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24-10-2014 09:31 PM
24-10-2014 09:31 PM
Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
Maybe it is only me but Christmas can be very stressful for me.
Some years I am completely ambivalent and other years I love it.
This year I am not sure how/when/where to celebrate . I can get very stressed navigating which parent and/or which side of the family to visit first.
Does anyone have suggestions on how to keep the day focussed on being kind with each other and not getting all out of kink spending time with some family members I would usually avoid?
I know it is for just one day but the pressure can be extraordinary..
Thanks in advance!
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25-10-2014 12:26 AM
25-10-2014 12:26 AM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
Everyone expects so much, but it is just an ordinary day and it's ok if it's not perfect.
Navigating which family is hard and I've for nothing for you except to say you can't please all people all iof the time. And making some one feel bad for not coming to their Christmas? Well that's just a poofart thing to do.
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25-10-2014 04:38 PM
25-10-2014 04:38 PM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
My Christmas can be very BIG, with midnight Mass, and carols and rosary prior.....therefore bed about 0200 hrs after church from 2230 hrs onwards. It is PACKED and I usually take a sedative prior to it, being a claustrophobe. Otherwise, Mass in the morning......very not packed! There are many families I can visit and for this I am truely blessed. Again, I will have a sedative as the noise level is pretty high due to the presence of hordes of overexcited ankle biters..an essential part of any Christmas festivities.
I will receive a packet from my family, and will have sent some things to them.
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25-10-2014 07:30 PM
25-10-2014 07:30 PM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
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31-10-2014 01:54 PM
31-10-2014 01:54 PM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
I really struggle with Xmas.
I have not volluntarily participated in this particualry holiday for 20 years, but it is virtually inescaspable - the shops, work, friends and family all PRESSURE me into various forms of participation. Just not participating is viewed very negatively and people demand explanations, (none of which is ever considered 'good enough').
I absolutely hate it.
This year I have arranged to not work at all during December so that I can avoid the ever increasing xmas hype at work and basically wall myself up in the house and avoid the shops too and sort of bystep it.
I will go to my husband's family xmas as it is REALLY importnant to him, but it literally comes at the cost of me missing a few weeks of work so that I can feel 'upto' it. Last year I couldn't bring myself to go an he was really bummed out.
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04-11-2014 08:34 PM
04-11-2014 08:34 PM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
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05-11-2014 10:46 PM
05-11-2014 10:46 PM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
I used to enjoy xmas but I think it was more for the kids. I took part in the whole xmas lights thing, volunteered for the Somerville wrapping service and even though finances were tight we made our good time. I withdrew from xmas over the past 5 or so years and just endured anything thrown at me.
Last year I put my foot down and refused to attend anything. I volunteered to work through the period (we were closed for all the public holidays) but I put my tree up for the first time in years. My kids all stayed with me xmas eve and we had a nice relaxing xmas day.
This year I'm thinking I might do the lights again. I really did get a kick out of seeing people enjoy them.
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11-11-2014 12:38 PM
11-11-2014 12:38 PM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
I try to remember that we as humans need things to celebrate. Things for us to look forward to and perhaps unite us as a people and of course give our young ones reasons for joy and contemplate peace to all mankind.
I light a candle and say something positive and give thanks that I at lest can live realtively free in a peaceful country.
Please remember there are plently of us out there alone at christmas and for some it press'es some really yucky buttons. Maybe we could get together and celebrate not being the only ones who dread this time of the year?? Maybe even share a reasons why??
Anyway you have my true empathy and blessings.
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11-11-2014 12:42 PM
11-11-2014 12:42 PM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
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12-11-2014 12:44 AM
12-11-2014 12:44 AM
Re: Christmas..how do we all manage this day?
sorry to say it but my christmas is a bleak affair. As a CA survivor anything associated with "family' can have very negative conotations for me.
This year I will as usual cook up a doggy/catty meat loaf and take it down the shelter for the dogs and cats.
My flatmate who has paranoid schizophrenia was abandoned by his family when he first got sick, although it doesnt seem to bother him, so we really make a fine christmas pair.
We adopted 3 rescue cats so we are going to make a big effort to make them feel special and forget our own problems.
Neither of us have any humans to spend christmas day with which could be good or bad. Its nice to hear of other people for which it has a pleasant meaning.