Getting through christmas is like....................

[CathyA]

the feeling you'd get if you were hitting your head against the wall and could finally stop. :laff: AAhhhhhhh.........relief.
Still need to continue to work on having a simple christmas. I'm not sure it will ever happen, but I'll keep trying.

[Mrs-M]

"plop-plop, fizz-fizz, ohhh, what a relief it is"!

[CathyA]

LOL! I feel like I'm on vacation now! :cool:

[pinkytoe]

Yesterday as we finally arrived home from our annual trip to the in-laws, I was hooting and hollering "Yeah, it's over...it's over!"

[Blackdog Lin]

Which is why we opt out. Celebrate in our own little home, in our own little way, don't do the family get-togethers. It's so wonderfully simple. Though I confess I did have to make a point of delivering our little homemade gifts here and there.

I understand that not everyone can opt out. I am sorry for this, and send y'all hopes and wishes for a simpler and happier holiday season in years to come.....

[ApatheticNoMore]

Is like not getting sick in an office where everyone has the flu :)

Much about the holidays makes me feel I need a major innoculation against the whole culture rrrrr. Do they offer immunizations for that?

[Wildflower]

LOL! I feel like I'm on vacation now! :cool:

Me too, CathyA!! :D I feel like I've been getting ready for Christmas since the first of November. I had 10 for Christmas dinner and overnight guests - I don't mind saying I am totally exhausted even though I actually tried to simplify alot this year. *sigh* I often wonder how I am going to be able to pull this off when I get older! :0!

Ahhhhh yes, such relief!! >8):)

[gimmethesimplelife]

Is like not getting sick in an office where everyone has the flu :)

Much about the holidays makes me feel I need a major innoculation against the whole culture rrrrr. Do they offer immunizations for that?ROTHLMAO!!!! Good one! I don't know that you can get a shot for this, I think it's more like developing a thick skin and not buying into what doesn't work for you just to go along with the crowd. Rob

[lizii]

My Christmas Day was very quiet and comfortable. I spent it with my oldest son and his family, we had an excellent turkey dinner...I had brought a mincemeat pie for dessert.

We were too full for dessert, but my ddil made up a doggy bag to eat on the 26th, including a slice of pie.

[goldensmom]

Christmas day.......was like any other Sunday plus gifts. The biggest gift for me was that we went out for dinner so I didn't spend the day in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up. I will do the traditional Christmas dinner on another day but not on the holiday proper.

[Stacy]

I heard a lot of complaints, like, "Christmas is too commercialized" and "People buy a lot of garbage they don't need, just to spend money." And this was from the managers at the retail store where I work! I thought that was kind of funny.

[Stacy]

Anyway, for me, it was like visiting a foreign country during a big festival. We ate too much of the food, enjoyed the pagentry, but then went home for some peace and quiet.

[flowerseverywhere]

for us it is surreal. We only do a few gifts, have friends over to eat on Christmas eve and play games on Chritmas day with family members and share a meal.

Of course, we ate too much, but did very well on not buying unnecessary stuff for us or anyone else.

We put up a tree and a few indoor decorations but that was it.

[CathyA]

Stacy.......that's a good way of putting it!

[Blackdog Lin]

Stacy - I agree with CathyA - that's a wonderful and insightful way of putting it!

But I'll stick with my way of opting out, and staying away from all and every full-blown holiday family extravaganza. They get used to it, after you've missed one or two. It gets easier, being the "weird, anti-social members of the family". They just talk about you later. That, I can handle. Much better than actually being there for the holidays.

[maribeth]

Christmas, for me, is a season of gratitude -- that I live far enough away to not become embroiled in the petty drama surrounding the Christmas celebrations with my extended family. (It was actually a lovely party at the time, but I heard about all the crazy afterwards.)

Our immediate family had a nice low-key Christmas together at my parents' house. DD got a dress-up box from her aunt and uncle, and was ecstatically happy to play princess all day. The rest of us stayed in our pajamas, munching on leftover desserts and playing board games.

[Fawn]

Christmas, for me, is a season of gratitude -- that I live far enough away to not become embroiled in the petty drama surrounding the Christmas celebrations with my extended family. (It was actually a lovely party at the time, but I heard about all the crazy afterwards.)

Our immediate family had a nice low-key Christmas together at my parents' house. DD got a dress-up box from her aunt and uncle, and was ecstatically happy to play princess all day. The rest of us stayed in our pajamas, munching on leftover desserts and playing board games.

I am happy to celebrate ANY holiday that allows me to stay in my jammies and eat desserts. Board games are optional. :)