this year... besides we have a disney vacation to report on!!

And yes, it's hard being this perfect!

 

[muffyn]

Originally Posted by LuvCuteBoys
I had to really dig deep, because I love everything about Christmas... I put my tree up today, I have presents wrapped, started my Christmas cards... fa la la la la...

If there's one thing I don't like, it's having to watch more than thirty seconds of that stupid "you'll shoot your eye out" A Christmas Story movie. I can't even put into words how much I hate that movie.

OMG! That is one of my favorite Xmas movies.

mine too!
(especially since we were extras in it!!!)

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

As with PP, the Christmas tree is put up and assembled on Thanksgiving Day to pass the time. Then we all watch a movie (Up is the choice for Turkey Day 09)... then I and a couple other holiday guests devour the newspaper for the Black Friday ads.

My holiday pet peeves:
-People who are bitter and angry about the holidays
-Going to the mall at any point before December 25, there is never any parking and most of the time there are traffic controllers

 

[Handbag Lady]

Knowing that all my female relatives will shop, cook and clean up for hours at Thanksgiving (at the same time as watching all the little kids and babies) while the guys play touch football outside before they eat and then make their way to the couches after dinner to relax once again in front of the football game

For just this reason I decided many years ago to work on Thanksgiving and send my kids to their fathers' house for dinner. No one was too happy with my comments every year to not only my significant other and son but to my brothers and bils. No sense in ruining the holiday if the woman don't mind being treated like servants.

Oh, honey. I solved this years ago. All it takes is to burn the turkey once and you get a free ticket to the football room for life. I am not a servant.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

People who put up their Christmas Trees..........

BEFORE Thanksgiving!!!




My MIL does this every year=I absolutely can NOT stand having a lit Christmas tree in the living room as we are eating our Thanksgiving Turkey

As a PP said, this is a tradition some of us hold dear. We aren't doing it to cause anyone emotional distress, I promise.

Oh wait - was I supposed to list a hoiday pet peeve? Mine would be drunks..[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

Seconded. The ever-present holiday drunk who inevitably makes a fool of him/herself is my holiday pet peeve.

I can't stand when people act like I've insulted their firstborn child if the words "Happy Holidays" just happen to roll off my tongue.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

Angry bitter people would also be on my list.
Kids at the mall who are told Santa isn't real has to continue to repeat it over and over.
People who are doing Christmas shopping who are rude to the employees and everyone around them becasue they are not getting what they want, or fast enough or it is sold out. Or they can't read the sign and want it for cheaper.
People who complain just to complain although I seem to be fitting this right now
People who complain about their families..who cares Grandma wants to go overboard at least it shows Grandma cares..at least Grandma is involved in their lives..at least grandma has met the kids and not just avoid her grandkids