It struck me yesterday that Christmas is pretty much right around the corner. And I sighed.
Now, normally this isn't & wouldn't be my reaction. Last year was really, really hard to find the Christmas spirit--our lives had changed in a big bad way on October 30th with J joining the statistics, and pulling together so that there would be "something for everyone" to open on Christmas was difficult, but we did it.
This year I started squirreling things away early with the hopes that I'd be done by the time Christmas came. But as paychecks started getting stretched thinner & thinner, and as time has grown shorter, I look in that little box and think "where did it all go?" Birthdays came out of that box, and other occasions, and now there's really not much left in it except what was designated for a specific person.
I look at the astronomical amount of "started" Christmas presents on the needles and I literally feel like gagging. I don't know to finish it all & come out with my sanity & desire for pointy sticks & wool intact. I can literally sit & think of at least 5 projects ON the needles with intentions to be done by Christmas, with no less than another half dozen that "should" be made by then.
I just don't want to. I don't want to make presents out of necessity, and I certainly don't want to go to family functions empty-handed. Gifts are one of my love languages, and showering people with them are a way of showing them how much I love them.
That's another thing--family functions. The mere thought of them makes me want to tell work what days they are so that I WILL be scheduled for them instead of taking them off. I love my families, but the noise level, the questions, the "how-are-you-copings" and the well-meaning offers of help seems so overwhelming right now. I want to spend time with them but want to hide under a rock at the same time. I think anyone would agree that no matter how much you love & enjoy your family, being around them can be really emotionally draining, and that is what I feel as though I'm facing. It's really a struggle.
My prayer is that I will get into the spirit of the season soon, or at least STOP DREADING it. Because if I heard a Christmas carol or saw a poinsetta right now? I would start pricing bus tickets to "Anywherebuthereville" in a big fat hurry.
6 comments:
aw-don't hit the stores yet then! I think "the Christmas spirit" best gathers steam when you cut back and stay away from the commercialism. Let work dates fall where they may and limit your commitments. Small, thoughtful, crafty gifts may scratch your inner crafter and satisfy your want to give.
Last year I made bath foam and bought washcloths (on clearance!) and gave out vanilla sugar with a cookie recipe, and served the cookies at the gathering. Everyone was still happy. Hugs to you!
An idea - one of my daughters favorite things is how we attempt to make a gingerbread house every year. Please, note the word 'attempt.' Here is a picture.
I keep trying to cut back gifts, and increase the traditions - cinnamon rolls for breakfast, a late dinner, etc. The gifts I do give tend to be homemade. So far everyone has liked them!
Mandy, very moved by your honesty (The Christmas spirit will find you) Thanks for being real
Oh I so understand. Keep out the stores definitely, all it does is promote the idea that a gifts "worth" is related to what it cost. Nuh uh.
I'm making all our gifts, mostly because I want to and love to but also because we simply have no spare money at all. We're living on a student loan (my hub is a full time student and there's no p/t work here!). I picked a few small things I want to knit for my kids and found a great discount bookstore where I was lucky enough to find some perfect books for them. And everyone else is is getting baked goods/preserves. I also sometimes do cookie jars for the kids in our (large, extended) family and tie a cookie cutter to them but only if I can find pint jars on sale or at thrift stores.
It's also all my kids birthdays around this time. My hub and daughter's are one week apart in October, George & my MIL are 10 days apart in November and Lou my eldest is 7 in January.
Definitely limit your commitments and you know there's nothing wrong with saying to people 'Well thanks I really appreciate you asking but I'm here to enjoy Christmas/your company and I'm sure you understand that I don't want to talk about it right now' or similar.
x x
I'm spirit-less too. Christmas is a great big stressor for so many people. There's got to be a way to change that. I just wish I knew what it is.
Big hugs. I'll keep you in my prayers. One thing that I often made for my family was booklets of certificates. They'd be for things like one bedtime story, doing chores without complaining, etc.
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