I'm back sort of

[Davis]

This xmas season has been in the dumps already and its not even really here yet. I hate xmas with a passion. I hate the commercialization. I hate that you feel like you have to go in debt for two years just to get a nice present. I hate that it feels so rushed and unrelaxed. I just hate it. Christmas is nothing like is should be. I'm just so stressed out. My wife prayed in bed with me last night but still bothered by it all.

[lindamarie]

Maybe you need a plan, Davis ... a plan for this Christmas to be different. You can decide what's important to participate in and then don't do the rest.

Advent began yesterday. It is the beginning of the church year. Maybe some "resolutions" are in order.

If there are other things bothering you, we're here to talk to.

And I'm praying that this year the holidays will truly be holy days for you.

:hug: :prayer:

[ClementofRome]

I can relate Davis. It is not because I am selfish or not wanting to give gifts, but I hate the shopping, debt, etc associated with the holiday season.

I spent ALL day on Black Friday at home and purposefully did not spend a red cent. Whatever I could have bought on that day will be availble this week or next, I am sure. I still have kids at home, so we will not disappoint them by getting too lean, but the Christmas morning gift thingy is always anticlimactic....or even a let down.

Maybe we could officially move the celebration of Jesus' birth to March (a more likely date according to scholars) and let the pagans have the winter solstace back for their debauchary and excesses. But then we would be bumping up against another pagan holiday that we procured...

[lindamarie]

Sometimes Christmas feels like being back in high school... big contest to see who does the best...

Every year I say I'm going to simplify, but I've yet to figure out how to do it.

I hardly remember 1 christmas present I received as a child -- what I do remember is making cookies with my grandmother. Riding around looking at lights with my dad. Singing carols. Watching the night sky to see if there was a special star -- or a sled pulled by reindeer.

I don't know what I'll plan this year, but I hope it's not just a shopping list.

[Celticflower]

I agree that the madcap shopping is more than a little stressful. Next year I plan to do as little of that as possible. Not that I won't be giving nice gifts. I plan to start making afghans and other stuff in January! Sometimes being crafty has its advantages. I will be giving gifts that cost little, will be spreading the cost out over the year, plan to be done by Thanksgiving, will benefit from the calming effect crocheting has on me and will be giving gifts that have a lot of thought, time and love behind them.

I know this doesn't work for everyone, and it is a bit late to get started for this year, but maybe it is something to think about for the future. At any rate, don't feel you have to attend every function of the season, or hit every sale at the mall, or outspend everyone else in the family. Spend some quiet time reading or listening to music to help you de-stress (it doesn't even have to be holiday related stuff!). Spend time with the ones who are truly important to you. And if you want to have a simple little Christmas, then do.

I wish you a peaceful Christmas season.

[joyfulthanks]

Dear Davis,

I've felt those same kinds of feelings almost every Christmas for my entire life. This year has been very different, though.

Why? I think a number of reasons. One is that I recently read On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius. Before I read this, I had kind of always thought of Christmas as just a sort of "tacked on" holiday. Christ's birth was, in my mind, just sort of a necessary thing that had to happen so that He could eventually go to the cross. Now I've begun to understand that Christ's incarnation is the most miraculous and hopeful thing that has ever happened to the human race. God not only loved us so much that He took our sins on the cross, He loved us so much that He wanted to unite Himself forever with us in Christ. God became a man - not just so He could go to the cross and die, but so that He could share in our humanity - forever, and we could share in His divinity (not, of course, that we become God, but that we are united with him as the vine is with the branches - we share His life.) Jesus will never cease to be both God and man. He loves us so much that He has united Himself with our humanity for all eternity. That's amazing news, and that's what happened at the incarnation!

The second reason I think I don't feel that way this year is that I "took the holiday back," so to speak. I put up a Christmas tree quite early, and on it I only put ornaments that were in some way symbolic of Christ or what He has done for us. It's not that easy to find explicitly Christian ornaments, so for the most part, I made do with what I have or what I could find. For example, I have 9 lovely fruit ornaments that remind me of the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit that Jesus perfectly exemplified. I got creative with a lot of the symbolism, but it was fun! On the top of the tree is a cross. Now, when I look at the tree, instead of seeing what was, to me, meaningless cultural images of Santa and snowmen, I see Christ, and I use the tree to focus my mind on Him. I call it my "Christ Tree."

Third, I don't have a tv, so I'm not bombarded by all the ridiculous insanity that the commercial world wants to foist on this holy celebration.

Finally, I started early with Christmas to-do's and did a little each day. It's amazing what you can do in 15 minutes or so each day. This allowed me to focus my mind on Christ without getting distracted by the hurry-up pressures of getting everything ready.

I don't know if any of this will help you, but I pray you will find the joy in the celebration of Christ's nativity that is there for you to experience. Don't let Satan steal this from you! Fight back! Find ways to make Christmas your own personal celebration of Christ. As your mind is stayed on Him, you will find that pain and disappointment disappear, and in their place will be His unshakable joy and peace.

"Joy to the world, the Lord is come, :clap:
Let earth receive her King!:bow:
Let every heart prepare Him room..." :prayer:

With love in Christ,
Grace

[ceedaisy]

I really enjoyed reading everyone's answers or suggestions. I used to love to decorate, but now, I dislike it. I find it to be so much work. And I don't feel too much pressure about the gift thing, because I don't care what people expect out of me. They'll get what I'll give. But I do love to spoil or do special things.

Great ideas for the tree!! Maybe we should start a product line of Jesus related ornaments!

[lindamarie]

One year I copied and reduced the size of some of the christmas carols from our hymn book. They made really cute ornaments...

I also like to put all of my angels in one spot so it reminds me of the heavenly host that sang "Glory to God in the highest"...

A little greenery from my yard is special, too.

These are the kind of things I like to do...

I also remember being allowed to position the characters in the manger scene when I was a child... I didn't get to play with them, but as I placed them, I was encouraged to talk about the "characters" involved in the christmas story...

[charvel]

I spent all night putting lights on my house. Laughs at this thread and thinks to comment but moves on.

I'm a sucker for a bit of merriment I must say.

[kelco]

Ya know I always felt this way about Christmas until this year. I still hate the commercilization and all but....... Anyway I have been off work for 2 weeks because of illness. So you guessed it no paycheck this time. So I won't have any money to buy anyone any kind of gift except for a cheap dollar store one for my niece and nephew. (I'd make the rest of my family something but I don't have enough time and I still have a central line in to get IV antibiotics so I really am limited in what I can use my arm for.) I always wished Christmas would just go by and me not celebrate it and feel good about it, but now I'm in the position that I can't celebrate it and I feel rotten.

[Celticflower]

Kelco--
I'm sorry Christmas for you this year will not be what you might wish. But you can still celebrate it. You can make phone calls instead of giving pricey gifts. On Christmas Eve you can light candles, read the Christmas story to your household and marvel at the mystery and miracle of the event. Put on your favorite Christmas music (or local radio station), make popcorn and string it then hang it out for the birds (or have someone else help with it.) You can give the gift of time and of self by writing letters to the important people in your life and telling them so. If writing is not an option maybe use a tape recorder or the telephone. If family or friends are visiting you spend time telling them stories of your life. You may spark some wonderful memories, and memories last longer than any gift from the store.

Sometimes you have to think outside the box.

[kelco]

Kelco--
I'm sorry Christmas for you this year will not be what you might wish. But you can still celebrate it. You can make phone calls instead of giving pricey gifts. On Christmas Eve you can light candles, read the Christmas story to your household and marvel at the mystery and miracle of the event. Put on your favorite Christmas music (or local radio station), make popcorn and string it then hang it out for the birds (or have someone else help with it.) You can give the gift of time and of self by writing letters to the important people in your life and telling them so. If writing is not an option maybe use a tape recorder or the telephone. If family or friends are visiting you spend time telling them stories of your life. You may spark some wonderful memories, and memories last longer than any gift from the store.

Sometimes you have to think outside the box.

Thanks Celti! I think those are great ideas. I will put them into use. :hug:

[Davis]

Actually this christmas season hasnt been as bad as I thought. We put up our tree early. I put some lights on the house and have really enjoyed building forts in the snow bank with my son. Maybe its better this year because we told my son that there is no such thing as Santa. He realized how much we spent on him in years past and this year he doesnt want nearly as much. Its like our whole family is experiences the true meaning of xmas this year. My wife received a suprise bonus from work for 500 dollars so we can pay off some debts and finish getting things for the family. So someone obviously was praying for me and thank all of you for that. God answered that pray big time. Its the first time in a long time that I have felt at peace.

Jesus is the reason for the season.

Catchy isnt it. :)

[Celticflower]

Merry Christmas Davis!!!

[Davis]

Merry Christmas to you as well.
Finished up our shopping and wrapping this weekend and now I can just sit back and enjoy the Christmas season!!!