Bah Hum Bug - The Holidays are Coming

[bloodless]

I don't know about you folks, but the holidays pert near kilt me these last coupla years! I've switched to internet shopping. If you have a hard time just walking to the bathroom, spending the day shopping is outta of the question. I haven't been able to bring myself to store buying all the food prepared. (Honestly, who can afford it) I'm already dreading the hustle and bustle. I barely make it through the day as it is. Every year I tell myself I'm not buying a Christmas tree and every year I give in. Decorating for the holidays is killer. It's sooooooo hard. I know I'm being a fuddy dud, but this is the only place I can get away with it.

[harrigan]

AAAgh Bloodless!  It's only September 10th!!!

[navydad]

My nutty sister allready has her Halloween lights and stuff up,, shes nuts, I told why stop,, get the dam tree out,,, as for xmas,, we have really downsized,, very little gets put out,, not like the old days,, I used to love Xmas,, now,, well I cant take the cold,,, its jsut hard to be happy when your suffering,,, Baaaah,, Humbug

[Carolina]

Listen up!

The Holidays, everyone's holidays, are about love, sharing, family, memories, tradition.

If the traditions are too tiring, throw them over board.

Get a tiny artificial tree, plug it in, voila!  Put a plastic bag over it, store it, next year, plug it in.   My mother-in-law did it for years. 

Put a wreath on the door, hang some stockings.  END OF DECORATING.  Yeah I know you have boxes and boxes of stuff.  Give them to the kids, donate them, let them sit in the closet. 

Let someone else cook, let someone else go shopping and caroling.   PLEASE.   

I KNOW it's hard to let go, but YOU have to do it first.  Lead the way.

This year, Christmas breakfast, NOT the big meal?  Or, this year, a pot luck?   Or this year two chickens from (fill in warehouse store that sells scrumptious cooked chickens for $5 each), instant mashed potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, green beans, store bought pies.  END of MENU.   Packaged rolls if necessary.  Serve thawed shrimp with cocktail sauce and veggies and dip (same warehouse stores have great prepackaged ones for $10).  Whipped cream on the pies, and icecream.  Cheap and fun!

This year, someone ELSE does Christmas, period?     

If there's something some cannot live without for a holiday meal, ask them to BRING IT.  Period.

Give people gift cards to Target.  If you can't get it at Target, who cares?

Concentrate on appreciating your life, friends and family.   Perhaps you can spend some time with each person, since you won't be decking the halls and baking the d..m pies.   

Yes, I KNOW your pies are legendary.  So what, they're legends from the past.  Relax and rest on your laurels. 

You know what, people adjust and often do NOT care as much as you think (oh, the horror!).

I have been cutting back for so long there's almost nothing left to cut!

It is great when you get started.  The only thing I do is a Christmas letter, and I take last year's edit it for this year, get a new picture, and start printing out the envelopes in October.   And I do get Christmas stamps.

I know some people HATE Christmas letters.  Some people hate everything or at least one thing you love.  Get over it.

Let it all just float along.

The days go by and pass along.  And soon it is January, or Summer, or 2012.   Relax.

Keep us posted.

Kisses

Elaine (aka Carolina)

[ohiolady]

Navydad,

Thanks for the laugh.  Yes, I know those people too.  My neighbor puts her plastic pumpkins out the end of August.  It always makes me laugh.

Anna

[Patze]

Shucks, I don't bother to put up Christmas decorations at my place (always do the parental unit's home).  Since kidlet moved to her own place, I've not really bothered (always seem to go to someone else's home instead).

My holiday is Halloween (be nice now), and even though I don't decorate like I used too, I still do to some extent or another.  Checking out the latest and greatest "spider webs", love to decorate with it.


Patze

[lynnmarie219]

I'm another one who doesn't decorate anymore...I'm always out to others houses as I have to do the traveling bit on Christmas Eve and Day so why bother? All I have is a little tree I plug in every year....in fact I'm embarrassed to say its become part of the regular decor at times when I just leave it on the TV stand unplugged for the year! 


I also give a lot of gift cards...makes it much easier and people like them a lot....can get what they want and need! My mom has always loved Christmas so I always try to buy her gifts that she wants and needs, but not too many other people (except the kids in the family cuz after all Christmas is for kids) but gift cards, lottery tickets, things like that people always love! And it takes a lot of pressure off me!

But its only September and I don't want to think about the holidays for awhile yet! Noooooo wayyyyyyyy! 

[eyeamdry]

Whatever lights get put up are put there by my husband.  A few around a couple of windows, or the porch roof, etc.  We bought a few Santa's, reindeer that sit on the lawn through the years.  If puts those out, we are about done.  We have a fake tree that must be 25 years old and it's as good as when we bought it.

We have enough decorations to put on it.  We discuss whether we'll put it up or not, but I usually think why not?   We don't have anyone to do gifts for except each other and our grown daughter.  We usually go out to Christmas dinner, or have a small one here, with those roasted chickens someone mentioned.

We can choose to mope because what's Christmas with 3 adults?  Big deal.  We obviously don't  have a traditional Christmas, but we do enjoy the day, even if it's to take it easy and maybe enjoy a movie after our meal.  We still have things to be thankful for.  Lucy

[Bucky]

Bloodless . . . awww, have the holiday blues already?

Let's see . . there are 15 weeks until Christmas.  If you do one thing each week between now and then you should be good to go by the time the holiday rolls around.  

Do you have children, grandchildren, neighborhood kids who like to make construction paper chain links?  (don't tell anyone . . but, I like to make them myself . . heehee)  Use one of these chains in the living room or dining room, place a candle on the table, place some glass ball ornaments by the candle and walla . . . you're ready for the holiday!!    Do you have any candy dishes?  Fill them with wrapped candy, or M & M's . . . walla . . . you're ready for the holiday!!

I have this green wreath w/clear lights in the mud room that I leave up for quite a while during the year -  it makes a nice nightlight.  Add some holiday picks and it's good to go.

Many, many years ago I use to have my Christmas cards ready to mail by the beginning of November and had all my Christmas shopping done by October.  Now . . . it's no big deal - I get to it, when I get to it.  In fact, one year I had bought the stamps but procrastinated so long on the cards, I didn't even bother to send them out.  Nothing happened.  I sent them the next year.  

Downsizing is in right now . . . just extend it to the holiday's too.  

Hmmm, do you think we could incorporate mandatory nap time during the festivities?  LOL  

Food is so overrated . . .(oh geesh, I'm beginning to sound like Patze  ) tell everyone you've scaled back this year.  Maybe a brunch instead of a big, main meal.  Or a pre-holiday or post-holiday potluck.  

An idea I did for my hubby one year.  He always tells me he prefers money over a gift - that way he can get what he wants.  So, one year I took different denominations of paper money and folded them like a fan and attached it to a small artificial tree with twist ties.  He loved it!

The invention of gift bags has cut down on all the wrapping of years past.  I recycle them year after year.

I like Carolina's post - some good ideas there.

Can some family come in the weeks leading up to the holidays to be your helper for the day?

Just do what you feel up to doing and let the rest slide.  The fellowship together is the best part . . .

Bucky

[harrigan]

Ok Bloodless, I'm drawn in now!  I love all the Christmas lights, but learned my lesson about hanging them myself last Christmas when I pulled the whole thing down as I bent to put in the plug and sent hot coffee all over my head and neck! This year, someone else will have to do it and do it better than me!

The past few years, my 'treat' for me has been to go to M & S and get the ready to cook veg and a turkey crown (no cleaniing and foraging around inside!) I always aim to write and post cards early, and never do.  I've also had years when I think "I've not seen some of these people in 10/15/20 years.  Why am I bothering?" 

I still love Christmas though.  I love the time off, the chance to be all in the house together, coming downstairs on a dark morning and sitting with just the decoration lights on.  I do get stressed at times, but it is worth it.  I love hearing about everyone else's holiday traditions - what's your typical Christmas, Bloodless et al?  XX Ailsa

[SLEEPY101]

LOL Navydad

If it wasn't for my kids I would stop with the decorations. I am so happy my husband handles all the decorating.

Last year we went away for Christmas to see my Grandparents. It was the best thing ever!!! Missed the expensive Christmas exchange at work. It really took the stress away. No Christmas dinner at the inlaws. Even got away with getting less gifts for the kids. They understood that santa had to bring gifts that would fit in the suitcase:)

I need to start on the shopping. Just found out the Sear and Kmart has online layaway Yipeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Christmas cookies are the Philsbury cookies that already have the designs on them:)

[SLEEPY101]

Just thought of a easy holiday snack

Pretzels(the knot shape one not stick pretzels)
Hugs(or any other flavor of Hersey Kiss
M&Ms(depening on the holiday, Orange and black for Halloween, Green and Red for Christmas,Pastels for Easter)

Pre-heat oven to 350
Place prezels on cookie sheet
place kisses on top of pretzels
Put in oven for a few minutes until kiss is soft
take out of oven and immedialey squish the M&M on top
Then put in the fridge to harden

[LizPetillo]

IF I lived alone I wouldn't bother with the Thanksgiving/Christmas decorations.  (of course, if I lived alone I'd be in assisted living at this point!)

My husband and daughter like them up so I told them if they wanted any, they'd have to do it.  I just can't. 

[LizM]

I have 3 teenaged daughters and they have pretty much taken over the cleaning around the house.  They want me to save my energy for other things I enjoy.  Last year, I directed where I wanted the decorations to go and between them and hubby, everything got done, just the way I like it.  This year, it will probably be the same. 

I do like a huge Thanksgiving feast, but this year I will be directing the show and the kids and hubby will be doing the performance.  They love doing it and this way I am able to have all of the foods I love with little work on my part.

As far as Christmas goes, each year, they give me their Christmas Wish list early and I slowly accumulate their gifts.  The only people I really have to take the time and make sure the gifts are perfect are my parents and sister and her family.  I am starting early this year and my daughters will help me.  They always do the wrapping.

Liz

[Scottietottie]

Hi 

For the first time for years I'm looking forward to Christmas because I'm not going to have to do anything! All the kids have flown the nest and all want to spend Christmas with their wife/husband/partners.

they all have Amazon wish lists so I can shop online and get stuff posted to their addresses.

Hubby and I only ever 'did' Christmas for the kids as neither of us are religeous so it was always just a 'spendfest' - a bit hypocritical.

So this year - no tree, no lights, no fuss. Holiday from work. Yay!!

Take care - Scottie