When I was younger, Christmas was magical. I mean seriously, it was magical. I loved it and I loved everything about it. The traditions my mom did, the smells, the weather...I loved it all. When we were in Utah, I still loved Christmas. We got to do Christmas our own way and I liked it. Sure Christmas is always stressful, there's decorating and shopping and wrapping and EVERYTHING, but I could do it how I wanted and it was still fun.
Now? It just doesn't feel like Christmas! The weather has been awful. Just rain and rain and RAAAAIIIIIINNN and gray and ugly. But not very cold, and not snowy. I miss the snow.
I feel all this pressure from certain family members who put an emphasis on the presents and Santa, and I hate it. Not just because we don't have money to buy a bunch of presents, but because we've never made a big deal about it and our kids have never cared...until now. We've never pushed the Santa thing, I mean, of course they know about Santa and watch the movies and all that, but we don't push a big "Santa's who brings all your presents!! Be good because Santa's watching!!' thing. I don't remember ever learning that Santa wasn't real, I just always knew and I never had a huge disappointing memory of finding out. I would've liked that for my kids, but its not working out. Also, I would REALLY rather focus on the real reason we celebrate Christmas and thats the birth of the Savior. Not Santa Claus.
Enough ranting. The point is, because I feel like the focus is in the wrong place, I get all huffy and sad and upset and bah humbug-y and I can't even feel good anymore. And whiney a little...not that you guys didn't know that about me already. The whiney thing.
I'm trying, I really am. I usually love Christmas music and movies and I haven't even felt like they've made much of a dent. Plus why is time going SO FAST?! Its like December just started yesterday, and now its already the freaking 14th!? I have tons of presents to finish up and things to figure out still. So, how are you doing on Christmas this year?
Don't worry. If you were in Utah, the weather would be the same. We've had rain for the past week.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you and I are in the same boat... I was going to write another post about it, but decided everyone is probably tired of hearing it from me. I had a good day Sat. & Sunday and then my kids got on my nerves again and I slumped back in again... It seems like all they do is fight lately.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to know it's not just me though. You already read my humbug post so you know that I agree wholeheartedly!
I think time is flying by too... I blink and another week has passed. And I'm missing snow too... we are having such a mild winter (which is good - 66 degrees today), but I wish it would snow. We like to take the kids sledding the day after Christmas... but it looks like that's not going to happen this year. But I guess it wouldn't anyway since the day after Christmas is on Sunday. Oh well.
Sorry... I just realized I'm babbling. I'll stop. I hope things look up for you. I can relate to how you feel.
I feel like not having kids helps me to stay a kid at times like these. Christmas still is about getting together with my family of origin because my sisters and I don't have kids, so we get to be the kids and our parents are still our parents. Since the dogs are the grandbabies, we don't have to worry about what they know about santa and jesus and all that. It's kinda nice. Also, we only have to buy them one toy and one bone, and they're so thrilled! I got it pretty easy. Sorry, my Christmastime is Awesome! Two and a half more school days til I'm off for 2 weeks! woooohooo! Hope you find what you love about the season and bathe yourself in that, leaving all the rest to everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI did the "Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" thing with my kids this year and I'm loving how it's working out. I'm much less stressed and much more in the spirit of Christmas because I have to think about more meaningful gifts, but also because overall I have to think about gifts less. It's nice.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
I never believed in Santa either and I don't want to push my kids to either. I think it's fun to pretend as long as no one takes it seriously and has their heart broken when they find out he's not real. I've been called a Grinch a few times this Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMerry... Christmas??? Maybe you can tell your kids that Santa got shot by an errant duck hunter? And then tell them all the presents they get are from you. And then you get all the glory and none goes to that fallacy - Santa. That would be what I'd do.
ReplyDeleteOne vote for Spring please...
ReplyDeleteI could have written your Santa paragraph word for word!! I'm kinda getting this "let's just get it over with" spirit right now. Maybe next year will be better.
ReplyDeleteChristmas has been on the very back burner for us this year. Its being completely overshadowed by Hubby's deployment, which will begin probably next week. So, it'll probably end up being all of 2 days for us, if we're lucky enough to have him here on the 25th.
ReplyDeleteMelinda, noooo!!! I'm enjoying Christmas because I've been cutting EVERYTHING from my schedule. There are so many times when I decided I want to do something, and somehow it becomes something I MUST do and then I get stressed and don't enjoy it. So I've been trying really really hard to take notice of the things I can cut, and I CUT THEM. (Like the awesome 30th birthday package I was going to send to Shellie for her 12-18-10 bday, as soon as I started pressuring myself, I realized I had to cut it.... sorry Shellie! I do love you though!).
ReplyDeleteJust figure out which things you really can skip and then let it go. Let it go!!! Oooh, and try having a goal of talking about the Nativity everyday with your kids (dinner is a good time). Ask them what they think the Shepards felt, did they go get their families to take them to see the baby? Which animals were there? Did they love Him too? How old was Jesus when the Wisemen reached him? Do they know who Zacharias and Elizabeth are? The list of topics goes on and on. Have the kids make their own paper Nativities to play with or put on the wall one night. You can bring the focus back to the Savior, it doesn't take planning, just remember to do it (somewhere in that overplanned stressed brain of yours!).
I'm sorry you're feeling bah-humbug-y! I'm sending happy loving Chrismas vibes to you across the miles.
I've been thinking about you all day! I hope you are doing better today. I feel better after my little vent from this afternoon. I'm watching Polar Express with my kids right now and letting them ditch YM/YW tonight. It seems to be helping as well. If you ever feel like talking I would love to visit with you! You can email me and give me your phone # and I could call you and visit if you would ever like! :) My email is bgwilt@frontiernet.net.
ReplyDeleteMy advice to you is to NOT let anyone tell you How to celebrate Christmas and what things should or should not be the focus.
ReplyDeleteMake your families Christmas what YOU want it to be. Make you own memories and traditions. I say downplay Santa....yes we all love the jolly ol fellow........but seriously, kids get so many gifts under the tree they don't even remember them all.
ha ha...I feel like singing. Where are you Christmas, why can't I find you. la la la la
I haven't particularily FELT it either this year. But I'll try and find a little something to make it special.