What I Learned this Christmas... (long, sorry)

[JustMegan79]

This Christmas I learned to let go. Let go of guilt of gifting what I think is not enough, let go of old hurts, just let it go. And you know what? I had the best Christmas that I have had since I was 14 years old. I learned that time really does heal all, and you Can go home again.

It was a good feeling.

[gottadance]

I learned that the world won't stop if I don't celebrate Christmas on Christmas day itself

Yes! For years, we had a super late Xmas eve at my aunts and we'd be exhausted Xmas day trying to celebrate. I started having Xmas on a different day and it was much better - with no less joy!

[hnybny91]

That my family think "The magic of Christmas" is a real thing and if i want help I must assign tasks.lol

Funniest thing I have read in a long time...lol

[bookwormpeg]

Woodogmom you are a good person...I would have told her what to do with the book....how rude...cross her off your list of friends. Sometimes it's hard to let go of friends...but then the bad things overtake the good and you know it's time to let go. You will be better off without her. I had a friend for over 20 years. When she was going thru her divorce 20 years ago, I wrote or called her everyday...long distance...I was there for her when she would call and cry and cry....six month later, I went thru a divorce....I heard nothing from her unless I called her...I sent her notes and letters over the next ten years and then I stopped....I've never heard from her again. It really hurts...I hear from her son every Christmas so I know she is alive and well and she could get my address and I have her address but I am tired of always being the one to write, call, etc. and then hear nothing in return. I have come to realize she is not my friend.

As for Christmas, I've learned I make way too much food too but I doubt if I will change. It's the only time I bake so like I told my daughter "If you take away my baking, I might as well be dead."

[frugalfranny]

Manners, remember them?

I TRULY think they went down the toilet years ago...........and not just from the kids of today........but adults..........and I refuse to believe that they weren't raised in a different way........really sad!!!

I emailed one of the book recipients to ask if she'd received it, her response: "I got the book, but you know I prefer romance, and I haven't had time to read a book in years. Should I send it back to you?" I was so incredibly shocked at the rudeness of that, I still haven't responded yet for fear of telling her exactly where she can cram that book.

I would definitely cross that "friend" off the list.......but would first have to make a subtle comment about the book..........not her crappy manners.........just a reminder that you meant well.....if she can even pick up on it..........which might not happen.

Life is too short to go through it 'suffering' RUDE people that you might have called "friends" in the past..........it can be a tough call, but you deserve better.

(had this happen last spring with someone I had known since high school..........but it was time to drop her and move on.........don't know why I waited so long!!)

[wheezie]

Awww that just stinks.

I think that would be the final straw for me too.

(((HUGS)))

My dad didn't call, send a card, nothing-no acknowledment of the fact that it was Christmas. *sigh* I'm so tired of getting my feelings hurt.

[Wendy99]

That's okay to say to say no to family that are hurtful and spend Christmas with those who love and respect you.

[Early Bird]

I have learned that you can scale back, and no one minds:

I did NO Christmas baking. The kids each made a batch of Oreo Truffles, but I didn't bake a thing. (Usually I bake cookies for 5 or 6 neighbor families.)

We gave fewer gifts to local friends. I didn't knit hats for the kids' friends this year, for example. No one even seemed to notice.

The teens' big gifts were more modest than in previous years; they already have nice electronics, so we didn't buy any new ones. Of course, they would have liked extravagant gifts, but Christmas went well without upgrades.

The funny thing is that, I didn't scale back for budgeting reasons; my reasons were more due to burn-out than to anything else.

[Syn D]

Wow!! Even my kids have always acknowledged a gift and acted like it was appreciated sense they were little. Ya'd think adults would know better.
Sorry to say, but I'm thinking you need to be using "friend" a little looser, like more to the fact of "people I know"
I have a best friend that had 2 other best friends, over the years I never felt they were really BF's to her and they both have proved me right, so your not alone.
You made a nice gesture that was not received properly, lesson learned. Sometimes it takes something like this to wake up to how things really are. This seems to be going around a lot. Just last month I know 2 that have dealt with what they thought were friends.
Cheers for a better 2012!!

[wjcalderon]

I learned that we need to take my brother's 3 older children (in their 20's) out of the Christmas drawing for gifts.
If you draw one of their names, they are hard to buy for because we never see them - it's been 2 years since they showed up for Christmas.
If they draw your name, you won't get a gift at Christmas. Maybe you'll get it in February...or May...or August.....
If my brother takes gifts to them that we have bought, we never get an acknowledgement - forget a thank-you.

They're out!

[marjorie]

I have learned that I need to think of my nephew as my wonderful sister's kid and not the ungrateful lug I think he is. The whole gift giving thing went much better this year because I changed how I looked at what wasn't going to change.