The Running Bah Humbug Thread

[Write-brained]

Sorry, but I loathe this time of year. My father died 10 days before Christmas when I was 13, so that's always been a big part of it.

I'm putting on a brave face for the kid, but the shopping, spending money, the greedy focus on gifts, puts me in a dour mood. It's three weeks away and I'm already tired of it.

I can't be the only one. Feel free to vent here.

 

[Cansportschick]

Sorry, but I loathe this time of year. My father died 10 days before Christmas when I was 13, so that's always been a big part of it.

I'm putting on a brave face for the kid, but the shopping, spending money, the greedy focus on gifts, puts me in a dour mood. It's three weeks away and I'm already tired of it.

I can't be the only one. Feel free to vent here.

White-brained, the holidays should be about spending time with loved ones, not commercialism.
I feel at times that the real meaning of Christmas or any festive holiday is lost. That's my vent.

 

[Norman Stansfield]

Sorry, but I loathe this time of year. My father died 10 days before Christmas when I was 13, so that's always been a big part of it.

I'm putting on a brave face for the kid, but the shopping, spending money, the greedy focus on gifts, puts me in a dour mood. It's three weeks away and I'm already tired of it.

I can't be the only one. Feel free to vent here.

White-brained, the holidays should be about spending time with loved ones, not commercialism.
I feel at times that the real meaning of Christmas or any festive holiday is lost. That's my vent.

Totally true -- Christmas should be about spending time with loved ones. But even so, you can't escape having to brave the malls or local stores, and the countless idiots you encounter in the meantime, in order to get said gifts for said loved ones.

Another stressful part for me is trying to come up with gift ideas for myself to give to others. Since I always buy what I need during the course of the year, I am never able to come up with any good ideas and feel bad for not giving better ideas.

Oh well. Only three more weeks of it...

 

[Write-brained]

Sorry, but I loathe this time of year. My father died 10 days before Christmas when I was 13, so that's always been a big part of it.

I'm putting on a brave face for the kid, but the shopping, spending money, the greedy focus on gifts, puts me in a dour mood. It's three weeks away and I'm already tired of it.

I can't be the only one. Feel free to vent here.

White-brained, the holidays should be about spending time with loved ones, not commercialism.
I feel at times that the real meaning of Christmas or any festive holiday is lost. That's my vent.

That's why I have such a great time during Thanksgiving. Then comes Christmas and all the fun gets sucked out because of the stress and pressure of shopping and being prepared.

 

[Norman Stansfield]

Sorry, but I loathe this time of year. My father died 10 days before Christmas when I was 13, so that's always been a big part of it.

I'm putting on a brave face for the kid, but the shopping, spending money, the greedy focus on gifts, puts me in a dour mood. It's three weeks away and I'm already tired of it.

I can't be the only one. Feel free to vent here.

White-brained, the holidays should be about spending time with loved ones, not commercialism.
I feel at times that the real meaning of Christmas or any festive holiday is lost. That's my vent.

That's why I have such a great time during Thanksgiving. Then comes Christmas and all the fun gets sucked out because of the stress and pressure of shopping and being prepared.

Ever since I grew out of the idea that Christmas was all about getting gifts (in my teens), Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday by far.

It's all about hanging out with family, eating, relaxing and having a good time.

 

[Cansportschick]

Yeah, this is the one time of the year, actually only time of the year that I can see my entire family and all my friends in my area, or ones travelling from around the country or coming from overseas. This is even more important to me this year.

White-brained, Christmas is a tough time of year for me for personal reasons too.

Every year at one of my workplaces, the gift I give is to work so that all my other coworkers can have the holidays off to spend with their families. It is my gift to them.

I still buy gifts for people, but I find it better to give than receive.

 

[RedHotChiliPrepper]

I really thought I was the only one out there who looked at Christmas and just said get me to January. I can't stand anything to do with the holiday anymore. The shopping, the commercialism, the general presence of stupidity amogst people for a freakin Tickle me Elmo that if you wait three more months will be plentiful on store shelves.

Not even a sad-faced Tiny Tim could get me to change my mind either. I'm not a very religious person - but very faithful, if that makes sense - so I don't devote this time of year to a church. I really wonder anymore what's the freakin point. I love my family, I always buy gifts for my closest friends who almost never get me anything in return.

I can't stand Christmas music. I can't stand anything Christmassy before December. I've resigned my self to the fact that come December 1st I have absolutely no room to ***** because it is "the Christmas season." The only thing remotely good about this time of the year are the state high school football playoffs. Most of my family are a bunch of douche nozzles who I would rather not be around for the most part.

I can't stand the political correctness of people being forced to say happy holidays. Say Merry Christmas to me. If you don't celebrate Christmas, gladly tell me. I'll be sure to find out what it is you celebrate and wish you a happy that. By doing that you can establish a small connection with another person you don't even know which can make a person's day to take a vested interest in what their holiday season is all about. But no, a standard Happy holidays makes sure no one gets their feelings hurt.

I'd rather take the money and the time devoted to Christmas and fly to Florida to see my best friend who is away from home for the first Christmas of her life.

Screw Christmas and everything it currently stands for. Give me Christmas centered around what it's supposed to be about and we'll talk.

And in all seriousness, Merry Christmas everybody. Don't be a grinch like me. Enjoy the time with your family. Enjoy the looks on your kids faces Christmas morning. Just enjoy as much as you can.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go fetch some beers. Yuengling OK?

 

[Cansportschick]

I really thought I was the only one out there who looked at Christmas and just said get me to January. I can't stand anything to do with the holiday anymore. The shopping, the commercialism, the general presence of stupidity amogst people for a freakin Tickle me Elmo that if you wait three more months will be plentiful on store shelves.

Not even a sad-faced Tiny Tim could get me to change my mind either. I'm not a very religious person - but very faithful, if that makes sense - so I don't devote this time of year to a church. I really wonder anymore what's the freakin point. I love my family, I always buy gifts for my closest friends who almost never get me anything in return.

I can't stand Christmas music. I can't stand anything Christmassy before December. I've resigned my self to the fact that come December 1st I have absolutely no room to ***** because it is "the Christmas season." The only thing remotely good about this time of the year are the state high school football playoffs. Most of my family are a bunch of douche nozzles who I would rather not be around for the most part.

I can't stand the political correctness of people being forced to say happy holidays. Say Merry Christmas to me. If you don't celebrate Christmas, gladly tell me. I'll be sure to find out what it is you celebrate and wish you a happy that. By doing that you can establish a small connection with another person you don't even know which can make a person's day to take a vested interest in what their holiday season is all about. But no, a standard Happy holidays makes sure no one gets their feelings hurt.

I'd rather take the money and the time devoted to Christmas and fly to Florida to see my best friend who is away from home for the first Christmas of her life.

Screw Christmas and everything it currently stands for. Give me Christmas centered around what it's supposed to be about and we'll talk.

And in all seriousness, Merry Christmas everybody. Don't be a grinch like me. Enjoy the time with your family. Enjoy the looks on your kids faces Christmas morning. Just enjoy as much as you can.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go fetch some beers. Yuengling OK?

Can you fetch me some Keith's beer? I really need some.

 

[alleyallen]

It's not Christmas that's a bear for me...it's the entire month of December. My son, dad and mom all have birthdays in December, and with that and stupid-assed family gift exchanges, I end up in financial stress for a month or two of the new year. I love all my family and happily celebrate their birthdays. But I wish they all had been born in September or October.

 

[JR]

I try and do all my shopping online. Amazon is the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

 

[OTD]

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

Sure, rub it in to those of us who can't go to Cuba!

 

[JR]

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

Sure, rub it in to those of us who can't go to Cuba!

OK, Bahamas then.

 

[mike311gd]

I try and do all my shopping online. Amazon is the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

I've got all but two gifts purchased because of the Internet shopping, Amazon in particular. Thank you, Al Gore. Thank you.

 

[Cansportschick]

I try and do all my shopping online. Amazon is the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

I've got all but two gifts purchased because of the Internet shopping, Amazon in particular. Thank you, Al Gore. Thank you.

Should we thank Al Gore for the World Toilet Association Conference Mike. I have a hunch that he has something to do with it.

 

[BNWriter]

Yes!!! Thank you, Write-Brained for your starting this thread, although I am sorry to hear what caused it for you.

I run into plenty of people who say to me just how much they do not like the holidays anymore (for a variety of reasons), and I have joined the crowd.

I am so glad to know I am not alone.

 

[mike311gd]

I try and do all my shopping online. Amazon is the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

I've got all but two gifts purchased because of the Internet shopping, Amazon in particular. Thank you, Al Gore. Thank you.

Should we thank Al Gore for the World Toilet Association Conference Mike. I have a hunch that he has something to do with it.

We should thank Gore for everything.

 

[mike311gd]

Yes!!! Thank you, Write-Brained for your starting this thread, although I am sorry to hear what caused it for you.

I run into plenty of people who say to me just how much they do not like the holidays anymore (for a variety of reasons), and I have joined the crowd.

I am so glad to know I am not alone.

I always get ragged on for not decorating my house. I'm a single, 24-year-old guy, who has a visitor once every three or four weeks. I see no need to decorate. None.

 

[JR]

I try and do all my shopping online. Amazon is the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

I've got all but two gifts purchased because of the Internet shopping, Amazon in particular. Thank you, Al Gore. Thank you.

Should we thank Al Gore for the World Toilet Association Conference Mike. I have a hunch that he has something to do with it.

We should thank Gore for everything.

Except for conceding when he didn't have to.

 

[mike311gd]

I try and do all my shopping online. Amazon is the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

I've got all but two gifts purchased because of the Internet shopping, Amazon in particular. Thank you, Al Gore. Thank you.

Should we thank Al Gore for the World Toilet Association Conference Mike. I have a hunch that he has something to do with it.

We should thank Gore for everything.

Except for conceding when he didn't have to.

Very, very true.

 

[Jones]

You can reclaim Christmas and make it yours.

Growing up, Christmas was a big deal for us. My family was not well off -- when we came to Canada, five of us lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Mississauga, which is the definition of Hell, especially in January -- but my parents saved all year and bought presents throughout the year and squirreled them away, and we came out sleepy-eyed to giant piles of presents under the tree... We weren't spoiled, far from it, because we didn't get anything the rest of the year, but Christmas was our one big day, even though we weren't religious. It just became a big event in our lives, and now, looking back, especially as a father, I can appreciate how much effort my parents put into it, most of it thankless. I was the last kid on my block to believe in Santa Claus, so what did I have to thank my folks for?

Christmas continues to be a big deal in our house. Our kids won't be spoiled throughout the year, but they will wake up excited on Christmas morning, not just because of the presents, but because they know it will be a day we spend together with everyone in our family and be close to each other. We'll eat good food and we'll maybe go tobaggoning or skating, and we'll teach our kids that some other kids don't have it as good and we should help them out a little. This will be the first year Charley puts toys into the big Toy Mountain collection, hopefully on his way to understanding that not every kid has it as good as he does.

And as for our extended family, we've taken to drawing names out of a hat, just to take some of the pressure off, which seems to work well.

So, that's Christmas for us. It's our own thing. My family has worked to make it that way, starting with my parents, and we'll keep on the traditions and maybe start some new ones. I can see why some people don't like Christmas, especially if you associate it with something sad. But for us, it's a good day, in the truest sense of the word, and we'll try our best to keep it that way. It takes some work and thought, but it's worth it for us. If my kids have the memories of Christmas that I have, and that my brother and sister have, then I'll have done a good job. I want that for them, and I wish it for all of you.