Stress/Depression/Christmas/Moving

[dwnloom]

I really just need to vent/pitty party.....This month we have so many things going on, most good. I am just very overwhelmed. Background....I had lost my job and we have been living in a 5th wheel trailer for two years. This month, we have a lot of blessing, but also alot of stress.....My son, who just turned 21 got his own apartment. We moved him in last Saturday. We are moving into a rental on 12/31 and we believe we have sold our 5th wheel trailer on 12/31. So lots and lots of packing and moving. Here is where I am stressing and feeling a little depressed.....I do not have a Christmas tree or any Christmas decorations. We will have none of our normal family traditions. We will exchange just a few small gifts (money is tight with all the moving and no furniture, etc.) I was doing ok, until at work they put up a big tree and lots of decorations yesterday. I know we have lots to be thankful for ----I'm just having a moment I guess....

Thanks guys for letting me vent.

Dawn

[shoiji]

Sorry to hear you have so much going on during the holiday. This year I did not decorate. Guess I still could but have decided not to. What I have noticed is that I am really enjoying the decorations in the stores and on the streets. Guess not having x-mas crammed down my throat 24/7 is helping me enjoy the holiday. I do have some gifts purchased but this seems to be a less stressful holiday.

Try to enjoy the tree at work and remind yourself that you don't need to worry about things like that right now. Maybe once you have moved you can have a gathering of friends and family as a house warming party. Something easy where people can come over for some cake and coffee.

Hope you can enjoy some of the holiday with all the packing/moving you need to do. It does sound as if you are off to a great start for the new year.

Hope your move goes well. Hang in there. You have a lot of things going on but it will be really worth it.

[Missourimom]

Dawn, I'm sorry you're going through such a stressful and depressing time right now, but WOW, you have so many blessings in that post! Just from that , I learned:

*You're moving into your new home and next year, you can decorate galore and return to your family traditions. I'm so happy to hear this!
*You have a job and they're sharing the Christmas spirit with you.
*Your son has his own apartment...I'm sure you're very proud of him.
*You might have the camper sold.....whohoo!!!!

Those are some bountiful blessings for sure. I do understand though how the blues can make us not see all of our blessings. I've been in a funk too. I don't like winter and the gray skies and that has a lot to do with it, but I'm trying really hard to focus on the positives and not the negatives. Just hang in there for a few more weeks and we'll be into a new year and it sounds like yours is going to start off great!

[BlissMommy]

Hugs, Sweetie. I'm glad to hear things are getting better for you.

[oheoh's momma]

honey, from what I have read u have been having a really hard time. YOU are moving into your home next year you have all your traditions and have new ones. God Bless u and your family...

[nodmicks]

I'm glad things are looking up. I am very sorry about all the stress. Hugs!

[peanut]

Sorry to hear you're down in the dumps. I also had a momentary Christmas funk this year. We don't really have money for Christmas this year. I'm not sending out cards or giving presents. We aren't having a big Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas Day dinner. The kids aren't coming home and we aren't going to them. We aren't going to any concerts unless they're free and we're invited (DH hates them for some reason).

Turns out by accident DH donated the good Christmas ornaments to charity in November. He took them to the Salvation Army, which ships all over the country. I didn't discover it till last week when we set up the tree.

We were going to go away by ourselves for Christmas, but discovered it cost more than our normal blow out Christmas would.

BUT I have a tree, and there were ornaments that didn't sell this fall for C4M, so they're on my tree. AND everyone in the family is healthy, and will hopefully be happy.

I found the antidote for me was to take up giving. Yes, giving. Not money. But time and talent. I've been working hard at de-cluttering and donating to families in need. We have several in our church. Also listing stuff for free online for the community. It's so much fun to see people derive such pleasure from our castoffs.

And when I don't have stuff to give. I go online to Homepage | Freerice.com and play a vocab game to feed rice to hungry people. Or to Greater Good to donate food, books, etc. to help the poor of the world. Not much, but it helps. I've joined an online giving group called 29 Days of Giving Challenge. The thing is the size of your giving doesn't matter. It's that you give, even if it's just to make your DH's favourite meal one night.

When I don't have time for any of that, I make sure to say 'thank-you' and 'please' to people and smile as if I'm happy, even if I'm tearing apart inside. Which I'm not anymore about our Christmas. Right now I've reached the point where I'm looking forward to our Christmas alone.

You, on the other hand, will be busy! Think about the adventure of a new home. And dream dreams of how you want it to look and feel. Moving is a big change. But home is where the heart is, as the saying goes. I don't know your past history (haven't been following your story), but I'm glad you are moving in a positive direction.

[Debbie-cat]

Oh Dawn, I am so sorry for all the stress...but you do have alot to be thankful for. Enjoy the tree at work and plan for next Christmas when you can start new..and re-live old family traditions. Sometimes the best times are when you least expect it.

[MomToTwoBoys]

Last year, I was where you are now.

DH had been working away from home and I only got to see him every weekend. We did that for two and a half months. We sold our house in December, had everything packed and were out and at my inlaws on the 18th. On top of that, we had the stress of closing and settling bills and all of that before Christmas. I literally got all of my shopping done the week before, which in this extended family is mega stressful.

I also suffer from SAD and depression and anxiety, so my world was in complete chaos from about the end of November until the middle of January.

You just have to push through and be thankful for what you do have that's coming to you.

[Incognito]

Concentrate on getting the moving over and done with, and settling into your new place.
But keep an eye out for neighbours who throw their Christmas tree out right after Christmas, and go get one of those and stick it in a snowbank behind your place. Then when New Year settles in, take it in and decorate it with some of the fantastic decorations you can get at the Thrift Shop for free or next-to-nothing. Keep your tree up for a few weeks, well after Ukrainian Christmas which is usually mid-January anyway. There will still be carols playing on the radio till after they celebrate Christmas.
Have yourself a merry, little Christmas...in January!

[oheoh's momma]

I forgot about what hill people call old Christmas which they celebrate way after new year. Christmas is in your heart not on a day have your Christmas after u move in and settle into your new home. Bake cookies and have a turkey. Look for a tree that has been thrown out or call your church and see what is donated. why did I not think of this before..... hugs.

[Lynnwantstosave$$]

A few years ago my sister in law couldn't afford to buy a Christmas tree either but she did have a strand of lights (all green) well she put them up on the wall in the shape of a tree and her daughter made ornaments out of construction paper and crayons. I swear it was the cutest thing i have ever seen. You may not have the tradtional decorations but maybe you could create something.

[Libby]

I too agree that there is a lot on your plate for the month of December however focus on this thought: Once you're settled, hold a Christmas in July party Invite people over, cook, bbq, potluck and just spend quality time - no need to worry about gifts.