Christmas Is Coming, Is It Just Me?

[Steveorstephanie]

Christmas will be here very soon. I really hate it. I'm not good at receiving gifts, I don't believe in God etc. So I really don't like all the hype that goes with Christmas. My friends and family don't understand why I'm like this, but I just wish it didn't happen. Is it just me?

[beallucanb]

I'm not good at receiving gifts myself, but I don't get that many usually just from my older brother and his wife, so I give them a token gift in return usually a gift card for each.

I give gifts to his daughter and son kids but I rarely get anything back and I don't expect any, Christmas is just something I get thru it the best I can, after all it's just a dinner some conversation and I'm good for another year of peace and quiet.

[Little-Daddy-Toa]

i just don't do christmas i spend time with the family that i'm an outcast in and hope for nothing. but i always get something.

[DL88]

I'm sorry but didn't you or doesn't some one make 1 of these every year?

[sarah_ab]

yep one of these every year.

I am an athiest, i don't particular enjoy receiving gifts

BUUUUUTTT

i absolutely LOVE getting gifts for people, and each year for christmas i will go out and buy gifts for my co-workers who i know are financially strapped, i will buy some things for them, and some things for their kids, and then leave the wrapped labeled gifts in their closet at work so they dont know who its from.

at my new job as a unit we adopt a salvation army family.

My parents always made a point of making christmas such a special magical time and it makes me feel good knowing i can help other kids have that same feeling at christmas.

for me its not about believing in god, or christ, or in getting gifts, its just a time of year where 1. i can decorate to my hearts content, 2. i have a good excuse to tell my boyfriend when i buy lots of presents, and 3. i can help people i know feel some of the magic i feel every year.

if you don't like christmas, then instead of forcing yourself to spend the day with family, volunteer at a local soup kitchen that day

[babykeiff]

Sarah_ab, I LOVE and ADMIRE your attitude, and only wish those 'christmas haters' (yes, you know who you are) would wake up, not act so selfish saying 'I don't like christmas....' 'it does nothing for me'.

Despite how you feel, your religious beliefs etc, the celebration of christmas is in GIVING... that is the giving of yourself, your love, your time, and gifts and treats to those less fortunate than yourself. It is based on the thinking that 'ALL ARE EQUAL' and as such, 'ACCEPT and RESPECT your fellow human.... the one that shares this planet with you.

[Lanthey]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas and EVERYTHING about it!!

I love Church at Christmas, singing carols, nativities, delivering millions of church Christmas cards, making shoe boxes of presents for the children we sponser in Romania and the Phiopeans (can'ts spell it sorry)

I love work at Christmas, writing the nativity play, making decorations with the kids, Christmas crafts, Christmas cooking, the Christmas party, Christmas music playing all day.... (We've already started this)

I love the shops at Christmas, all the decorations up, Christmas music

I love getting presents, I love buying presents, I love Christmas dinner, I love spending time with my family (well my husbands family) and I put up with mine.

I love Christmas films, Christmas TV, I love decorating my tree.

..... Lanny LOVES Christmas

[alex 04]

so far for me Christmas is cancled as i might not get to be in scotland with my family and frinds that i have not seen this year

so bah humbug thats what one friend say about Christmas as they have to work to hard and stupid hours

[Steveorstephanie]

I'm sorry but didn't you or doesn't some one make 1 of these every year?

I haven't seen, or started one of these threads before.

Christmas always gets me down. I genuinely hate it. I suffer from depression, and i am medicated for it, but the whole "It's Christmas, we must all act happy and do the christmas stuff" really makes me even more depressed.

[Lanthey]

I haven't seen, or started one of these threads before.

Christmas always gets me down. I genuinely hate it. I suffer from depression, and i am medicated for it, but the whole "It's Christmas, we must all act happy and do the christmas stuff" really makes me even more depressed.

You don't HAVE to do anything. If you don't want to celebrate Christmas ignore it and do your own thing. Personally I HATE Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night and Valentines Day.... It doesn't make me depressed.... I simply ignore them and they go away... Regardless of what other people think.

So basically, if you don't like it, think it's pointless then ignore it and do something else.

[square_duck]

IF Christmas isn't your thing, then ignore it and move on, but think about this. In many parts of the world, winter time (Christmas) is cold, dark (short days) frequently has bad weather etc. The holiday is a way of cheering up the dreary dark and cold season. A fire in the fireplace, some good food (when winter is a hard time for many to find food, specially in nature) company and or companionship, some bright and cheery decorations to help lift the heavy darkness of winter etc. I think the holiday was created to help people get through the winter season and not get depressed or loose hope, and make a cold dark time a bit better, and mark the time when spring will be back and things will start over.

For some it is a religious holiday, others its something else, and a time to celebrate nature and all that has been received during the productive harvest times etc.

Then for some it's a miserable time of being alone, during a dark and cold time of year. Maybe volunteer at a soup kitchen or salvation army place to help feed someone who has less than you do. You have a computer, and a home to live in and stay warm etc, there are others who don't have that, and who welcome a hot fresh and nutritions meal and maybe someone to talk to. Christmas isn't about giving or receiving, it's about sharing the bounty of what we have with others, some of whom are less fortunate. Buying a special gift for someone you care about and being able to see their surprise and delight, and knowing you made their winter a bit brighter with your thoughtfulness is something to be cherished. think back to what the season must have been like a century ago or longer, when there weren't malls and shops and when Christmas wasn't so Commercial and all about "shopping and spending" etc. many gifts were hand made or special ordered. There wasn't a TON of them either, but a select few that were important and had meaning. Just getting someone "something" for the sake of getting 'something' doesn't have any meaning. getting something for someone you know who could use that item, or who wished for something in particular HAS special meaning. A child wants a doll, so mom or sister would sew and make what they could, and dress it up, them wrap it carefully and present it on Christmas da

Think back to what it must have been like during the depression in the 1930's. Many thousands of people had absolutely NOTHING, yet they did what they could to make it, and some had memorable Holidays, because they had each other, family and friends.

The Christmas season is kind of magical also, seeing the bright and cheery lights in a neighborhood, on a cold night is inspiring, the smells of baking and cooking of items that are normally not available this time of year, yet have been acquired and prepared with care and shared.

I live in Southern California, and I am fortunate to live where I do, and I have access to a neighborhood where holidays are celebrated by all the owners of the neighborhood, especially Christmas. I have posted pictures here in the past about this magical place, and I am sure you may have seen reports of it on the news. It's not far from me, and I go there every year, as do thousands of others to see the decorations and lights. Every house and tree is festooned with lights and decorations. The entire neighborhood is decorated with something. Some are more elaborate than others, but each and everyone is special and it is the owners and families way of saying to the world.. "THIS IS WHAT THIS SEASON MEANS TO ME or US"

Some families huddle in the driveway around a fire pit they built, others sell goodies to the throngs of visitors etc. But it is a magical place this time of year. It's a pretty neighborhood all year round and many very nice people live there, and i wish I could also, but the houses are wretchedly expensive and in high demand.....many people really WANT to live there, because of the sense of community, and all the good people who are fortunate to be able to have a home in the area. It's called locally as "Sleepy hollow" and for me, it is the epitome of what the season is about. It's not about spending money, buying useless gifts etc, but sharing a bit of what you have, and bringing cheer and wonder to others, and making the world a bit of a better place, if even for just one night.

I attached some pictures I took last year as an example.

Even now, looking at these pictures, I am moved and inspired with the dedication and love that these residents put into decorating for a season that they obviously love and enjoy sharing. It's a great place, I visit it often, and feel fortunate to be able to do so.

Enjoy, and Happy Holidays

qwack

[DL88]

I haven't seen, or started one of these threads before.

Christmas always gets me down. I genuinely hate it. I suffer from depression, and i am medicated for it, but the whole "It's Christmas, we must all act happy and do the christmas stuff" really makes me even more depressed.

Trust me they are here. I don't know maybe you should stop focusing on the "why me" and go along with the "for them" theme of Christmas. I don't care if you get depressed or how many pills you take to be quite blunt. Christmas is about giving, sacrifice for others, and selflessness which many of us happen to enjoy, THAT makes us feel happy.

I personally don't think the New Year is the most awesome holiday but it isn't about necessarily the specific day (well for that one it is...but..) it is about the fact that we are entering into a "New Year" where any thing is possible as long as we are willing to change ourselves. That is the whole point of the resolution.

So what have we gathered Today class? This time of the year is first about saying Thank you for every thing you have, Giving something of yourself to others in acts of kindness and charity like following the teachings of Christ (if you're religious and if not Square Duck is right it is celebrated like that too), and reflecting on how you lived this last year so that you can make a change for the better in the New Year coming up.

So Steve try some of that, and instead of posting back with something like a "I have and life still sucks" post, which I have absolutely no doubt that you will any way, keep doing it and reflect on what you've done for others and how you can change yourself for the future.

[KittenAB]

1. Too early to be thinking about it, Thanksgiving is the next holiday, not Xmas.

2. I have hated this holiday since I found out it was all a lie. Until then it was the best one, but the lies killed it and my respect for my mother all at the same time.

Now, as for the actual current holiday approaching, I love Thanksgiving, turkey, stuffing, all the stuff ... and excuse to be lazy for a whole day and pig out. Luv Thanksgiving.

[Backindiapers]

I'll be the first to admit it....I usually don't care for Christmas only because I'm poor and WANT to buy lots of stuff for people but don't have the money. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna for go my bills just to buy crap for people. But if I was rich I would like a lot better. I don't really want to receive gifts just because I can't afford stuff in return.

But on a brighter note I LOVE the lights and decorations. Even though I hate the process of putting up the Christmas tree, it sure it pretty when its done. So all in all, I don't hate it. I just hate being poor. Well some of not liking it is partly because my Christmas's sucked as a kid cuz my mom was a whore, but that's another story.

[sarah_ab]

one of the best traditions my friends and i started in college for christmas was that we MADE silly stupid cards for each other... usually they had something to do with an inside joke... or were just silly and stupid and made with crayons and glitter and all sorts of craft things we found around the house...

another fun thing we did, was go online where you get like free samples, and sign other people up to get them.. one year for christmas all my friends got a free condom in their mailbox.... sent by me from the internet....

christmas again doesn't ahve to be about buying expensive things... its never ever ever ever ever too late to start a new tradition....

or do whats called a 'yankee gift swap' where i come from...

1. have a potluck party, where everyone brings a dish so food is covered

2. set a price limit like 10$ or 20$... everyone who attends brings just one gift, wrapped.

3. put all the gifts in on a table or something

4. how ever many gifts there are write that many numbers on pieces of paper.

5. everyone picks a piece of paper

6. number one goes first, picks a gift, opens it.

7. number two goes, picks a gift, opens it, and can either keep it, or swap with number 1.

8 number three picks a gift opens it, and can either keep it, or swap with either 1. or 2. But 1 or 2 DO NOT swap gifts.

9 number four gets gift, opens it, can keep it or swap with 1-3

10. continue till everyone has opened their gift and the last person has either kept it or swapt.

11. at the very end, number 1 gets to wither keep their gift or swap with anyone else... sooo obviously going first is the best ..

of course then everyone is free to trade with everyone.. but its a fun game, and a way for everyone to walk away with something....

with the pot luck, its cheap, with the gift swap, everyone gets a gift, and with the party everyone is happy.

voila worlds cheapest holiday party!

you could also add in a few games, like pick up some 5$ gift and say "person with the cheesiest holiday sweater wins a gift" then everyone votes and that person wins the gift etc....

ooooorrrrrr again, find your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter, call them and say you would like to volunteer on christmas eve and christmas..

or your local food bank can ALWAYS use volunteers.

[Yvhuce]

I gotta love Christmas... Die Hard, pumpkin pie, and money... Money which I can buy diapers with without anyone being able buy diaper with without it showing up on my bank statement. And summer action movies that I didn't have the money to see in the theaters, cause the DVDs are cheaper and typically have nifty special features.

[BabyJune]

I don't mind the Christmas festivities, but I HATE the winter weather. It feels as though it snows for 18 months. Plus I don't like having to put the Volkswagen in storage and not drive it until spring. I don't mind if it gets cold, but the snow I can live without.

[ajc2000]

Only two thing me hate about Christmas is trying to think of what to buy for everyone thats within my budget and taking the decorations and tree down at end of Christmas. Room looks so empty and its really boring wrapping and boxing all the lights.

To all the people who say they hate christmas you need some christmas cheer. Here is some that should do them some good.

[square_duck]

I'd rather have some Christmas beer!

[:dlb]

Christmas is a time for sharing the love with those we hold dear. Whether you believe in god or not, whether you give gifts or not. It's also a time to give of yourself. Think about that kid inside you and bring him/her out.

[Yvhuce]

I don't mind the Christmas festivities, but I HATE the winter weather. It feels as though it snows for 18 months. Plus I don't like having to put the Volkswagen in storage and not drive it until spring. I don't mind if it gets cold, but the snow I can live without.

I go a step further and outright hate the cold. It feels like it's sucking the life out of me. I think the roots of this goes back to the fact that my ancestors come from the Florida region, and were perty much there since the ice age, up until the White Man came and stole their land and split the tribe into the Creeks and Seminoles and disbanded the inter-tribal confederacy they'd set up...