I am, for the most part, a Christmas fanatic. I love Christmas. I love everything about Christmas from the music to the baking to the buying and wrapping of presents. Christmas is probably my favorite holiday.
This year I find that in spite of my angst over my current marital situation, I cannot prevent the Christmas spirit from overtaking me and making me a happy girl. I don’t think that W understands or appreciates my Christmas spirit this year so I’m trying to keep it low key at home. When he asked me what I wanted for Christmas I said I’d like a gift certificate for a massage or a manicure or a pedicure, things I rarely splurge on for myself. I then asked him what he wanted for Christmas, and he said, “To keep us together as a family” with those sad puppy dog eyes he gets that just break my heart. Okay, that dampened my Christmas spirit a bit, but it bounced back fairly quickly.
W took advantage of nice weather last weekend and got all the outdoor decorations put up. We haven’t done any indoor decorations yet. Maybe this weekend.
Things I love about Christmas:
• Christmas music
• Christmas movies and specials
• Baking cookies
• Building a gingerbread house with N
• Shopping, picking the perfect gift for each person on my list
• Wrapping presents
• Advent services at church
• Christmas Eve services at church
• Watching N open his presents
• Buying Christmas presents for residents of a local battered women’s shelter
• Giving money to the homeless beggars on the street, something I rarely do but during the Christmas season almost always do, just because
• People watching at the mall on Christmas Eve when all my shopping is already done
• Celebrating the real reason for the season, Jesus’ birth
• Decorating the Christmas tree and taking the time to appreciate the memories that come from Christmases past as special ornaments take their place hanging from the branches.
And all of this leads me to a new poll in the sidebar. What’s your take on Christmas? Love it, hate it, don’t celebrate it? Let me know just because I’m nosy.
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9 comments:
How about:
•Making more lists
;-)
Love your little Christmas tree, BTW.
Oh but of course! I'm nothing without my lists:
*List of people to buy presents for along with what I want to get for them
*List of people to send cards to
*List of cookies to bake
*Shopping list for ingredients for above
*List of people to invite over for Christmas (actually don't know if we'll do that this year under the circumstances)
I have to tell you that I LOVE Christmas, for every single reason that you stated. I cannot wait to see my children and better yet, my grandchildren open thier Christmas presents. I do have one thing that I will like better this year. This year we have a single mom that works with us, she is down on her luck, paying 120.00 a week for daycare and then coming up with the rent, food and everything else that we take for granted. She has told me numerous times that her and her son had eaten noodles for dinner...I like noodles to but when I WANT them, not because that is all there is in the house. Anyway, we are secret santa'ing her this year, everyone is pitching in and I will go get her a gift card from Walmart (then she can get groceries, toys and clothes at the same place) and have a very Merry Christmas.
Hi Trueself, i am always happy for people like you that still enjoy Christmas. I do like some things about it, like the fact that for while at least most people think more and give more to the less fortunate among us.
I like the folks like Carin and her peeps who help others out, and all the grandparents adn children who get to enjoy time together.
I like the fact we get to see some friends at Christmas parties each year.
The crowds, debt spending, feeling of stress people get from trying to do too much, and the almost total lack of contemplation on Christs goodness and message.......Those I can do without. :-)
Karin,
Good for you for getting into the true spirit of Christmas! I love to find other lovers of Christmas.
Oldbear,
"people like you" means what exactly? I'll choose to wait until you answer that question before I decide how to feel about your comment.
HI TS.
"I am always happy for people like you that still enjoy Christmas"
This is a literal statement.
So "people like you" would mean in this case people who like Christmas.
Alternate wording, "I am always happy for those of you who still enjoy Christmas"
Sorry , I think I am missing something?
For me, much of what I liked has been obscured by its commercialization.
But I suppose if it has lost any spiritual kick for me it would be my fault, as my faith ought not be influenced by consumerism.
Thank God for the heifer project and others like them. Great gifts that help others..
OB,
Okay, I feel better about your comments now. I just wasn't sure about the "people like you" part because I wasn't entirely sure whether you were seeing people like me as:
*simply the people who enjoy Christmas (glad that's what it was)
*people who are in the midst of domestic turmoil
*people who cheat on their spouses
*sinners, though of course we all fall in that category
*something else that didn't cross my mind when I read it
But yes, I retain my joy in the Christmas season. I'm a big kid when it comes to Christmas (and most other holidays too) prefering to make the most of every celebration, embrace my traditions, and wear a santa hat almost everywhere I go (except work because they are stodgy fuddy duddies there).
Great list. I am glad that inspite of the turmoil you are able to keep up the Christmas spirit. I have had a hard time doing that this year.
FL,
Yeah, I don't know why I've got so much Christmas spirit this year. Maybe it's actually because of the turmoil. Maybe I'm hanging onto whatever I can to make life feel as normal as possible. Maybe I'm trying not to ruin Christmas for N. On the other hand, it might just be that I never grew up enough to turn curmudgeonly about Christmas. I'm not sure which of the above is true. It's probably a combination of a little of all of them.
Here's hoping you find a way to find your Christmas spirit.
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