I hate Christmas

If this Grandma is quiet for once over Christmas they will definitely notice, they might like it, but they will notice.

That sounds like a lovely idea, charlotta.

What, being quiet?

Oh no! The birthday party. Yes, sounds lovely.

I have started to get Christmas anxiety. Am waking up with "butterflies" in the mornings.

How daft is that?!

Me too jingl. I always panic that I will leave someone out. I stop panicking on Christmas Eve when the shops shut.

Christmas is a coming (Politically correct version)

'Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck...
How to give to a world that's politically correct?
His workers no longer would answer to "Elves"
"Vertically Challenged" they were calling themselves
And labor conditions at the north pole
Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul

Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety
Released to the wilds by the Humane Society
And equal employment had made it quite clear
That Santa had better not use just reindeer
So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid
Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!

The runners had been removed from his sleigh;
The ruts were termed dangerous by the E P A
And people had started to call for the cops
When they heard sled noises on their roof-tops
Second-hand smoke from his pipe had his workers quite frightened
His fur trimmed red suit was called "Unenlightened"

And to show you the strangeness of life's ebbs and flows
Rudolf was suing over unauthorised use of his nose
And had gone on Geraldo, in front of the nation
Demanding millions in over-due compensation
So, half of the reindeer were gone; and his wife
Who suddenly said she'd enough of this life
Joined a self-help group, packed, and left in a whiz
Demanding from now on her title was Ms

And as for the gifts, why, he'd ne'er had a notion
That making a choice could cause so much commotion
Nothing of leather, nothing of fur
Which meant nothing for him. And nothing for her
Nothing that might be construed to pollute
Nothing to aim. Nothing to shoot
Nothing that clamoured or made lots of noise
Nothing for just girls. Or just for boys
Nothing that claimed to be gender specific

Nothing that's warlike or non-pacific
No candy or sweets ... they were bad for the tooth
Nothing that seemed to embellish the truth
And fairy tales, while not yet forbidden
Were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden
For they raised the hackles of those psychological
Who claimed the only good gift was ecological
No baseball, no football ... someone could get hurt;
Besides; playing sports exposed kids to dirt

Dolls were said to be sexist, and should be passe;
And Nintendo would rot your entire brain away
So Santa just stood there, dishevelled, perplexed;
He just could not figure out what to do next
He tried to be merry, tried to be gay
But you've got to be careful with that word today
His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground;
Nothing fully acceptable was to be found

Something special was needed, a gift that he might
Give to all without angering the left or the right
A gift that would satisfy, with no indecision
Each group of people, every religion;
Every ethnicity, every hue
Everyone, everywhere ... even you
So here is that gift, it's price beyond worth ...

"May you and your loved ones enjoy peace on earth"

I have avoided reading all the threads leading up to the preparation etc for Christmas ...the hopes and joy that most of you are anticipating...which I have shared in the past.

For me ...this will be my very first Christmas ...ever ...that I have not spent with family ...either with them or them coming to me.

JessM posted ...”Not one of the inner family circle and not a guest either.”
I survived this for years to please my father.

Greenmossgiel said... “The pain of loss of contact with family members through disagreement is made all the more poignant at Christmas-time.”
So one person, who has always been made welcome in my home for either Christmas or New Year celebrations, will this year, mean that I’m isolated...a situation not of my making.

Gracesmum suggested ... “Can you go away?”
I couldn’t imagine doing that in this country...see and hear too much via media etc that would be far too poignant ...so yes, I’ve bitten the bullet ...hoping to be in foreign parts that I’ve never visited in the southern hemisphere.

Yes ...I’m quite happy with my own company ...BUT ...there will be many lonely over the Christmas period ...me ...I’m going to run away ...wish me luck.

Close friends of mine are hosting a free Christmas lunch in our town for anyone who would otherwise be on their own and would prefer a bit of company. Their young adult children and several other young people have volunteered to do any of the jobs associated with this kind of venture; local shops are donating food and a church hall has been offered as a location. The 'spirit' of Christmas is alive and well, but unsung and unnoticed in many of our towns and cities.

What I really want to know is; will our smileys be wearing Christmas hats come mid-December?

My heart goes out to you all - it sounds as if we have had or still have good reasons for being wary of the mis-named Festive season. It is very sad that a date can cause such stress and re-awaken those memories which we perhaps manage to file away for the rest of the year.However, I sincerely hope that however you spend this one day, when it is past you can take a deep breath and look FORWARD - leave the past behind, be positive because that is the only way forward. Maybe this is one reason why it all kicks off just before the start of a new year? Whatever - we are all adult enough not to be seduced by the razzmatazz in the shops, on TV and so on. We need to keep our own integrty and not be sucked into the guilt/false gaiety/hypocrisy of what we see.

Thank you gracesmum

Maybe by this time next year Gransnet will be big enough to have an alternative Christmas programme for those who feel left out or just, well, OVER it

I am over putting the decorations up. But it will have to be done.

This year I will get the step ladder down. Will not stand, reaching out, on a chair.

I have had only one Christmas when it was not possible to be with one or other of my daughters - one was abroad and one had just got married and wanted to be alone with her new husband. They know I am used to living alone and I assured them I would be fine. I went on a Christmas two-day break with Saga, to an hotel. There was a mixture of couples and single people and everyone was very friendly and pleasant. I have to admit it wa strange to wake up on Christmas morning before 5.30 a.m. which is the earliest that the grandchildren were allowed to start unwrapping.
WE had a dance in the evening and a light-hearted quiz and some people went for a drive and a walk. We had a traditional Christmas dinner.

I can't say I enjoyed it as much as being with my family, but it was certainly better than being alone.

I used to be the one doing Christmas.....now I usually spend it with my daughter, but this year we have some family estrangements and I do not expect to see two of my grandsons - and haven't seen my other daughter for several years.

When my last partner died I spent the day at MIND helping with their Xmas dinner. I think the family missed me, but still feel it was the right thing for me to do. To help other people have a good day.

Last time we talked about Xmas, my daughter, out of the blue, said to her son - 'sometime you will be the ones making the Xmas dinner'....a sudden realisation.

Oh Oxon, I'm sorry that your Christmas will be saddened by not seeing your grandsons, and also your estranged daughter. Like so many on Gransnet, there are family members who've decided that they don't want to play a part in our lives any more. My own daughter 'estranged herself' from us for a number of years, but gradually it all fell into place again, and for that I am so, so grateful.
I hope that you have a lovely time with the rest of your family though, as I'm sure you will! I applaud your choice of spending Christmas Day with the people at MIND, at that particular time. There are so many others out there who need a bit of comfort. For all of us who don't really like the carry-on that is Christmas now, perhaps we should think of what the alternative could be.

That is so true green. I love Christmas but often get very fraught and angry with all the carry-on, so next time I feel like that I will take heed of your sage advice

I think I've always been a little afraid of Christmas because of so many bad things happening in my life in December. So I guess I approach it with apprehension nowadays. Last year my DiL's much loved elderly cat died on Christmas night which may not rank along with rejection, death of aunt and uncle, self in hospital, child in hospital... but not a happy end to the day.

One of my grand-daughters had childhood epilepsy and her mum and I spent the whole of one Christmas day at the hospital with her. It seemed that the excitement of present opening had triggered a burst of activity in her brain. I don't think more bad things actually happen at Christmas - they just seem worse because we are all supposed to be enjoying outselves.
Of course, if any woman is having a baby in a soap opera it will be born on Christmas Day, probably in the taxi as no labour takes longer than an hour -we wish!

Thank you greenmoss. Tears in eyes.

Come to think of it, last year at my daughters - I broke my wrist. This will NOT be repeated! I am intending to have as good a day as possible with those who are there.

The last year my mother was alive we spent Christmas at my sister's house. During the night of Christmas eve my BIL collapsed in the bathroom and hit his head, he spent Christmas day being closely observed in case of injury. My mother got excited on the morning and had a massive angina attack. Whilst preparing lunch my sister passed a serving plate to me, she had oven gloves on I did not so spent the afternoon in A&E getting burns treated. It was still a lovely day because it was the last time my mother heard DD playing piano and singing all her favourite music.

Oh dear, harri! What a day! Still, as you say, the best part was so nice.

Blimey harrigran I hope you have a quieter Christmas without injury this year x

Oh Harrigran have a better time this year.(((hugs)))

Charlotta I love the idea of your brunch - simple but very tasty and not too much faffing around. That's definitely an idea I'm going to pinch. Thanks