Christmas

[FUJIMO]

7 hours ago, Erik88 said:

I'm glad I'm not alone. I told my wife that next year we've got to limit gifts to a few people. It's gotten out of hand. If it's creating anxiety then we've lost the point of Christmas. 

I started Pavlovs dog about 7 years ago. It worked wonders

[gregintenn]

2 hours ago, cavetom said:

now i know i am not the only one thinking about this 

You are never alone.

[mikegideon]

5 hours ago, TGO David said:

@Erik88 I think one of the things that has made me happiest in all seasons of the year is the decision that I made several years ago to unplug from the news.  We cancelled our cable TV subscription, went Internet-only, use OTA antennas for local news when the weather is bad, and I try like hell to avoid anything and anyone that wants to fill me in on whatever's happening right now in the world.

This has even made Christmas better for me because people know that I'm not the guy to talk politics or pop culture with.  If they try to pull me into those things, I remind them that I'm not the guy.

I know that may not exactly hit the center of the target for you since the commercialization of Christmas is a current source of pressure for you, and I couldn't exactly trace the DNA of this and how it affects my own enjoyment of the season... but it really has made me a happier guy overall.

 

My lady is not the guy either. She gets plumb ugly with me when I start my crap. I'm about to give it up too.

[et45]

If those bead rubbers had left the pagans alone with their Winter Solstice and Yule logs we wouldn’t have this mess to begin with.Yeah,I hate Christmas.

[Links2k]

I generally hate all holidays! They are made up, commercialized b.s. that play on people’s emotions in my opinion.  It seems that holidays most negatively affect the poor, who go out of their way to participate in events they can’t afford. I hate Valentine’s Day the most, because my wife receives appreciation for my love year around. Very few women are spoiled in the manner that I spoil my wife!
 

I recall sharing the story with you all about telling my kids there was no Santa at an early age, and them telling their classmates what I said and causing a disturbance at their private Christian school. I never recovered from that. 
 

I simply wanted my babies to understand that the celebration of Christmas was a symbolic celebration of Jesus, and the gifts they were given came from their parents, not from some stranger who hadn’t made sacrifices to make them happy. 
 

It seems like you have reached the point where reality trumps the expectations of society. CONGRATULATIONS! 

Edited December 20, 2023 by Links2k

[A.J. Holst]

22 hours ago, Erik88 said:

Someone help me be less of a Grinch.

 

 

[Alleycat72]

This is the kind of things my Daughter gives out for Christmas. 

 

[Grayfox54]

[Grayfox54]

I intentionally avoided this thread until now because I figured it would be full of a bunch of mushy Merry Christmas and emotional BS. Now I see that many of you feel the same way about Christmas as I do. I got completely fed up with the commercialized greedfest that Christmas has become a long, long time ago.  Then there's the fact that my wife passed away in December. That's not to even mention the crowds, craziness and stupidity that abounds anywhere you try to go. Truth is that from Black Friday until about the second week of January, I make it a point to avoid all retail stores just so I don't have to deal with the idiots. The so-called holiday season brings me no joy at all. I'm half Grinch and half Scrooge. I'm a Grooge. 

The only people I give gifts to are my kids. And I just give them money to buy whatever they want. I sure don't know what they want or need.  I also tell them not to get me anything. If I want or need something, I just go buy it. No point in them wasting their money on me. 

Ok fellow Grooges, all together now:

BAH! HUMBUG! 

[Links2k]

11 minutes ago, Grayfox54 said:

 

The only people I give gifts to are my kids. And I just give them money to buy whatever they want. I sure don't know what they want or need.  I also tell them not to get me anything. If I want or need something, I just go buy it. No point in them wasting their money on me. 

Same with my adult kids. They now prefer cash or gift cards. I don’t require gifts for myself for Christmas, birthday or anniversary.  I have everything I want and need. No need wasting that money on me. I’m a giver. 

[gun sane]

As a childless couple, my wife and I will never have to answer this question from a confused, young mind: 

"I believed you about Santa Claus, the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny, but now I know they aren't real.  So, who's this Jesus you're telling me about?"

 

 

 

[NoBanStan]

21 hours ago, gregintenn said:

When I was a kid, I thought the movie Christmas Vacation was funny. Now it is more like a documentary.

Man I can remember watching this in the theater in like 6th grade. I watched it at least once a year ever after. These days, you couldn't pay me to watch that movie.

[gregintenn]

3 minutes ago, NoBanStan said:

Man I can remember watching this in the theater in like 6th grade. I watched it at least once a year ever after. These days, you couldn't pay me to watch that movie.

I still enjoy it even though I have the entire dialogue memorized.

[NoBanStan]

Just now, gregintenn said:

I still enjoy it even though I have the entire dialogue memorized.

It's entirely burnout.

[bersaguy]

I keep Christ in Christmas as a gift to me. The rest of the family do what they choose and leave me out. I do get a nice meal sent back to me from the front house where the rest of the family gathers and that is my Christmas.

I did buy a few gifts for Rosie and she will enjoy the treats.

[MacGyver]

I guess I’ll call myself thankful to get to spend a few  days and share a meal with people that I truly love.

My mom has a habit of buying people presents that are things they’d never buy for themselves.  I asked her about it one time and she said, “you and your sister are productive members of society.  You never call and say the kids are going hungry or we’re going to lose the house or anything like that. I’m glad to get the chance to do something nice.”

I recognize that’s a privilege a lot families may not have - for a whole lot of reasons. Life is complicated sometimes. But, that’s something that I’ve tried to incorporate into my own life.  Sometimes it’s nice to do something really nice for someone with no expectation of them doing anything in return. 

[MacGyver]

I will say that siblings on both sides of my family have traded giving gifts for leaving kids at home one evening over the holiday and going out for a meal together.  Sometimes it’s a nice restaurant - sometimes it’s Calhoun’s.  But, it’s a time to just catch up and be thankful. 

[DWARREN123]

I don't hate Christmas just what it has turned into these days.

[NoBanStan]

7 hours ago, MacGyver said:

I will say that siblings on both sides of my family have traded giving gifts for leaving kids at home one evening over the holiday and going out for a meal together.  Sometimes it’s a nice restaurant - sometimes it’s Calhoun’s.  But, it’s a time to just catch up and be thankful. 

Are you saying Calhoun's isn't a nice restaurant???

[Jamie Jackson]

18 hours ago, Grayfox54 said:

. I'm half Grinch and half Scrooge. I'm a Grooge. 

The only people I give gifts to are my kids. And I just give them money to buy whatever they want. I sure don't know what they want or need.  I also tell them not to get me anything. If I want or need something, I just go buy it. No point in them wasting their money on me. 

I'm with you Sir. On many levels. And I too lost my Bride just a bit over 2 years ago. It's a profound experience that simple words can't express.

She and I both came to the same conclusion several years ago. The commercialization of Christmas creates a frenzied madness in some people and avoidance and disengagement from them was our strategy  and remains mine. There's simply no need to expose yourself to such shenanigans.

WE always gave to those we love (money not obligatory junk) and those we could help with no expectations or desire for such.

So I guess I too will proudly proclaim "I'm a Grooge!"   

But I'm still gonna watch Die Hard after the family goes home. And Thank the Good Lord for his many Blessings. 

Edited December 21, 2023 by Jamie Jackson

[FUJIMO]

10 hours ago, MacGyver said:

I guess I’ll call myself thankful to get to spend a few  days and share a meal with people that I truly love.

My mom has a habit of buying people presents that are things they’d never buy for themselves.  I asked her about it one time and she said, “you and your sister are productive members of society.  You never call and say the kids are going hungry or we’re going to lose the house or anything like that. I’m glad to get the chance to do something nice.”

I recognize that’s a privilege a lot families may not have - for a whole lot of reasons. Life is complicated sometimes. But, that’s something that I’ve tried to incorporate into my own life.  Sometimes it’s nice to do something really nice for someone with no expectation of them doing anything in return. 

I've found its very therapeutic for me to practice this year round.

[gregintenn]

3 hours ago, NoBanStan said:

Are you saying Calhoun's isn't a nice restaurant???

Nicer than McDonalds!

[Erik88]

4 hours ago, NoBanStan said:

Are you saying Calhoun's isn't a nice restaurant???

 

1 hour ago, gregintenn said:

Nicer than McDonalds!

Do they have Calhoun's in middle TN? I try to avoid going there at all costs. The owner does not have a great reputation and the food hasn't improved since the 90's. 

Edited December 21, 2023 by Erik88

[FUJIMO]

13 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

 

Do they have Calhoun's in middle TN? I try to avoid going there at all costs. The owner does not have a great reputation and the food hasn't improved since the 90's. 

This bigly

[MacGyver]

35 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

 

Do they have Calhoun's in middle TN? I try to avoid going there at all costs. The owner does not have a great reputation and the food hasn't improved since the 90's. 

Typically we’re in y’all’s neck of the woods sometime over the holiday - so it’s been the one in Oak Ridge there on the river.  To my knowledge the one in Nashville closed years ago. Fortunately it’s been years since I’ve eaten in either. For a few years honestly the deciding factor was that we could get on the boat and just cross the river way faster than we could drive anywhere from my in-laws house.

I will give my in-laws some props about the holidays. My wife has is one of several siblings, and when the oldest got married my in-laws decided they weren’t going to fight over holidays. They just decided that in their family - whenever the holiday fell - they would gather the Saturday following.  It’s been such a healthy practice that I expect we’ll recreate when our kids get married.