Do you love the holidays or could you live with out them??

[jacks'thunder]

For me I'd say both!

I love the holidays for my son! He so young and just enjoys things so much. But for me personally I could definately live with out all the stress. My sisters seem to thrive around drama and thats not my cup of tea at all. It seem this time of year brings it out in them. So them plus economic stress, nope, I could live with out this time of year!!!! LOL!!!

What about you all?

Love it or hate it?

 

[Minimor]

I can't say that I love the holidays. As a Christian I cannot say that I hate Christmas but it saddens me that people have gotten so far away from what Christmas really is.

I don't do a lot for Christmas--we don't go all out on Christmas shopping here, and in fact our Christmas gifts are usually a pony or some pony-related item that we've bought during the year. We don't have family coming for Christmas, and don't go to the family gatherings so the holidays aren't a stressful time for me. I don't put up a tree (cats wreck it if I do!) and don't decorate the house, so no big hassle with those things!

We do fix a big Christmas dinner for ourselves & I sure enjoy that, and I really enjoy the time I get off work for the holidays.

 

[Jill]

I love Thanksgiving, but am not too much of a Christmas person.

 

[miniwhinny]

I LOVE the holidays

All the extended family is coming to our place grandmother, aunties, uncles, neices, nephews. Oldest Kid's coming home from college. HS son is at home for 3 weeks yipppeeeeeee.

I love it. Lots of food, drinks, snacks, I love shopping for presents for everyone I love and seeing them open them. Got the perfect tree - all decked out. I never let it stress me because I just love the holidays yahooooo.

 

[TheCaseFamily00]

I love the holidays.I'm usually waking the kids up,can't sleep i'm so excited. Lot's of food and family,we're usually in our pj's all day

.

 

[minie812]

I like to watch the grand babies and think it is great for the little ones. I am just thankful to be here another year

 

[bevann]

I have mixed feelings.My father loved the holidays.He did so much for lots of people.He and my mom would get 2 kids from school and take them to get coats and other winter stuff.He always had a trunkful of turkeys to give to people.Lots of parties at my parents' house.A big dinner at their house with grandkids and extended family and friends.He decorated the outside of the house.He died in 1974 and I still miss him terribly especially at Christmas.He was the only one who could keep my younger self centered sister in line.Since he died she has ruined more holidays than one could imagine.We always joke at family gatherings about her not taking her meds.You just never know what will set her off.She wasn't there at Thanksgiving because she doesn't approve of her daughter's current boyfriend.She is 63 years old and acts like she is a 6 yr old spoiled brat.I love seeing my nieces and their families but my 2 boys don't get along so they won't go to family dinners.I just take grandaughter from one son and grandson from another and we all have a good time.I just wonder what my sister will pull since her current husband(he's #3 and a real sweetie) and her first husband (father of her 2 daughters)and his current whack job of a wife will be there.My brother who is relatively normal and loved by everybody will be there.It should be interesting.I didn't even put up a regular tree this year due to shoulder surgery and still not being able to lift are up very high.I miss my Painted Ponies ornaments but there is always next year.Couldn't make my peppermint bark candy this year either-all 50 pounds of it.Look out next year.I should be back to normal-whatever that is for me.

 

[Magic]

I love it. I've scaled back on what I do, as far as decorating and baking, and try to keep the "reason for the season" in mind. Christmas music plays all day for at least two weeks, and I really enjoy shopping for the kids and grandbabies. Hubby and I usually just decide what to get ourselves/each other, with a small surprise or two added in for fun. Christmas dinner is held here at our house and I work hard to make it wonderful, and enjoy having my family around me.

 

[Katiean]

I like the hoildays. All of them! but, money gets so tight this time of year and it is so hard for so many. I wish we could all have the funds to make a good Holiday season. It doesn't have to be enough to make it Great. But there are so many with out their next meal or being kicked out of their homes. Wouldn't it be a great Christmas season if No one lost their home at Christmas? Or got sick? Or didn't have enough to eat? What a wonderful Christmas that would be.

 

[user 488]

I have to say it doesn't much matter to me. I can take them or leave them. I enjoy Thanksgiving. Getting together for a wonderful meal with friends or family is nice.

What I have an aversion to is the fact that so many "so called" holidays have not only lost their meaning but they have become all about gift giving. Personally, I feel sorry for the pressure it puts on people to give those gifts even when they cannot afford them and they go into debt the entire year. I don't see much point in that. Especially the way the economy is right now.

 

[Fanch]

I would say I love this time of year. I love the spirit it puts in the air; all the food, seeing all the lights inside and outside the house, sitting around with family singing and watching movie, waking up on christmas and just spending the day as a family and sharing our dinner with others.

I always go overboard buying gifts not because of pressure, but because of the joy it brings the people who recieve them, and I believe these gifts are not always bought in the store. This year I invited a friend over whos family owes a resturant and shes working till about 8 on christmas day and will not be having their own dinner. I immediatly invited her to our home; to she the joy that brought to her face, was so special to me and is the biggest reason I LOVE this time of year!

Merry chritmas everyone!

 

[muffntuf]

The holidays for me is a special time, even though I don't have my own family. I do see my Dad's family. BUT - December is the last month of the year. Its a time to reflect on the year and for me, I find lots to be Thankful for. It is a time of optimism, high hopes and an entry into a new year. I love to watch stupid and silly Christmas movies, listen to Christmas Carols and think about all the things I could do or can do. Even a little bit, like cleaning out your cupboards and giving the canned foods, etc. to a family in need or to the local food shelf.

It is my time to Thank God for bringing me to where I am, no matter how hard the year has been. And this year has been a tough year, yet I got to do so much. I am very Thankful. So Merry Christmas!

 

[Watcheye]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Holidays!

:HappyBounce

I love the magic that fills the air this time of year. I love the music and family. I love the decorations and the decorating. I love baking with the family (though I cant bake lol). I love walking outside and looking at the lights. I love the commercials and the movies! Unfortunately, I get super depressed when it is over because it feels like everything just dissapears.

I get a little bit depressed afterword.

 

[CharlesFamily]

*Sorry! Computer misbehaving. Full post below*

 

[CharlesFamily]

I LOVE everything about the holidays! I love the food, the music, the celebrations, the lights, the presents and especially getting together with friends and family.

We have some very special holiday traditions. One of those is making hard tack candy. It just doesn't "smell" like Christmas until you have that candy smell all through the house! We also make a big production about going out to cut down our own tree at a small tree farm close to our house. Then we always go out for a yummy celebration dinner. So much fun!

I love celebrating Christmas with our two daughters. But we also work very hard to let them know the true reason we celebrate Christmas. We do not go overboard with elaborate gifts. Years ago when our oldest daughter was very young, I read an article in the newspaper about keeping Christmas simple. They suggested buying presents according to this:

Something you want,

Something you need,

Something to wear and

Something to read.

We stick to this for our girls and they also get to ask Santa for three gifts. Hubby and I usually keep our gifts very small and simple as we prefer to save our money for camping and travel during the warmer months.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Barbara

 

[maplegum]

I really enjoy this time of the year. As hectic as it can be doing last minute Christmas shopping and organising meals for Christmas Day. I just love catching up with my family and over the last couple of years we have made things even more low key by not racing from one family to the next. Now we see my mother on Christmas day, then my father on Boxing day. Everyone chips in with the food to make it less work for the host. Just like a well oiled machine!

I love Christmas decorations, christmas lights...although this year I noticed that there were less in the stores here.

I also enjoy this time of the year as I know that I get some time off work and then I can sit back and do what ever I like!

 

[Katiean]

I would have spent only about $200 this year except my youngest brothers present cost me $115

. I got it on ebay and it was to finish a collection group he has. It was Brayer Fox from Song of the South. He had Brayer Bear and Brayer Rabbit. Well, I found all 3 on ebay (all separate) and they were all in perfect condition. I had to bid on all 3. Besides, I got a break on shipping that way. At first I was going to keep Brayer Bear and Brayer Rabbit but, these are so perfect and his do have paint flakes. So, he is getting the whole set. Anyway, when I get a gift I do not pay attention to how much I spent on each person. it is never equal. I get something they want or need but wouldn't or can't buy for themselves. I kept to my budget and I bought for 9 people.

 

[Miniv]

The Holidays and I have a "Love/Hate" relationship............

I love the mood, the lights, the children's wonder, and of course the food........It's a very necessary time for people as a whole......a beautiful excuse for us all to gather together and to remember others in need.

I hate the requirements that society has leveled on people via advertising, etc...... I hate the missing of our loved ones who are no longer with us or can't be with us because of being in the military or on the job somewhere.........

 

[minih]

Love/Hate here also, I love the theme of Christmas, I love that we see relatives we only see once a year, and I love that everyone is reminded how much they love each other. I love putting up the tree each year. On the flip side I hate trying to find gifts for everyone, not sure what to buy, I hate the stress of getting everything done on time, and it seems like the troublemakers come out of the woodwork to cause chaos at what is supposed to be a joyful time. When you have a close relative like that it is very hard.

 

[ruffian]

I LOVE Christmas! My favorite time of the year. Before I retired I did all the Christmas parties and decorations at work. At home I do all the deco. Pretty much every flat surface, and even some vertical ones, have a Christmas decoration.

I put a bit outside, but it gets so cold so fast it's hard to do.

I do the 4 am shopping after Thanksgiving. I love to volunteer. I try to donate as much as I can. This year I volunteered at our local Santa House. It was on national TV as THE place to learn to be a Santa.

I enjoy sitting in front of the TV wrapping gifts. It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Rudolph, they're all on. Christmas music in the car. We have a local radio station that starts playing it in November. Love to drive around and look at Christmas lights. There's a place about 10 miles from us that has their whole yard set to music. Way Cool

I had the family Christmas party here this year. Had 20 people and loved it.

Christmas day the house is trashed with paper and ribbon and I love it! I stop people from picking up the paper until I'm ready to do it. We have a big meal, and graze all day.

January 1st it all comes down (unless the outside lights are frozen to the ground!) I go through all my stuff and weed out what I'm not using, or broken etc. I did that ruthlessly last year after retiring, so now I'm down to 18 totes of inside stuff. (deep sigh - might have to go out day after Christmas and restock)

Yep, IMO Christmastime is the BEST!