Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice etc

[razz]

Since it is coming to winter solstice and some celebrate this, I thought I would pass along my wishes for a wonderful respite over the next week from the turbulence going on . Take a break and find your peace and serenity as there is so much that is good and beautiful in our wonderful world.

I am constantly delighted with the lively gentleness in my dog, the kindly conversations when out walking, the amazing staff at stores graciously handling all the stress during this busy season, the neighbours and friends who greet me daily and are a joy to know. I stopped and had tea with a long-term friend yesterday which was such a treat. I mentor a little boy at school and he is such a bright but very lively little guy with huge hugs to share when he sees me.

These are the true gifts of the season.

What delightful gifts have come your way?

Wishing the spirit of Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to each in the way that means the most to you.

[Chicken lady]

thank you. The way December has been throwing things at me I have been feeling like my bonfire tomorrow night will be more of a reminder that darkness ends and less a celebration of light. I needed the reminder that you see what you focus on.

and merry Christmas to you. :)

[Tybee]

Merry Christmas! I have been completely enjoying Christmas music this year and want to share one of my favorites:

https://youtu.be/yCvlubCFSkU

There is such beauty in the world.

[JaneV2.0]

To this darkest part of the year, friends bring the light. Happy holidays to one and all!

[nswef]

Thanks Razz for the reminder. From Dec. 21-31 here in MD we gain 5 minutes of daylight. That's keeping me going! This morning I looked at my coffee cup....I love the shape, color and the fact that it was made by a human at a wheel, who chose the color, shape and formed it with her/his hands. this morning I remembered why I can enjoy cold weather, the frost twinkles!!!! Trying to focus on lovely, good thoughts and stop angry rantings at the world! The sight of red bows on the white railing lift my heart, the sight of a jet trail in the blue sky- wondering where it is going and who is on it. Sending them happy safe thoughts. Yes, so much beauty.

[Simplemind]

Winter Solstice is very special in our house. 15 years ago we had the most amazing candle light wedding. Looking forward to spending a quiet evening in front of the fire tomorrow with something yummy to nibble on and some lovely music to listen to. Happy holidays everybody :)

[Teacher Terry]

My DH and I were married on 12/27 and originally I thought it would be a terrible time to get married but it was awesome. We chose that because all our kids would be home from college and our friends from the Midwest were teachers and were off work. Everyone came and we had so much fun.

[Tybee]

My DH and I were married on 12/27 and originally I thought it would be a terrible time to get married but it was awesome. We chose that because all our kids would be home from college and our friends from the Midwest were teachers and were off work. Everyone came and we had so much fun.

Ditto on the rationale, 12/26 here, and everybody was off work for the reception.

[beckyliz]

Hurray for Winter Solstice! Days will now be getting longer. Merry Christmas or Happy Hannukkah or Happy Kwanzaa or Joyful Festivus!

[catherine]

I was thinking about the Solstice! It always seems like such a great milestone to get to the shortest day--as beckyliz said, now we have lengthening days to look forward to! Happy Anniversary, simplemind, Tybee and Teacher Terry--I also got married in the winter--January 1977. Winter weddings are unique and special, although I've often wondered, "what were we thinking??" because we didn't have the rationale that you guys had. We just couldn't/didn't want to wait till the spring. And I wanted my bridesmaids to wear kilts, and they would have been out of season in the spring.

My gifts of the season? My kids coming down from Vermont. Gratitude for a good year of work. Joy at being relatively confident that I'll get my list done before Christmas. Serenity taking my dog on chilly walks through the neighborhood, looking at the lights.

[KayLR]

Congratulations Teacher Terry and Simplemind. I was married the first time on a stormy Dec. 17 evening. I loved it...I still regret in my heart it didn't work out. After 11 years, he moved himself on...but I remember our anniversary every year.

My attitude and behaviour toward Christmas has changed involuntarily over the last year, more toward a solstice acknowledgement, and I'm at a good peace with that. Even though DH (current!) and I are both Christian, we don't attend church. But we do pay lots of attention to the earth, the length of the days, and the coming light!

[Teacher Terry]

It seems like there are more winter weddings then you would think. Congrats to all!

[freshstart]

many Happy Anniversaries to all of you!

I am thrilled that my son is home on break from luthier school. He was estranged from me the entire time he was gone and I did not anticipate seeing him at all. He came over with my DD and was polite and gentle and I will see him again on Christmas for a short time. He comes back for good at the end of January and I am hoping to progress the relationship bit by bit. A peaceful Christmas with him is the best gift I could get.

[IshbelRobertson]

I've just listened to a CD of Carols from King's.My absolutely favourite is this version of Christina Rosetti's poem 'In the Bleak Mid-winter'.

Christmas Eve always 'starts' with watching the King's service with a glass of fino sherry and a mincepie!

https://youtu.be/U0aL9rKJPr4

[JaneV2.0]

I've just listened to a CD of Carols from King's.My absolutely favourite is this version of Christina Rosetti's poem 'In the Bleak Mud-winter'.

Christmas Eve always 'starts' with watching the King's service with a glass of fino sherry and a mincepie!

https://youtu.be/U0aL9rKJPr4

Lovely. First Christmas music I've heard this year. I must make a playlist or two for next year. Enjoy your sherry and mincepie!

[IshbelRobertson]

I will. I make fresh mincepies on Christmas Eve and the house smells heavenly!

[Lainey]

Happy holiday weekend to all. Will be raining all day here in Phoenix, which I guess is the closest thing we could get here to actual snow, so let's call it seasonal weather.
Will be eating lunch out with 3 friends and then head over to a barn owned by one of them where he has 2 horses: one show horse, and one miniature to keep the show horse company. We'll also get to play with his 2 Australian shepherds. I'm not a pet person but I think we'll have fun.

[Greg44]

Love Winter Solstice - now the light will begin to re-appear. I love the light, the sunshine, the warmth - why do
I live in Oregon?

[rosarugosa]

Happy Holidays, everyone! I was reflecting this morning on how much more serene the holidays are for us now that we have simplified them. I can remember in years past feeling actual anguish about where to put all the new stuff - talk about First World Problems!
DH & I spent last night with family and are having a quiet day at home today. We took a walk in the woods this AM and did something I've been wanting to do for a few years; we decorated a tree for the birds with a few ornaments and several pine cones filled with peanut butter and bird seed. That made me smile.

[frugal-one]

Happy Holidays, everyone! I was reflecting this morning on how much more serene the holidays are for us now that we have simplified them. I can remember in years past feeling actual anguish about where to put all the new stuff - talk about First World Problems!
DH & I spent last night with family and are having a quiet day at home today. We took a walk in the woods this AM and did something I've been wanting to do for a few years; we decorated a tree for the birds with a few ornaments and several pine cones filled with peanut butter and bird seed. That made me smile.

Wow... that is my kind of Christmas tree!

[iris lilies]

...I can remember in years past feeling actual anguish about where to put all the new stuff - talk about First World Problems....

At our annual extravaganza of excess last night DH and I gleaned about 30 objects. In the years before I retired, this caused me anguish, especially as this is the time of year when
I declutter.

But on Monday I will chuck 2/3 of it in the garbage, along wth the cards and the Xmas tree. It will all take about an hour, and in retirement I have that time. I no longer resent it, it is just the way it has to be.

But the 2 hours and 20 minutes we spent last night unwrapping the junk is two hours I will never get back.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Happy Holidays, everyone! I was reflecting this morning on how much more serene the holidays are for us now that we have simplified them. I can remember in years past feeling actual anguish about where to put all the new stuff - talk about First World Problems!
DH & I spent last night with family and are having a quiet day at home today. We took a walk in the woods this AM and did something I've been wanting to do for a few years; we decorated a tree for the birds with a few ornaments and several pine cones filled with peanut butter and bird seed. That made me smile.

Nice

And if simplifying holidays means not doing anything for them. Then I agree :). And that is kind of the simplest way and the simplest way to put it isn't it. Just "I would prefer not to".

Although it's a bit cold in California to even want to walk, so maybe I would prefer not to to that too! (brrr). Ok I saw my bf and his mom, I got chocolates for my family and work (no I will not be lectured on the evils of chocolates, chocolates are wonderful period), and yes I may eat with people. That is all.

[Chicken lady]

Merry Christmas everyone!

iris lilies, I am sad to think of you throwing everything away. It seems like such a waste. Also, having lived near a landfill I don't believe in "away". I wish that people would just give you nothing. You don't have a charity that would just come get your gifts if you put them in a box on the porch?

i drive dh nuts because I insist on sorting all the wrapping and packaging. But now that we don't have young kids, all the packaging (including candy wrappers and shipping packaging) that doesn't reuse or recycle fit in half a plastic grocery bag. That was nice. The giant piles of trash that I will see at the end of all the driveways this week always make me feel a little ill.

the gifts I recieved this year were useful or beautiful, or both, or consumable. They are all put away. The only exception being a coffee mug with a cute saying on it my mom put in my stocking. I'm pretty sure she got it at goodwill and I plan to "return" in to them tomorrow in my annual Boxing Day purge. I enjoyed the saying.

Today we we are pretty much just enjoying hanging out by the fire. Nowhere we need to go, nothing we need to do, and a fridge full of goodies and leftovers from our early "Christmas dinner" with the oldest yesterday.

[Teacher Terry]

So my DIL made a traditional Polish xmas eve dinner. We had homemade soup, 3 kinds of meat, potatoes, gravy, veggies, bread, cake, cookies and candy. Everything homemade except for the candy. That came from her Mom in Europe. You could have rolled us home:)) Of course we got leftovers to take home too. She cooked for 2 days even though she was working everyday too. She works at a casino and the holidays are very busy as all the people that don't celebrate xmas come here for them. The kids gave us gift certificates to our favorite restaurants and the movies and her parents sent Polish sausages, fancy coffee and candy for us. I love not getting stuff anymore. Everyone knows how I feel about that. IL, is it really junk or could you give it to Goodwill? This year I put the outside decorations on and then decided I did not want to decorate inside so did not. My kids put up the manger with all the pieces that my Mom made 50 years ago. It is a beautiful set and I was happy to pass it on to them. They used that instead of a tree. Today it is a movie and dinner out. My dogs gave us a xmas gift of letting us sleep in until 9am:)) That never happens.

[iris lilies]

I will count the items actually tossed and report later. It is true that this year it may not equal 2/3, but in the past that number wasnt far off. there are a few things I wont give to GW, they dont need them. I know because I shop there.

This afternoon we watched The Big Lebowski and had potatoe psncakes and brauts for an early dinner.

[Tybee]

We had a nice Christmas eve/Christmas Day. We still had not put the tree up until yesterday afternoon at 4:30, but my husband brought it up from the basement along with the Christmas boxes, and I it took only 2 hours to get the tree up and trimmed, and to put the lights outside that I have had since buying them on sale in 2009, back when we lived in upstate NY. I thought they were so pretty then but I did not put them up until yesterday. DH had installed a new fence in the front yard, and I wanted to string them along that. It took about 15 minutes, and I was a string short, then I was putting the box away and found another set, so they fit the fence almost perfectly, so that was wonderful. They looked so pretty, the tree looks so pretty, and I had been dreading decorating and did not want to do it this year, but it was so nice to have it done. We went to church at 10 and the neighborhood where church was had luminarias in front of all the houses--so pretty in the snow.

Just the right amount of Christmas, and I still haven't gotten around to making fudge--will do that tomorrow!

[iris lilies]

I will count the items actually tossed and report later. It is true that this year it may not equal 2/3, but in the past that number wasnt far off. there are a few things I wont give to GW, they dont need them. I know because I shop there.

This afternoon we watched The Big Lebowski and had potatoe pancakes and brauts for an early dinner.

Replying to my own quote: There was a total of 22 items given to us. These are, for the most part, what people would call "stocking " presents but their small size doesnt preclude me having to fiss with them, making decisions about their placement or disposal.

I am tossing 6, another 8 or so will languish around here until they break, or until I figure out how to use them or until they drive me crazy and I pitch them. One is a large item and I will have to keep it around for, say, a year, but then I can donate it to Goodwill, still in original package.

One thing is a practical consumable, 2 others will be on my kitchen shelves until after I am dead, I know it. Maybe people can consume them at my funeral.

DH Is keeping 3 items.

[LDAHL]

We try keeping it zero-sum (kids excepted) with a white elephant exchange. Each adult wraps an item they don't need, and we go through the picking-unwrapping-stealing process. A lucky few leave with something they can use, and the rest are no worse off.

Children, of course, are spoiled.

[Tybee]

Our gifts are usually something somebody needs, although my husband surprised me this year and gave me a gorgeous flexible flyer sled--I bought an old one over the summer and restored it, and I can't to sled with the grandchildren on this one.

Only other sled anyone ever bought me was really little, when I little, and I always was kind of jealous of the big sleds my brothers had.

This thing is even bigger than theirs. So cool!

I bought him a baguette pan and the King Arthur's cookbook, so he has already made bread.

[early morning]

Yesterday, we celebrated Christmas with my sister and our cousins. No gifts, just a shared experience. Last year, we visited a wolf sanctuary and communed with the wolves. This year, we attended a Chinese Lantern festival and display. It was awesome - so pretty! My DS, DSIL, and DD had our Christmas/no gift outing last week, with a visit to great traveling exhibits, topped by a lovely tea, at a nearby art museum. We all get together on Christmas eve and Christmas day for food and a few gifts for those who aren't part of our event/not present set (DH, DS, DB - must be a guy thing!). It's so nice to come home without bags of STUFF. Don't get me wrong, I like stuff - I'm just pretty particular about WHAT stuff I get, lol.

[catherine]

We accomplished our Christmas downsize. The pile of gifts barely extended beyond the tree skirt, which was an amazing accomplishment for us. We gave each person a practical thing, and then a handmade, more personal thing. My songwriter son stole the show with poems he wrote for each of us. He chose one word that represented each of us in his eyes, and then he wrote a poem about it and framed it. We each took turns reading our poem aloud.. sobbing all the way.

[iris lilies]

We accomplished our Christmas downsize. The pile of gifts barely extended beyond the tree skirt, which was an amazing accomplishment for us. We gave each person a practical thing, and then a handmade, more personal thing. My songwriter son stole the show with poems he wrote for each of us. He chose one word that represented each of us in his eyes, and then he wrote a poem about it and framed it. We each took turns reading our poem aloud.. sobbing all the way.
Oh, that is so so so great!

[iris lilies]

As an update to my ongoing saga of excess,I am happy to report that
I can jettison two more presents by returning to the giver. She said if I didnt want them for some reason to,return them to her. They are solar Xmas lights, they dont work, I dont want them, they can go back to her.

[Teacher Terry]

Catherine, what an awesome gift from your son! We are having 2 couples over tonight to play cards. Each couple is bringing a few appetizers and drinks. Looking forward to it.

[Teacher Terry]

IL: she will probably just give them back to you next year:))