Sunday, November 28, 2010

I'm starting to feel like Scrooge...

No, not Scrooge McDuck, Ebenezer Scrooge.  (Though Scrooge McDuck has some pretty nifty spats, and lots of cool gadgets...but we're not talking about Ducktales here.)

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Dave's folks' place this year, and it was okay.  Everyone got together and we had good food.  But I kinda just wanted to be at home having a somewhat less crazy day.  (And now I kinda feel bad about saying that because at least some of my family is going to read this and have their feelings hurt, which isn't what I mean at all.)  I think for Christmas we're planning on just doing a quiet day at home, which is good.


But the thing is, I'm not really looking forward to Christmas, and I haven't for several years now.  I'm not working, so we don't have any extra money to buy presents.  And I know it's not about presents, but it kinda is.  And it seems like such a hassle to go and get out the decorations, but at least they're not out in the garage this year, which is good, because I don't think I could get in to the garage at the moment, since someone has decided that Billings, MT needs to have a ton of snow dumped on it.  Ugh.

I'm hoping that I'll get more into the Christmas spirit soon.  I can't seem to remember what exactly it is that I like about this time of year, though.  I've only got a couple of weeks left of school for the semester (and I have another research paper that I'm really supposed to be working on right now...), followed by a month off.  (I'm really looking forward to that!)  Maybe then it'll start to get better.

Anyway...yeah, I'm not feeling very Christmas-y.  I've got Christmas music playing in the background, but it doesn't seem to be helping yet.

4 comments:

Hieronymous Anonymous said...

You're crafty! I know you can make people amazing gifts - I've received them myself!

Frivolity aside, I think a lot of one's non-Christmas spirits stem from a nebulous air of disappointment of expectations. And, the thing is, those expectations are also nebulous.
To put it bluntly, it's all bullshit.

You are having a quiet Christmas with your family around you. You will make good food, and be in good company. You will have fun.

And that's the point of it! (I do realise I obviously have a more secular Christmas time than you.)

I am not all gung-ho for Christmas yet (for a start, it's not even December) but I love to see people's faces when they open the (often second-hand or handmade) presents I give them. And I love to eat until I'm sleepy with my family.

I can't really give advice (I know, you're shocked), but I say don't force it, and don't burden yourself with unneccesary expectations.
*hug*

Anonymous said...

Well said, Nettie. i say let it come if it is going to. Sometimes I think the whole "Christmas Spirit" thing is WAY overblown.

If they don't get a perfect "present" on the 25th, they will later. And if they don't get it then, well, it really ISN'T about the gifts.

For ME, it is just about spending a day together as a family. Calm, peaceful, loving. The rest is just gravy. (And as much as i LOVE gravy, it RARELY makes the meal...) ;-)

I love you always will....

David

Anonymous said...

Um, i mean Boo.

it must be my brain tumor acting up...

You know, the one they are gonna diagnose me with in 30 years... ;-)

(Captch - untat) lol

Nettie said...

Crafty, I know what you mean about not really being in the spirit this year. Christmas is my most favourite time of the year and I was so excited this year because I was getting to have Christmas twice! With Dad visiting we decided to have Christmas in November so my step mum could have an Aussie Christmas.

That was a fantastic day and I was really looking forward to regular Christmas too. My house had been fully decorated early on and I was getting into the swing of things nicely. But then my older sister and I had a rather big fight over a difference of opinions and it resulted in her uninviting me from our family Christmas dinner (held at her place this year).
I was gutted. And something in me kind of died that day.
I've taken down all of my Christmas decorations and I am finding myself just not giving a rat's arse about Christmas this year.

I am quite sad about that since as I said, Christmas is the biggest day of my year. I may not be religious but spending the day with my family has always meant so much to me. And to cap things off, we usually have lunch with Christian's mum but since her sister died a few months ago, she doesn't want to be here for Christmas this year.

My normally very busy day has just opened wide up...