How about a "I hate Christmas thread"?
 

Actually I'm doing pretty good for a middle age guy.

My parent s are in their 80's and still around.

I have a good job that is pretty secure.

I have a nice house in a nice neighborhood and my mortgage is about twenty percent of the value of the house.

So I am better off than the vast majority of people in the world.

But I'm just not in the holiday spirit... maybe it is because I am finding myself with out a lady friend this time of year... facing the evil triad of depressing holidays alone = Christmas/New Years/Valentines day.

Oh I will be with family for Christmas... watching my rich brother hand out cell phones and laptops.

Anyone else not having a great holiday?

MEH. Im anti social. I would rather stay home then pretend to act surprised/excited at some of the absolute crap people will give me.

I always enjoyed it, but now I really just hate what Christmas has become. It is nothing but a materialistic, commercialized circus.

Christmas/Festivus is OK. A bit too commercialized, but still, OK. I like the lights, the music, the catching up with family and friends, and the food. :)

I'm in. Scott, sorry you're feeling the blues 'cause of the lady scene. Maybe a good drive on NYD or next Sunday will help.

Me, I've become jaded about the whole mess.

Yes Scottmandue there is a Santa Claus and he lives in the heart and mind of children.

I took my daughter last night to a tree lot to pickup our Christmas tree. She was down because I have told her that with the economy the way it is, there might be no Christmas tree this year. But a tree lot owner had advertised in craigslist that he was giving away the remaining trees on his lot. We drove 2 hours to the lot and sure enough there were Christmas trees. The excitment and the sparkle in her eyes as we pick out a tree is what the season is all about.

The trip back to our house was filled with Christmas songs that children love to sing.

She and her mom are busy decorating the tree while Christmas music plays in the background.

Merry Christmas Scottmandue

Ruf and the family

i get pretty sick of it, especially being that the stores put up their christmas stuff BEFORE HALLOWEEN!

i also get tired of the expectation of going to umpteen parties and family get togethers. i think i've been to 3 a week starting the first of december. i am just not that social. plus, seeing my family can get tedious (i broke away from their church years ago and it makes for some interesting moments).

It should be just a family and close friends type of holiday. That is what it still is in most of the world. If you haven't family or close friends, then the problem is within yourself. If you are just feeling blue and lonely than go volunteer to help others less fortunate.

Sorry, I don't do "feeding the blues" too well.

Have a very good holiday to one and all.

Like anything in life, Christmas is what you make of it. I'm perhaps at my poorest point in life and working 24/7, but today I'm greatly looking forward to going home to my mom's and having a great linguini with clam sauce dinner, spend time with my 85 year old grandfather and hopefully hear the story of the widow in WA state that took him and his buddies in at Christmas and made them a big dinner when they were on their way back home from WWII, one more time. Always look forward to that simple story.

Shaun, that's a nice post. I miss the old timers in my family. Well, sort of.....

Forgive me for being the optimist, but it's possible to just ignore all the commercialism of christmas and enjoy it for what it is, a chance to take a few days off, spend it with family and friends, eat lots, drink lots, and yes, give and get presents. I absolutely abhor over-commercialization of anything, but more out of hatred of the hyper-materialism of our culture. Even still, I don't find it hard to ignore. I didn't get to shopping until a few days ago, and if you just accept that the parking lot at the mall will be a b!tch, it's much easier.

I'm spending a few hours at work today getting last minute details finished up, but then I'm off until Monday, and looking forward to it! And then only working a couple days next week.

Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning, now that we have kids. They become the focus, which makes it WAY more fun!

Attitude and Gratitude. I love Christmas!
You started off right Scott, but then you took a dive?

Life is what you make it.
You are exactly where you want to be; no further or behind, just exactly!
I wish everyone could realize this?

For those Grinches out there..... I hope your heart grows 10 times this Christmas!
Merry Christmas from up here in BC, Canada! 'eh.

Rob, are you into the sauce already? :D

Christmas is fun as long as children are around. Once the greedy/grinchy shows up, it's no fun any more. Unfortunately, our youngest guest, a niece, is already 9, so the fun is almost over.

My Daughter is home from the holidays (Army leave) Christmas this year is good.

Cabin fever has made Rob delerious. ;)

Stay classy, Pelicans! :)

Hey Christian, I agree; Christmas is very special for kids; but also family!

My kids are growing up; 4 of the 5 have jobs; its difficult to buy them things.
I've got friends with small kids and I go and buy them presents that their parents would never buy them. Ha! I'm more exciting about seeing these kids open their gifts than my own (somewhat).

I've got this one 4 year old boy who just loves "Rob".... he always asked his mom and dad if they can go over and see Rob. Warms my heart with joy! I spoiled him this Christmas with a remote control tower crane set that is in this huge box.... his eyes are gonna light up ;) I love it.

Christmas has always been special to me, always will be.

Merry Christmas to you Ruf!

We were talking about this Monday night while singing Christmas carols at the Sushi bar (yeah, you read that right).

The friends I was having dinner with (previous to singing... which they didn't believe was really going to happen) talked about how in years past they would go out on Christmas eve to the tree lots and get a free tree. They said that stopped happening a few years ago.

I'm not here to piss on anyone Christmas, I will be having Christmas at my brothers house with mom and dad and my niece and nephew. I still put on a happy face and go through the motions.

Not sure why I'm in such a funk... could be lady problems (or the lack thereof ;))... or that everywhere I look people are getting laid off and stores are closing.

Scott...simple things, small joys make Christmas for me.

My 78 year old Father is in town. My son Jack and I manned the shovels today as my dad expertly drove the front end loader to bring us gravel to fix our pot-holed road.

A good four hours of work for three generations of men. Smiles all around.

I agree with RPKESQ...volunteer, get outside your normal routine for the holidays. You may meet a like minded lady:cool:

Just finished cooking my world famous shortbread cookies & now I'm starting on the Nanaimo Bar (New York Special to some). Holiday traditions.

Do I hate Christmas . . . no. But without young kids around, it is not the same.

Ian

Milt...you know what this means? We are the "old timers" now...:rolleyes:

As a old timer myself, I dont want or need a thing for Christmas. But I'll get something. My two daughters and hubbies will be with us, plus 2 grandkids, a fire in the fireplace, a nice glass of wine, (make that a nice bunch of wine), meal served up by my girlfriend/wife (36 yrs), and trying again to convince my son in law that the last election was a fake. Oh well, you cant go home again, but you can be happy today.

In the sauce already and heading to the second party! Wife is driving.

Of course it doesn't help that I'm stuck here at work and many of you are already getting juiced!

:p

Working Friday-Saturday too.

Yeah, but I don't have any stories that are interesting to others. Especially the younger set. I just sit and listen to their selfish lives. Or is that lies? ;)

only thing on my end is that this is our first christmas outside of ohio.......so no snow, no driving in a blizzard to go to the parents houses......hell i wore shorts to work today and it was 80f :D
i'll get used to it but it just doesn't feel like christmas, it feels like may......

25 years ago to the day, I was starting yet another afternoon in a narcotic haze, and just building on that as the evening progressed. The last thing I remember was taking two doridens around midnight (to go on top of the rest of the cornucopia I'd consumed).

Short story is I missed xmas 1983. Came to on the couch, tried to get up and walk but just fell over, crawled to the clock to try and figure out what time it was. My on-again, off-again heroin addict roomate came out of his room and said, "oh good, you're alive. We had to prop you up because you weren't breathing so well."

I hate the holidays for a lot of reasons, but I try not to complain these days. And in fact, I figure that tomorrow will be the best one yet, no matter who I'm with or what I'm doing. I've seen worse. Well, maybe "see" is the wrong verb...

I hate the commercial side of Christmas. But nobody forces me to participate in that. My wife does the shopping. Also, I am a patriarch enough that I set the tone at home and keep the spending within reason. This is especially true if I compare us to the other American families in the same socioeconomic group.

What counts for me: The Christmas tree hunt to the woods, baking cookies, arts and crafts projects with the kids and a special meal on Christmas day. I get a lot of fun in fantasizing about Santa Claus and how it all goes down when he comes visits. I still try to convince my daughter that Santa likes beer better than milk. Like others have said, with young children, Christmas is a lot of fun. The presents and commercial Christmas play a very small role in it.

If I were a single man, I would see that I get out of the house and volunteer in a shelter or soup kitchen to put things in perspective. If I would not do that, I'd slip away for the holidays on a camping trip trip to the great California outdoors. ;)

George

Took my daughter out shopping this afternoon. She been bugging me about Libby Lu. The mall was almost empty not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.

We were the only customer at the Libby Lu store and in the past when the economy was good and I was pulling in a six figure salary I would let my daughter pick out anything she wanted at the Toy R Us. Lucky for me she was only 3 or 4 and only wanted simple toys.

Today I let her have anything in the store as long as it was from the 50% off shelves or racks. How time has change. Lucky for me she only wanted a make-up case with play make-up.

Merry Christmas to all the people that I had the pleasure to exchange words with and to all the people that I might had pi$$ off.

I love Christmas!

I especially like Christmas Eve....everyone drives fast (only a few more hours left).

Remembering your posts from 2002, I think you took a few years to come down.... ;) :D

I"m with Shaun on this, never in my life been broker, but working my ass off, with good things to come.. I'm alone this year sort of by choice , just saw my kids and brother at TG and with two suicides in the family ( for those of you who have read my previous post a couple months ago).. Just got in from making some turns and 30 plus inches of snow forcast for tonight, I'm happy doing a skiing christmas. As for Scott's lament about no lady in his life,, I'm loving being single sure beats being with the wrong one during the holidays... Life is good...

In some things I'm a quick study. In others...well, let's just say that I require remedial courses.

Scott,
Sorry you are feeling bad about things right now. I get pretty crabby this time of year because of the commercialization of the reason we celebrate Christmas. Work is stressful for our industry now as well but.......


We went to my MIL's tonight for dinner and socializing. I'm not the biggest fan of my MIL for various reasons but I know it's important to her and my wife to be"jolly" so I do my best. I did have a good time and even my brother-in-law who has had a pretty tense relationship with my in-laws got along with them.


I don't "need" anything of any importance right now. Yes, gifts are nice and I will use my new wallet but I have all I need in my wife and kids. We have a decent house, the cars are paid for, and I still have a job for the foreseeable future. I am grateful for those things.

The excitement felt by my kids Christmas morning will warm my heart and my wife will be happy. Things could be worse by far.

Hang in there, my friend. Be grateful for what you have not for what you don't have.

It's becauser you ain't got no snow!!!!
Oh yeah - who's laughing now Mr. "We have this yucky wet stuff...." ??:D

Of course I'm just kidding around. I'll post pics of the 5 foot snow banks lining my entire sidewalk and driveway - that'll cheer you up.

Other than that, you have the right idea - focus on the things that are good. Sounds like you are financially secure and while that isn't everything, it's pretty damn good. It certainly makes it easier to move forward in the areas you feel are lacking.

Or...compare yourself to the less fortunate. I watched my neighbor load all his possessions in a U-haul the other day. Apparently another victim of foreclosure. Pretty damn sad watching he, his wife, and 3 kids leave their home behind 2 days before Christmas.

Haven't been a fan of Xmas for the last 2 decades. Now it's more hassle than anything else.

I'm just tired of christmas, christmas, christmas being thrown in my face when I don't personally celebrate the holiday. Also I'm not a big fan of the religious aspect. Sure, I still swap presents with my family and all, but it ends there.

I'm going to start a new holiday where we eat great food, stay with our families, and swap presents, and it will be on January 7th, so we can take advantage of the post-holiday sales.

I come from a family of bitter, sarcastic misanthropes.

Just add booze, and the holidays are a blast!

I'm not into Christmas this year. I got about half of my family gifts and that was like pulling teeth. I went out shopping one morning this week for about 2 hours, and that was enough. I just don't care for that aspect of it. I love giving, but the crowds are unbearable.

That's the other thing about being an old timer...you have the experience and maturity to know more than a few thing. But the younger set doesn't want to hear about it.

I listen.

My step mothers dad is 85. He stormed the beach at Normandy. He got blown up by a landmine and sent home. He spent 50 years raising his family, was elected mayor of his town, taught in the public schools.

Today, he's still a ski racer! And this year he got one of the first deer at deer camp.

I listen to him more than his own kids.:( The man has lived a life. I listen.

His description of allied bombs dropping on the Germans.....amazing. He said the earth would literally roll like an earthquake as the shockwaves rolled past them. He said it would go on for days, and that they would pray for the Germans because they knew the devastation that was being laid on them.