do i need a good slap

[wizbit9]

christmas is a funny time of year for me. i dont know wether to enjoy it or not.

i grew up in a family where no emphasis was ever put on ejoying christmas. as my parents are of the communist minority (even tho we live in the uk which is far from a communist state) and christmas was always seen as a venture by the capitalist companies in making money off the working classes who could not necessarily afford it. presents were small and limited and being "drunk and merry" didnt really come into the equation.

however i am now grown up and left home and am big enough to make my own descisions on the values of christmas. i want desperately to disagree with my upbringing because there is a tendency to sound like ebenezzer scrooge however because this was the case for the best part of 20yrs it is difficult to think otherwize. christmas is 2 weeks away but i feel no excitement.

i love all your trees on this thread and they look fab but our house is going to bypass it this year i think. (extortionate money going into big business and all that)

do i need a good slap or just a good hug

 

[SilverVeil]

How 'bout one of each ? And a Christmas kiss to go along with them ?

 

[hotNnasty]

In my humble opinion.............
It depends if you have children or not. If you don't then what ever your comfortable with.
If you have kids, I think you need a slap The thrill of children on christmas morning is a joy to me.

 

[Soblue]

It's funny, but I grew up the opposite of you. In my house, it was all about the fluff and decorations, presents and materialism. We never went to church, never even acknowledged why we were celebrating Christmas. I was baptized, but that was the beginning and the end of my religous experience.

Now that I've grown up, I talk to my kids about Jesus, try to give them some meaning behind Christmas and have made sure that they are getting a religious education.

So...have a hug.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

HUG!

You may not "get it" but your heart is in the right place: Trying enjoy a part of your childhood you missed.

One of the things we do to really bring it home to us how much Christmas should mean is to help out with charities at this time of year.

When you see a foster childs face light up, or a homeless person be truthfully thankful for a meal you helped provide it brings to heart a small quiet joy which is *was according to some* the true spirit of Christmas.

Every year what we would also do is go thu all the childrens things and donate clothes and toys to make way for the new ones. This helps out in three ways: You are giving, you are making space in your own home for the new things, and you are teaching children a valuable lesson in shareing/not being greedy.

I hope that your Christmas brings you some joy, but I think that you will mostly be puzzled this year, and next year the "mood" will rest more easily on your shoulders.

Happy Holidays

 

[Draco]

XMAS ----> Ba Humbug.

 

[Mad_Jack_Rabbit]

Treat it as a holiday and go back to its orignal pagan roots - a festival to brigten up the drab winter months, a festival to celebrate the Winter Solstice and that the days are getting lighter.

Invite some friends round to enjoy it and have a good curry instead of turkey.