Feeling a little Scroogish this morning. December has felt that way for the past few years. It seems the season has changed. It's more about running here and running there and doing this and buying that and trying to finish up a bunch of stuff in a month that should take a year. No time to stop and smell the Christmas tree or sing carols or drive around looking at the lights in Crestwood (that's one thing we used to do with our kids many years ago, look at the lights in Crestwood).
I used to love the season, even the busyness of it. What's happened, I wonder? Why don't I get that excited, childlike feeling anymore when I hear jingle bells? I've been pondering this question, and here's my list.
The Ten Things I Hate About Christmas
1. It now starts the day after Labor Day with the commercials and store displays. This year, Hobby Lobby had their Christmas decorations marked down 50% before Halloween. By the time the actual holiday season arrives, I'm tired of it all. I remember when Christmastime didn't start until after Thanksgiving was over.
2. The commercials. If I have to hear one more Burlington Coat Factory commercial, I'm going to barf!
3. The inevitable batch of viral emails announcing that the President and/or the First Lady has banned the word "Christmas" from the White House, and everyone has to call the tree a "Holiday Tree." I've been getting these since President Clinton's administration. I think I got a full dozen of them last year. And already this year, they've begun.
4. Christmas shopping. I can't believe that I once loved this activity. These days, I'd rather ride a goat to China than enter a store during December.
5. Christmas letters from people I barely know. I truly don't care that my insurance agent's Great Aunt Edna won a blue ribbon for her peach pie at the county fair this year?
6. Egg nog! Whoever came up with the practice of drinking eggs must have been drunk already.
7. Dogs with antlers. Oh, the humiliation.
8. The 347th playing of "Silver Bells" on the radio.
9.Wrapping gifts. If it won't fit in a bag, you'll get it unwrapped. My hands don't deal with wrapping too well anymore.
10. Holiday decorations that remain up even one day after Christmas. For some reason, and I don't understand it myself, it depresses me to see holiday decorations after December 25. Take 'em down, folks!
Don't worry. I can still find a lot of things to love about the season too. It's just that I feel it would be a lot more merry if the above things could be cut out.
***
But Wait! There's More!
*Thanks for your comments yesterday, and everyday. It is eucalyptus that is with the sunflowers that Andy gave me. Nicole even told me what kind--silver dollar eucalyptus. Just couldn't come up with that word.
*Note to Patsy A: I got your check (thank you thank you thank you) and lost your email address (:-(. I sent a very nice thank-you note to the wrong email. Watch your snail mail for a little something.
*My laundry has got the upper hand on me, so I guess that will be my activity for the day.
*Also might try to get to my Christmas cards. That's one activity (sending cards) that I still enjoy. I didn't send cards last year after Vann's death. I'm looking forward to it this year.
Happy Friday, Everyone!
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On 12/03/2010, Karen said ...
Taking down the Christmas decorations on Boxing Day? It's like just cancelling Christmas. Nope, can't take them down until after 12th Night. December 25 is the first day of Christmas, not the 12th. Maybe I just had my head in the sand this fall, but I was shocked to see Father Christmas at the malls in England in early November. I don't think the local malls here in the US had seen Santa yet, but I don't have children so I don't really keep track of his arrival.
On 12/03/2010, Kai said ...
I know I'm going to be called a Pollyanna (people over 50 are ALWAYS calling me that - LOL) but I don't think you really hate ANYTHING about Christmas per se but rather about the changes people & time have MADE toward the holiday. Sooooo ... here's what I say: First, think of all the things you LOVE about it and just focus on those! Mute the commercials you dislike, immediately DELETE the emails, look at the early sales at Hobby Lobby as a chance to get wonderful bargains on THIS year's gifts instead of NEXT year's, shop ONLY if and when YOU choose, & toss the Christmas 'catch-up' letters! See? Easily solved, one & all problems! Now you are free to relish ALL the parts of Christmas you DO love. By the way, please ma'am - may I have YOUR serving of eggnog? It's my favorite thing! I LOVE you, Susan, and I have a feeling you are going to have an AWESOME holiday!
On 12/03/2010, Debby Messner said ...
I think your friend Kai said it well. You don't dislike Christmas and you can make it what you want to. I don't go to the stores after Thanksgiving.
Not unless I have to......I shop online or by phone. I try to get gifts that are needed.....nothing in excess. Try some new activities. Our town is having a candlelight walk tomorrow evening.....do something like that. Stay away from the cheesy things that you don't like and replace it with other things that you do like.
And remind me of these things when I have a down year. (((((HUGS))))
On 12/03/2010, Mama Pea said ...
Ha ha! I hate all those things, too. I really don't like doing the Christmas cards either. But I do sort of enjoy the season in spite of it all. I try really hard to ignore all the things like Hobby Lobby and e-mails, as best I can! hee hee Denial.
On 12/03/2010, Jen in NY said ...
It depresses me when I see Christmas trees at the curb on Dec.26. I try not to take mine down until the 12th night; at least until after New Year's. I don't understand what the rush is to get rid of everything Christmas after the 25th. I think people forget about the 12 days of Christmas, and the Wise Men's arrival in Bethlehem. Anyway, I hope your Christmas spirit is just a little delayed and that you will be filled with it soon!
On 12/03/2010, Marge Davies said ...
Merry Christmas11
Marge
On 12/03/2010, Marge Davies said ...
Whoa let that get away from me. Merry Christmas!! Christmas is what you make it so let it be Merry! and remember the meaning Christ's Birth. Again Merry Christmas!!
Marge
On 12/03/2010, Stephanie Lee said ...
I have to agree... I never take down any Christmas decorations until after twelfth night. (Even though I unknowingly married a grinch.) Usually I start packing up on the 6th. And I actually do cut the craft stores a little slack on their holiday stuff on the basis that quilting and most other crafts take time. If you want time to get the project done for Christmas, you have to start early. Other stores though... I get so irritated. I try to take it one holiday at a time. And I do all of my shopping before Thanksgiving whenever possible. This means paying a little more sometimes, but it is totally worth it to me to be able to avoid the craziness of December shopping. It also leaves me the whole month for the things I especially love about Christmas: spending time with family, baking and candymaking, Christmas decorations, music, and books, and after dark drives to look at the lights...
I believe all of your friends here are correct. Just try to ignore all of the blatant commercialism that you dislike so much, and try your best to focus on all of the parts of Christmas that you love so much.
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.
On 12/03/2010, Laurie H said ...
I especially agree with items #1 & 2. I hate the fact that Christmas items are being sold BEFORE HALLOWEEN.
On 12/03/2010, Barbara Anne said ...
I'm with you on numbers 1 (especially #1),2,3,5,6, and 7!
When the kids were very small, some of their gifts came in plastic trash bags with a big red or green bow! Lawn and Leaf bags hold a Big Wheel, doncha know?!!
Sniffle, sniff, boo hoo, sniff. I miss Hobby Lobby!
Watch me twirl with my finger atop my head as I announce I have my overseas cards and packages almost ready to mail!! Several small gifts are even going in those bits of wrapping papers I saved from Christmas past! The wonder of it all! The Christmas letter composition may be next...
Hugs!
On 12/03/2010, tammy said ...
I guess I haven't quite reached this point yet. The reason being, I still have children at home. Nothing like seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child. Although, I'm really not into decorating as much this year. Finding balance is key.
Have a great weekend!
On 12/03/2010, Kelly Ann said ...
Hey Toots...have to agree with everything except Egg Nog...OMG...I love the stuff, don't drink much but do love it...but please, Christmas vacation doesn't start on the 15th nor does it end on the 5th of January..
On 12/03/2010, Brenda Kula said ...
I make it simple on myself. I love to decorate for Christmas. So I do that. But I rarely buy gifts. So I don't have to go through the throngs in the store. I usually just grocery shop through December. I don't send out cards anymore, because I no longer enjoy it. (I use to make my own.) I can buy myself what I want, so I don't do the Christmas thing, and tell relatives not to also. So I give myself the good things, while taking out the bad. It depresses me to see people in stores, scrambling around buying gifts that will probably be taken back anyway. So I try and avoid it all.
Brenda
On 12/03/2010, Gretchen said ...
I completely agree with you about everything, especially how early Christmas starts nowadays. I think it completely ruins the season and I am sick of Christmas by Halloween. It's no longer special when it lasts 3 months.
On 12/04/2010, Gael Tino said ...
lol..u r 2 funny on your "list"...
I gotta say those Christmas letters are scanned quickly here, and TOSSED! They are THE most depressing letters I could ever read...Oh, tell me people how much better you are doing than us, tell me about your great vacations, your kid's promotions..gag
Someday we will write a REAL Christams letter, tell folks that our child is doing great, only 12 seizures today! yay!
Sarcastic I know, but don't people realize that for some of thier friends they need to skip the letter, just send a card?
Anyhoo, we celebrate the birth of our ssavior, and rejoice him in our hearts...
Take care, doggie snuggle, the season will be over soon!
Gael of Pink-a-Palooza, the blog no one reads! lol...geez, I'm in a "mood"
On 12/04/2010, Denise in PA said ...
Susan, I'm with you! For the first time at the office we had a "professional" tree put up (before Thanksgiving mind you). I said to my friend who is in charge of such stuff at the office "how did we rate a professional Christmas tree this year?" She said, "It's not a Christmas Tree it's a Holiday Tree!" I said then what are we calling the Menorah we always display the "Holiday Candle?" Come on people!!!!
Merry Christmas! And right now, Happy Hanukkah!"
On 12/04/2010, sophie said ...
Just after I read this blog post yesterday, I made a trip to my storage facility to dig out a couple of jackets, some yarn from my yarn stash and some Christmas decorations. I felt like you had jinxed me or something because, sure enough, as I was moving things around to get to all the stuff in the BACK of the little storage space, Silver Bells is blasting through the music system in the storage building. I realized it was only the FIRST time I'd heard it this year, but I knew there would be many more occurrences in my future ;-)
On 12/04/2010, Sharon said ...
Susan - What I love about January:
Christmas is over
Lots of books to read on my shelves
Many, many quilting projects to work on
Being retired - don't have to get out if it snows
Chili
Quilts to sleep under
. . . I could probably think of more.
Several years ago I decided to scale back on Christmas - it was just becoming too insane. Our country has for the most part, lost the true meaning of the season. It's all about spending money, and it's sad that our economy depends so much on this one holiday, when it should be about so much else instead.
On 12/05/2010, Susan Ramey Cleveland said ...
AMEN!
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I've had a request to explain to game of Dirty Santa to those of you who aren't familiar with it. There are variations on the rules, but I will explain how our Quilting Bee group plays it. We do this at each of our Christmas parties. We used to specify that everyone bring a wrapped Christmas-related or sewing-related gift. But now we bring an equivalent of a yard or more of fabric, gift wrapped. Here's how we play:
