The best Christmas gift to me, would be to never have to do Christmas again.

a reply to: ChemicalAli

Ive asked that question myself. Because not only does it have "pagan" roots, there is nothing Godly about it. People have said Christmas is what you make of it, you create your own personal family traditions, and teach your kids what you feel is right. etc. But, to me its still a part of something that I dont want to support. Capitalism, greed, disappointment, highest Suicide rates etc. Maybe I just never found the Merry in it, like other people do.

a reply to: misskat1

Just wanted to add that wed already stocked up the feeders.
We regularly see three or four robins.
Some other regulars include a wren and occasionally a jay.

Haven't seen the local stray cat but I've put her something out in case she's around tonight.

a reply to: misskat1

It is just another day to me.

a reply to: misskat1

The last few years I've just considered it the feast of Yule... I'm not exactly Pagan but I'm not a Christian either.

It fits better, feast like the god's of old, be drunk, be merry and eat a lot of game meat. Turkey is a boring meat anyways.

Well, if it makes you feel better, my family enjoyed Christmas very much today. We all got great gifts, friends and family enjoyed a wonderful feast of sorts after enjoying a really nice bond fire. Boy howdy did we all have a wonderful Christmas today!

Just wanted to share that.

I enjoy it because for the past several years of our marriage and family life, we have been home. Just the three of us on Christmas Day. Hubby and I cook a slightly special meal and we spend some quality family time together.

The madness will come on tomorrow when the whole family gets together for the main celebration. But we'll have two and half days of food and games so it'll be fun.

a reply to: misskat1

My wife after making like 5 different foods in 2 days...just asked me if I wanted a roast - we've had no visitors/family/friends this year and the food is piling up in the fridge. I am going to go on a fast or I am going to have to find a place to dispose of my "wife"

a reply to: misskat1

we are obligated to hunt down gifts that no one needs and will forget about tomorrow?

The whole concept of adults being expected to buy obviously unwanted gifts for other adults is a unique form of sadistic torture.

Fortunately, being single, I've never been expected to do it - or receive gifts.

And I never have.

a reply to: misskat1

I don't begrudge you for having your opinion. In some ways I don't disagree, even. Nevertheless, I'm at a different place in my life, with a four year old daughter for whom Christmas is still magical. I spent all day today in the hospital, wishing that I could be with my family, but I couldn't have it. Weird how that happens.

Christmas #ing sucks. I'm so sick of it,
Nothing but a big money grab,
Here's your gift you won't want, oh thanks for the one I don't want either.
It consumes about one third of my life when you do the math on when you start the first dumb thing for it to when you finally put it all away. It's hogging up space in my house.

It's hard work.

It used to be a nice event but it's become too commercialized now. Did you hear the stats on what was spent this year on all this dumb # nobody wanted?

I also feel sick from all the junk I ate that I don't normally eat

a reply to: misskat1
I don't support it either and I'm stuck with it until I die because society dictates I should and I'd dissappoint my family.

It's high time it was done away with but it's not gonna happen when it's so popular. The entire world has been brainwashed to participate . Except Jehovah's witnesses.

It needs to get Mandele'd. Some of us can post on here wasn't there this dumb ass thing we did on dec 25th?
It belongs in another timeline I don't exist in!

Funny, because we were having the opposite problem with my mother-in-law. She has always made all the food for the Christmas get-together at her house. Some of us might bring a dessert or something, but she runs the show. There are over 20 of us to make food for!

She's 75 now, and not getting any younger, so this year my brother-in-law offered to have the celebrations at his house. She agreed but INSISTED that she bring all the food to his place. This defeated the whole purpose of him making the offer to take care of everything. He tried and tried, but could not get her to agree to it.

I did insist on bringing some food, and my brother-in-law did make some appetizers and a couple of desserts. But good Lord, she brought everything including plastic silverware, cups, bowls, plates -- even toothpicks! Her and my father-in-law's car was so loaded with stuff, they couldn't see out their back window. It probably ended up being even more work for her to not only cook the food, but to pack it all up in the car for traveling.

I think we are just going to have to be more insistent next year...

You can treat yourself these Holidays. You can walk out for a trip and have some fun. Don't kill the Merry this Christmas!!!

Happy Holidays ATS!

a reply to: misskat1

I haven't run into the problems you have. We have a good time decorating, and use the "putting away" to further our organization of the basement/crawl space beyond just what holds the Christmas stuff.

Didn't go out in the wet/cold, but bought gifts people really appreciated on Amazon. I said Merry Christmas to people of all walks this year and all seemed brightened by it.

I guess a lot of it has to do with perspective, and I don't fault you for despising it, considering how you feel about it.

originally posted by: violet
Christmas #ing sucks. I'm so sick of it,
Nothing but a big money grab,
Here's your gift you won't want, oh thanks for the one I don't want either.
It consumes about one third of my life when you do the math on when you start the first dumb thing for it to when you finally put it all away. It's hogging up space in my house.

It's hard work.

It used to be a nice event but it's become too commercialized now. Did you hear the stats on what was spent this year on all this dumb # nobody wanted?

I also feel sick from all the junk I ate that I don't normally eat

Just look up the opening credits :

"Love Day clip from the Simpsons episode Trash of the Titans" on Vimeo

It sums up the sentiments perfectly

My sister can relate to the being expected to cook in unreasonable ways.

My brother-in-law's family at one point had her making mashed potatoes three different ways to satisfy all the different preferences for chunkiness.

They basically discovered that not only could she cook, but that she would, and they took full advantage of it and her. She had a thoroughly miserable few years until they finally put their foot over it.

originally posted by: ketsuko
My brother-in-law's family at one point had her making mashed potatoes three different ways to satisfy all the different preferences for chunkiness.

Damned sissy snowflakes!

(I've been wanting to use that popular insult, but it had to be perfect. So thank you for the assist.)

a reply to: ketsuko

the person who started this thread...that sucked that your family pulled last minute and just expected you to waive your magic wand and made christmas dinner appear! I mean really, it take time prep, shop at the store...glad we have this vent thread for such things!

you are not the only one...my friends husband,, every year we have to listen to him gripe about christmas...she practically had to browbeat him into putting up the tree every year, maybe by the week before xmas (god forbid you put it up early)

she is gone now and he has refused to put up the tree, does nothing for xmas

a reply to: misskat1

The best Christmas gift to me, would be to never have to do Christmas again

That makes me feel sad... but I certainly understand why you feel that way.

Here's hoping this year was/is a reset so to speak, and a wake up call for your kids. It sounds like they really don't know what all goes into making a holiday feast and hadn't yet learned to appreciate all the love and effort you put into it. When we know better, we do better. I hope next year is a pleasantly surprising new start for you and yours and that you are pampered and spoiled rotten by your kids for many Christmases to come!

a reply to: ChemicalAli

You are right, why do other Christians ignore the origin of Christmas?

Some people don't like to do what the bible tells them to do (a.k.a. works) as they profess to be Christians. They prefer coming up with excuses why their works need not match up with their faith (they sometimes use the phrase "sola fide" or "faith alone" as they do this and explain their theosophies, theological philosophies and doctrines).

Ephesians 4:25:

Therefore, now that you have put away deceit, each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another.

James 2:24-26

24 You see that a man is to be declared righteous by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same manner, was not Raʹhab the prostitute also declared righteous by works after she received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way? 26 Indeed, just as the body without spirit [or "breath"] is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

2 Corinthians 11:12-15

12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis [or "pretext"] for being found equal to us in the things [or "office"] about which they boast. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. 15 It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.