The Running Bah Humbug Thread

And that's where we differ. I've probably seen it 30 times in the last four years, and I've read the script to that and Chasing Amy, too.

 

Tomorrow is Saint Nicholas Day, the day kids get presents in Holland. The night before you leave out your shoes for Sinter Klaas (sp?). He comes on his horse with Schwaartze Peter (Black Peter) and if you're bad they put you in a sack and take you back to their place in Spain. Once when I was a kid the two of them came to our house and made us kneel in front of them and say we were sorry for all the bad things we did. No wonder the Dutch are so fucked up. :-\

I loooved Christmas as a kid. It wasn't the presents so much as the fact that it was the one time of the year my family felt close and warm to me. Most of my good memories of my parents involve Christmas.

I've lost that love since I moved away from the West Coast, mainly because from 1989 to 2003 I spent most Christmases alone. Also, for singers it's the busiest time of the year. Between extra church services, carolling gigs in malls and "Messiah" solo gigs it's usually hopping.

I understand what people are saying about the things that are wrong with Christmas now but it doesn't have to be that way in your house. To be honest, I don't remember most of the presents I got as a kid. I remember dinner at Oma and Opa's, Midnight Mass and the way a lit Christmas tree with cheap ass Noma bubble lights turned my living room into the most beautiful place on earth.

My first Christmas after JR and I moved in together was really special. I can't remember a single gift that he gave me. But I do know that the contractor our landlord had hired to do our bathroom didn't leave until 5PM on Christmas Eve. The entire apartment was filthy, covered in plaster dust and there were no Christmas decorations of any kind. I kept JR going all week when we had to use the neighbour's bathroom for a week but on Christmas Eve, facing an evening of 3 Christmas services still to sing, I fell apart.

JR sent me off to church (and gave up coming to hear Gordon Lightfoot sing as he does every Christmas) and told me not to worry. When I got home at 1 AM, tired to my bones, I walked in to find that JR had spent the entire evening cleaning the place from top to bottom. He'd put out our Christmas cards with some lit candles to decorate and there were cheese and crackers and an ice cold martini sitting on the coffee table for me. Not that is a Christmas to remember.

Maybe we can choose to keep Christmas personal and not give in to everything around us. I know that this is the year I want to reclaim Christmas. I miss it.

 

I like to shop for and give presents. Not outrageous things that cost a lot of money, but I enjoy dreaming up things that the giftee will like, appreciate or be surprised by.

What bothers me is when people give gifts out of expectation and can't be bothered to think about the process. A few years ago my mother gave me a very nice pair of earrings. My ears aren't pierced.

 

Any other piercings that she knew about?

 

I've seen bits or pieces of Shrek (I, II, III), Nemo, Monsters Inc., High School Musical and various episodes of Hannah Montana 30 times over the last four years.
You're right. That's where we differ.

 

Forgot to mention my mother's birthday was on Christmas. She passed away in October.

There goes my one phone call a year to her. Maybe I'll call one of my sisters instead.

 

Harley, I'm sorry about your situation. I remember you posting some months back that you were behind on your car payments. Are you working now to help with the bills?

 

I saw Shrek I once, and some kid sitting next to me in the theater during Finding Nemo shit his pants. But that's all I've got. You win this round, my friend.

 

My little one "shits her pants" all the time.
Then again, she's 1.
(For the record, the older two do not shit their respective pants.)

 

I can't get a job to save my life.

Sent resumes to about eight places in town for desk jobs -- admin ass't, receptionist, etc. Nothing.

My back doesn't allow me to do much more than that.

Had a couple of offers in areas I'd like to live, but nobody wants to pay more than $18g. It's depressing as hell.

We're now five months behind on van payment because I just got a return check notice in today's good news (snail mail).

On top of that, we have a court date on the 20th for a collection, another one heading to court and a third that just sent to collections (all from my back surgery in June).

Jesus, if I could just land a fucking job, we'd be OK. We got the student loan people to hold off, but they are threatening to repo the fucking van. My beater won't make it the 90-mile round trip to my wife's job.

Merry fucking Christmas.

 

That's a good idea. We do a little bit of it anyway, but I never thought to involve the kid. That would make me very happy.

Having a four-year-old this time of year definitely has its bright spots. Like JR said, they're happy about everything. Luckily my wife is big into Christmas and they kind of feed off each other. My wife knows my feelings and it doesn't bug her, as long as I have enough money set aside for her to go shopping.

 

Grandma usually does well for the kids, but this year will be way down because her husband (wife's step-father) was near death and had several surgeries, so she can't afford much.

Best thing I can do is spend the day with my son, watching the Stone Cold DVD. He loves that one.