The holiday season is here. Christmas carols on the radio; shoppers in the mall; a look of frenzy on people's faces.
How are you handling it? Do you enjoy this time of year? Or is it too saddled with chores and obligations?
I try to consciously enjoy the season despite its greater demands. I cherish buying gifts, sending cards and contacting my friends. Remembering to value the connections in my life is important to me. How 'bout you?
I love this season. It makes me so happy and elated. I try to resist unnecessary shopping but this year since I was banned from shopping all this while I only invested in gifts! :) I love Holiday/Christmas time. And that's a pretty floral top!
ReplyDeleteI'm fine with it! Christmas is my favorite holiday. Still haven't bought gifts yet...I'm either really early with that, or I'm the one shopping on December 23rd. This year I'm just so wrapped up with school...11 more days. Everything feels surreal and I feel like I easily could get confused for no apparent reason.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! Just read it, and it's funny, because the picture that you said looked super intimate is the one I actually took myself. Ha.
I'm in the process of catching up with your (and everyone else's) blog! Everything is pretty hectic right now, so excuse my little random absences!
I tend to dislike the fanaticism my family has about the holiday because I view it as a "holy day". And no one in my family is Christian, they're all atheist or agnostic. So they are getting all bent out of shape over something that comes from a tradition to which they do NOT subscribe.
ReplyDeleteI far prefer Thanksgiving. All the food and friends and family, but not the rest of the rigmarole.
That said, I got a lovely card from a dear friend today!!!!!! *cough*you*cough* Thank you dearie!!!
You're welcome, freeda. Thank you for letting me send it. Doing so gives me great joy.
ReplyDeleteI have a love/hate attitude toward Christmas. I love buying and giving gifts, but I hate that it's become more like filling an order than anything. I like buying stuff that I think people will like. I tend to put a lot of thought into gifts. That's what I enjoy. I'm usually pretty successful, but not always. Now that our kids are older, it's a bit less hectic for us. Life in a blended family is always a challenging. There are so many more relatives involved. I hate the mall and shopping in general, but I love seeing all the Christmas stuff and crazy gift items. I love having a tree all lit up in my living room, too! See what I mean about the love/hate thing?
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention how much I love the after-Christmas sales!
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I get extremely stressed out this time of year- I don't know what it is but I find myself hibernating and felling glum about the sub-zero temperatures! I do love buying gifts for others and drinking apple cider though!
ReplyDeletexo Emily
P.S. Plus I finished my X-mas shopping in November so now I can just sit back, relax and shop for me :)
I am Definitely Stressed out and have too many chores ! I am excited to see my kids faces on Christmas morning though.
ReplyDeleteI don't care for this time of year. Always wishing I could go to sleep right before Thanksgiving and wake up in January in time to make the Blues Cruise :) But thanks for the Christmas card, Ralph
ReplyDeleteSue
TM, you made my head spin!
ReplyDeleteI love apple-cider too, Emily. A lot!
Hi Emma and Sue. Most people find this season too hectic and filled with obligation so I understand your attitude. I've let that get the best of me in years past, too, but now I focus on only the good parts of the holidays and ignore the bad.
First of all, what the hell is eggnog and why is it so delicious? It haunts me every year. OH and also, my favorite ice cream is available only during this time of year. Peppermint candy ice cream. mmmmmmmmmm. It tris to pursuade me to buy it from behind the glass encasement. "pssst, Tracy, please take me home with you." ugh.
ReplyDeleteI'm done with my Christmas shopping. Phew.
My birthday is on the 27th, so it's always a bit of a let down. But my husband makes sure it's a special day for me. He's kind of wonderful that way.
xo,
Tracy
I couldn't love Christmas more if I tried! Though sometimes it can pass me buy and I don't do all the Christmassy stuff I had planned because it came and went sooner than I thought.
ReplyDeleteOn the present front, I much prefer to give presents. I just love seeing their faces when they see the present and realise how much time you put into getting just the right gift. =]
Oh! And I got your christmas card today! Thank you so much!
Tracy, I've always felt sorry for people whose birthdays get lost in the shuffle of a big holiday. We'll take special note of yours.
ReplyDeleteI love eggnog too and was just thrilled to see that Silk has a soymilk version of eggnog. I try to limit my consumption of dairy and this fits the bill.
Good to hear from you Poppy. Your blog's been quiet lately and I was starting to worry about you.
Oh, I love this time of the year! Making good food and giving presents is so much fun. Plus, it's a great excuse to dress up.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I received a card from you yesterday. Thank you so much! I love it!
Sure, Francy. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the holiday.
ReplyDeleteChristmas is finally a happy time for me again, something I really and truly look forward to...not so for the first few years after my mom died. Sometimes I wished the day wouldn't happen at all. I still ache every holiday without her, but it's so much more manageable now. I have so much to be grateful for and so many wonderful people in my life who love me, and it gets me through - and now I even really, really love it. :)
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