Is anyone else having an EXTREMELY hard time getting into the Holiday

[Pirate Smile]

spirit?

I've got three little kids who all still believe in you know who, love to have the house all decorated for Christmas, etc.

I'm trying to just get all the decorations up (a BIG job) and I am not in the mood. Christmas music? I turn it off.

I need to get out of this funk. I can argue with myself to cut it out with my brain, but my heart just won't listen.

Anyone else having the same problem?

They are all old enough to "get" Christmas - 3, 5 and 7 years old. I know this period in our lives won't last very long before the some big kid will ruin the surprise.

Help me snap out of it or commiserate with me!

[Gloria]

1. I pity you.

I have no kids and can...and do...ignore everthing from Thanksgiving Day until New Year's!!! In fact, I now SLEEP through midight/New Year's!!!

[sundog]

2. uhhh... we're all broke

can't get into the commercial hype & line the greedy bastads pockets

[Pirate Smile]

4. Oh, so are we which just adds more stress. Santa will definitely be

carrying a lighter bag to our house on Christmas Eve.

The kids really just like the atmosphere more then anything. I am really not in the mood for the shopping but I will have to do some.

When I think about Christmas as a kid I don't remember any presents I got, I just remember the mood and feelings. I want them to have that and I will do my best to give it to them. I will have to fake it and I suck at faking.

[KarenS]

3. Holiday?? What holiday??

We don't have any kiddos here either,,,, so we can ignore it, pretty much,,,, we will buy some gifts for our kids & grandkids but there will be no tree here this year,,,, we didn't do anything special for Thanksgiving,,,,

You will find the 'right' way to handle this holiday for your family, maybe some toning down ~ some getting back to basics,,,

good luck on this

[Pirate Smile]

5. Thanks. My Mom who usually does a lot of X-mas decorating in her

house isn't doing any either. They will travel to us for Christmas.

[gumby]

6. If I could afford it,

I'd get some drugs myself.... antidepressants. I'm a firm believer in chemistry for better living. At least on a short-term basis.

The holiday season has often made me funky because this society seems to substitute fol-de-rol for actually doing the things to improve and uplift humanity. The Season has a way of making us see through the fog..... and that can be disconcerting.

Look for the beauty.

[snacker]

7. I wish I could help

but I'm feeling the same way. I just can't seem to get into the mood.

[MidwestMomma]

8. Go and watch A Christmas Carol

The version with Alastir Sim. By the time Scrooge throws open the window and asks "What day is this" hopefully you too will feel 'as giddy as a school girl."

I hope this helps. I've had some awful can't-get-in-the-Christmas spirit years and this is the one sure fire way to get me in the Christmas spirit EVERYTIME.

And it's the Christmas spirit you're looking for. Not so much the presents and all, but the peace on earth, goodwill towards men stuff.

[n2mark]

11. I am the same way this year

Maybe because there is no peace on earth and goodwill toward men this year.

As I said before I loved to have a tree, actually a real tree, decorations, loved giving but not this year. This year there is something missing, guess you should refer to my first thought.

[Pirate Smile]

12. I couldn't care less about presents. I just want the feeling of hope back.

[MidwestMomma]

13. That's what I was trying to say

That it seemed like you were looking for the Christmas spirit, which isn't about the presents. That's why I suggested watching A Christmas Carol. Guess I wasn't clear.

[Pirate Smile]

15. I got it and thanks but it doesn't seem to work. I watched It's a

Wonderful Life this weekend and it reminded me how I thought it was fate that Kerry was supposed to win, fate has been altered and now we are all in Pottersville.

I wish I could get in the spirit from watching something.

I think the way this election makes you question half of the American people is what is really disconcerting.

I was always optimistic, looking for the best in people and I believed in the "wisdom" of the American people.

All those beliefs have been trampled on to a much larger degree then any other election I have been around during. My outlook on the world has been shook.

[malmapus]

9. I am...

Basically from lack of money, we have enough for our bills and food but nothing extra. This is my daughters second Christmas and so far only presents are from my parents to her. Sucks that so much want to give her and my gf but can't afford it, love making half of what I was a couple years ago...thanks Bush

[Pirate Smile]

24. I'm sorry. Your two year old really won't mind. All she really probably

wants is to be around the people she loves.
:grouphug:

[sandnsea]

10. Secret Angels

Draw names. Then secretly do something for "your name" each day, something that doesn't cost any money. It's fun and I guarantee each person will draw the name of the exact family member they are having "personality conflicts" with. It just works that way.

Winter Solstice. In the darkest days, we know the spring will come. "light a candle rather than curse the darkness." If I didn't take this approach this year, I'd have to curl up and cry until 2008.

[yorkiemommie1]

14. holidays cancelled in my house 11/04

but i'm lucky in the sense that our daughter is grown and i have no grandchildren.

i'm not decorating this year. i'm not cooking this year. i'm not baking this year.

we've had several deaths in the family, and one car accident (the other guy admitted his fault) but the main thing is 11/02. i will try to make christmas special for my daughter since she has been so brave since her accident. she's just as pissed as i am, so she doesn't care much either.

[Pirate Smile]

16. In 2000, when * became Prez we had a convergence of bad events in

our family also. My sister died young and tragically and we were told (on the day of the funeral in early January) that my son might have a severe psychological and behavioral disorder (luckily he is doing much better, has his quirks but nothing as terrible as we thought it was going to be - but it has taken 2-3 years to figure that out).

I swear bad stuff really started happening when * took office. Most of it actually wasn't his fault but it all kind of converges together in your mind.

[Pied Piper]

17. May I suggest...

.... listening to "The Nutcracker Ballet (or Suite)"? The music is fantastic, and it evokes all of the things we associate with Christmas.

Last year, I had the priviledge of seeing the full ballet performed by the Hungarian National Ballet at the State Opera House in Budapest on December 5. I didn't realize at the time that Hungarians celebrate the whole St. Nicholas thing on December 6 (St. Nicholas Day). In essence, I saw the Nutcracker on "Christmas Eve." The little kids were all dressed up, as were their parents. The next day we saw all the shoes on the window sills - Hungarian tradition. I completely forgot about all of the trouble in Dubya's world, and I found it to be a most refreshing approach to the holidays.

Cheers!

[judaspriestess]

18. Not me I just won $12,000.00 bucks!!!

:bounce: :smoke: :headbang:

[Pirate Smile]

19. Really? Lottery?

[judaspriestess]

20. Nope,Video Poker here in Vegas n/t

[Pirate Smile]

22. Kewl! Congratulations.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

21. Christmas is really hard around my house.

My sister died right before christmas back in 2000, and my mom is still grieving really hard. So christmas isn't easy. But my sis loved Christmas. So I try to make it as happy as possible and just try my hardest to get into the spirit. This Christmas sucks too, because we are being further cursed by having the chimp in the white house. I can't enjoy Christmas thinking about people who have nothing, when I have so much. It's difficult. I wish I could ignore it, but I can't. So I just suck it up and try to push it to the back of my mind.
:hug: Hope it gets better.
Duckie

[Pirate Smile]

23. We are in the same boat. Thanks Duckie - I'm glad you didn't change

your name.

I saw on another thread, someone said "Fake it until you feel it". So that's my plan.

[judaspriestess]

25. Thank you Pirate

I put up a Xmas tree for the first time in years. I'm fairly happy with everything right now but its got nothing to do with the holidays.
I am happy for my pets, my mom and my boyfriend oh and the new gucci purse I get for xmas.
Hey Duckie, sorry for your loss, I never had a sister.

[The Zanti Regent]

26. Love your children!

You are blessed. My only child now lies in the Los Angeles VA Cemetery thanks to George W Bush.

And no, I DON'T feel like doing anything this holiday and neither does my significant other.

[Pirate Smile]

27. I'm so, so sorry.

:grouphug:

You put everything in perspective.

May you find peace.