Am I the Only One Who Wishes Christmas Was Over With Already?

**MarshHen** · 12-11-2007, 02:01 PM

Sorry if I seem like a scrooge, but the high prices, crowds and the fact that the stores and media push the season to soon has taken it's toll on me this year. Anyone else feeling like this this year?

**frugalfarmwife** · 12-11-2007, 02:10 PM

I've been trying to convince myself it's mid January, with the early nasty weather, crabby people and horrid gas bill I got yesterday it CAN'T ONLY BE EARLY DECEMBER.

Don't feel bad, you're not the only scrooge this year, but I REFUSE to take it out on anyone else

I paste on a goofy smile and just play a good Mellencamp song on the mental music machine in my head and try to float through the day

Hugs from a fellow Scrooge, and go hug Miss Daisy, SHE'LL MAKE YA SMILE FOR SURE!!

kj

**Jamauk** · 12-11-2007, 02:16 PM

Nope, I'm right there with ya. My kids have turned into horrible monsters, I hate to go out of the house because of the crowds, traffic, high prices, etc....

The only thing that keeps me going and looking forward to Christmas is how magical it is for my children. There faces on Christmas morning will make it all worth it!

**MarshHen** · 12-11-2007, 02:17 PM

Woohoo, feel better knowing I'm not alone on this one, and I agree, grin and bear it seems to be my motto here lately. Was just heading out the door to walk Miss Daisy again and water the pecan trees.

**northernmom2boys** · 12-11-2007, 02:21 PM

You are not alone.I am looking forward to the look on my kids faces when they opne gifts and getting together with family but gee wiz I will be happy when I can put all this xmas stuff away and stop spending money lol
THe stores are crazy right now.I try to shop early but I always end up forgeting people,so think of me tomorrow fighting the shopping crowds lol

**Dancing Lotus** · 12-11-2007, 02:26 PM

The last couple of days have made me feel that way.

After some weekend family drama and just realizing today that dh and I wont be able to give gifts to eachother ( for the third yr in a row ) has gotten me down.
I was so excited when I thought I was going to be able to buy dh something special but then a second look at the calendar revealed that I miscalculted how many paychecks tell chirstmas. Its also been so hot I can't even feel like its december.

**acidcookie** · 12-11-2007, 02:26 PM

"The holidays" have become such a scam. With so much pressure (media and societal) to be happy, eat great food, SERVE great food, give great gifts, have fabulous parties, have a beautifully decorated house, have wonderful family interactions--messages that go on for weeks or months--how can we be happy anymore?!

**MarshHen** · 12-11-2007, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by AnnK

The last couple of days have made me feel that way.

After some weekend family drama and just realizing today that dh and I wont be able to give gifts to eachother ( for the third yr in a row ) has gotten me down.
I was so excited when I thought I was going to be able to buy dh something special but then a second look at the calendar revealed that I miscalculted how many paychecks tell chirstmas. Its also been so hot I can't even feel like its december.

I'm so sorry,

I think the unusually warm temps here have put a damper on my spirit as well. It just doesn't seem like Christmas when it's almost 80 degrees.

**FrugalMomof3** · 12-11-2007, 02:41 PM

Your not alone, let me just say that... seems Christmas time around here is not very jolly so to speak

Especially with the things going on in my life right now.

**Darlene** · 12-11-2007, 02:42 PM

What I do and it's not for everyone, is to not make such a big fuss over the holidays. I do what I can shopping wise,mostly online & the rest I get by going to the stores at the crack of dawn while everyone is still asleep. I wait until the last minute to decorate and know that I can't be all things to all people so I just relax. With me being relaxed others are too. No overload because I don't get geared up early.
Hope you all find your happy spot knowing you've done your best, enjoy the good stuff & let the rest roll off your back. Put on your favorite music, grab a cuppa and just look around at what you have. Smile, knowing you don't have it all, life's not perfect, but it's all yours to enjoy as you wish.

Sorry if I sound like a Pollyanna but I believe alot of our happiness depends on the choices we make reacting to lifes ups & downs. Let others get my back up and make me miserable, naaa I want to enjoy. Hope you can enjoy too!

I'm sorry some of you are going thru major hurts right now and my words aren't meant to make anyone feel worse. Just know that all you can do is your best & that the hard times can be weathered (maybe with a quite a few tears shed) but things will get better. Big hugs.

**MarshHen** · 12-11-2007, 02:47 PM

Well said Darlene

**JanieD** · 12-11-2007, 02:58 PM

Oh, I'm so there with ya'll! Wish it was January already. Just can't get my holiday stuff done this year! The more I think about it the less I what to do any of it.

**SweetPea** · 12-11-2007, 03:15 PM

No you're not the only one, I am so longing for the new year. I've even simplified our holiday this year. I did 95% of my shopping online, I'm not sending cards this year, I decorated 2 weeks later than normal, I've trimmed my baking list down to 2 or 3 things, and I'm not doing a new year's day get together that I usually have. I feel like scrooge's unknown sister!

My DB and his fiance are coming to visit at Christmas, and we're planning a small weekend getaway, which I'm looking forward to, and we're all getting together at my DSis house for Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is at the inlaws, so no stressing about cooking a big meal, but I will be contributing to both.

What helped me to stop stressing so much was avoiding a certain Christmas forum that i like to visit. I love their great ideas, but so much pressure to have the perfect Christmas, was overwhelming.

**sdrjeolsen** · 12-11-2007, 03:25 PM

Like Darlene, I'll say this isn't for everyone. It is only my revelation for myself, but thought I'd share since it has made a difference in my holiday outlook this year.

I used to get pretty worked up about the holidays (Christmas & Thanksgiving), stressing over everything. Then I began to realize that I was trying to have someone elses idea of a perfect holiday and that it was all about stuff, not having a relaxed, enjoyable time with those closest to me.

I had to have the perfect turkey, a stuffing that complimented it, the perfect Christmas decorations, perfectly wrapped gifts, etc. It just wasn't the real me and what I wanted and I realized that was what was causing me stress.

I decided to simplify things for myself. For example, this year I made Thanksgiving dinner from what I had on hand...with the exeption of the turkey. I was going to just do a chicken...but that's another story. And, it was far from extravagant. For Christmas I just put up the decorations that really mean a lot to me/my family. I have literally 15 or so boxes of decorations. I put up about 3 boxes worth. Also if any ornaments weren't perfect, I would feel obligated to go buy an entire matching set that was. This year, just C-9 lights and some old imperfect bulbs from a few years back. I have to say I am enjoying a simple Christmas and Thanksgiving so much more this year. It may not be wonderful by the world's or Hollywood's standards, but for us it is exactly right.

Good luck to everyone for finding a happy balance that helps you really enjoy the season.

**thriftstorequeen** · 12-11-2007, 03:36 PM

Well, I've been debating on saying anything but here goes.We don't celebrate Christmas. When we became Christians we researched all the holidays and decided that it was not something we wanted to be a part of. Besides a couple of my kids I don't know of any christians who don't celebrate it.Even the folks at our church observe it. It is sometimes hard for me because I feel left out. I love all of the lights and decorations. This year has really made me glad that we don't observe it. We don't have to spend alot of money. The Lord truely has blessed us and given us something else to think about during Dec. He gave us our daughter on Dec26. She had a son on Dec25 and a daughter on Dec27. And my last grandbaby was a year old on Dec7. This works out nice for my kids who do celebrate it, they can spend it we the other side of the family.And we do observe birthdays,so this is a fun time for us. My daughter and her family come over and the other family members who can usally come over to my house for her birthday dinner. Something that she still loves that is leftover from her childhood. They always got to pick the meals for the day of their birthday. Her hubby takes over breakfast and lunch and I still do dinner. I love it. By having such a large loving family it's always a celebration when we get together!