Xmas frustrations

[Dr_Strabismus]

We all know that Christmas, no matter how much we're supposed to love it, often comes with stress, disappointment and frustration.

My biggest frustration is this: Every year I'm expected to don the Santa Outfit, first for my kids, now for my grandkids, when all along I've wanted to be the fairy in her white outfit , perched blissfully on top of the tree feeling the pine needles lodged firmly inside my delicate little sphincter.

What are your biggest Xmas frustrations?

 

[SimonDoom]

We all know that Christmas, no matter how much we're supposed to love it, often comes with stress, disappointment and frustration.

My biggest frustration is this: Every year I'm expected to don the Santa Outfit, first for my kids, now for my grandkids, when all along I've wanted to be the fairy in her white outfit , perched blissfully on top of the tree feeling the fir pines lodged firmly inside my delicate little sphincter.

What are your biggest Xmas frustrations?

Not that one, certainly.

In the past, the stress of last-minute shopping in horribly crowded stores was probably the most frustrating experience. Thanks to Amazon and other online vendors, that's much less of a problem now.

The only time I've ever worn a Santa suit was to play Santa for a day in a pet store. People put their dogs in my lap and took pictures. One of the goofier things I've done.

 

[oggbashan]

This year, the rail strikes in the UK make it impossible for the London branch of the family to visit us. They don't have a car because they can get almost everywhere they want to go in London on various means of public transport.

From time to time they might hire a car, but because of the rail strikes, everyone has had the same idea and there are no hire cars available until after the New Year.

 

[nice90sguy]

Tomorrow I'm having Xmas lunch with a Jewish guy, his Muslim wife, a church-going Christian and a Hindu lady. I'll be the only true Pagan there, who knows the real meaning of mistletoe.

 

[lovecraft68]

There's a shadow over this one because last week, after some tests, we were told my wife's cancer is back. They feel she'll be fine, its operable and that will happen end of January, but it brings back a lot. Her mom, dad, sister all died of cancer over the last ten years and we almost lost her in 2014.

We're not telling anyone until after the holidays. We're going to be selfish and keep the joy to ourselves for now.


Fa La la la la.

 

[Dr_Strabismus]

 

[Lifestyle66]

Those lights which say "stays lit when one bulb goes out" only seem to work for the first season. And I'm obsessed with not filling the local dump with them.

My greatest Xmas frustration is pulling out the boxes of light strings to decorate the house and tree, then spending HOURS going through them to find where the fault lies in the half-strings which won't work. I get to the point where I'd like to meet the guy who designed those light strings to insert them into his delicate little sphincter.

 

[MrPixel]

The shopping and traffic give us the Christmas blues, and we live in a small town. Then there are the nearly two-day supermarket closures both weekends which put a crimp in our as-needed approach to grocery shopping. My wife has no family, and with both parents having passed years ago I'm estranged from my siblings (we're scattered everywhere), so there are no pressures to travel. None of us five have children, which sort of tells you our feelings about "family", anyway.

The biggest bother to us is having to swear off of Costco for two months. Their stores get insanely stupid mid-November through mid-January, and we don't do crowds. Probably the biggest reason I never got covid.

LC, so sorry to hear your news. C has been cancer-free for over 25 years, but we still dread every mammogram. Wishing the best for you and your wife.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

There's a shadow over this one because last week, after some tests, we were told my wife's cancer is back. They feel she'll be fine, its operable and that will happen end of January, but it brings back a lot. Her mom, dad, sister all died of cancer over the last ten years and we almost lost her in 2014.

We're not telling anyone until after the holidays. We're going to be selfish and keep the joy to ourselves for now.


Fa La la la la.

for you and your family.

 

[Voboy]

Breaking down boxes. It was always a pain the day of/the day after, but nowadays there's no respite even in the lead-up: Amazon gleefully keeps the cardboard industry going, and some days it seems I'm responsible for recycling every square centimeter of it.

Gets old, fast.

 

[lovecraft68]

LC, so sorry to hear your news. C has been cancer-free for over 25 years, but we still dread every mammogram. Wishing the best for you and your wife.

Happy to hear your wife has remained cancer free.

Since 2014 my wife has a cat scan every year to check her kidneys. Don't you love that feeling of Russian roulette?

 

[Bisexguy70]

There's a shadow over this one because last week, after some tests, we were told my wife's cancer is back. They feel she'll be fine, its operable and that will happen end of January, but it brings back a lot. Her mom, dad, sister all died of cancer over the last ten years and we almost lost her in 2014.

We're not telling anyone until after the holidays. We're going to be selfish and keep the joy to ourselves for now.


Fa La la la la.

Im so sorry to hear that LC. . I just happen to come across this thread. My wife had appendix cancer and had surgery before the holidays. It was supposed to be just a cyst on her ovary. Its rare, they got it all but has had long term effects from it. She survived thankfully. Along with hysterectomy, gall bladder and feet surgery weve been through the ringer for sure. Stay positive and Happy Holidays.

 

[Blind_Justice]

Mother-in-law, only relative who gives a shit about the holidays, ALWAYS being drunk even before the table is laid. And her bitching about how we ruin the evening by arguing with her. Every fucking time.

 

[KeithD]

Only a minor frustration here, which is trying to hold off on telling my wife she really shouldn't go to the late Christmas Eve service tonight because of possible road conditions (it was 8 degrees in Central Virginia when I went to bed last night). We live on a ridge with hilly, windy roads. The last time she went out in conditions like this, she totaled my car (having taken mine rather than hers because I have 4-wheel drive). She is to set communion up for the service, but we're getting too old to accept responsibilities like these.

Beyond that, we've escaped Christmas frustration this year. We decided early to hunker down and mark it here at home rather than going anywhere or visiting any relatives, and, with the weather conditions across the States, we see that was a good move. Our Christmas trip was a middle-of-the-week jaunt to a new winery in the mountains a 30-minute drive away. No crowds, good wine and snacks, a nice fireplace, and a great view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

 

[Seadog777]

Here at McKenzie Manor, this 2022 Holiday Season hasn't been "frustrating" however, it's been very very emotional.

This the final Christmas for my oldest daughter as a "child". She'll be 18 in May.

There's been some tears from me looking back at pictures of past Christmas seasons.

 

[KeithD]

Congrats! Look forward to reading about her in Lit

Do you have any idea how creepy that sounds?

My guess is that you don't have any daughters.

 

[Dr_Strabismus]

Keep guessing

 

[Lifestyle66]

Mother-in-law, only relative who gives a shit about the holidays, ALWAYS being drunk even before the table is laid. And her bitching about how we ruin the evening by arguing with her. Every fucking time.

Now if you had said "mother", I'd have guessed you might be one of my kids talking about their mother, my Ex.

There is only one person in the room who is right, when she's there. And the sound volume of the discussion will increase until you understand that.

 

[karaline]

This year, the rail strikes in the UK make it impossible for the London branch of the family to visit us. They don't have a car because they can get almost everywhere they want to go in London on various means of public transport.

From time to time they might hire a car, but because of the rail strikes, everyone has had the same idea and there are no hire cars available until after the New Year.

A few weeks ago I misplaced my bank card, duly rang the bank for a replacement. Still no sign of it, three weeks later -postal strikes.

Christmas shopping has been a challenge.

 

[karaline]

There's a shadow over this one because last week, after some tests, we were told my wife's cancer is back. They feel she'll be fine, its operable and that will happen end of January, but it brings back a lot. Her mom, dad, sister all died of cancer over the last ten years and we almost lost her in 2014.

We're not telling anyone until after the holidays. We're going to be selfish and keep the joy to ourselves for now.


Fa La la la la.

So sorry to hear this LC. Wishing you both the best

Karaline

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Hoping for the best for you and your wife, Lovecraft.

 

[jsmiam]

Sorry for the bad news @Lovecraft. She sounds like a fighter. Good luck to her.

That puts things in perspective. My complaints for the season pale in comparison.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Best wishes @lovecraft68. Cancer sucks, even if it's a tedious treatable kind.

Lost a dear friend to cancer earlier this year. On the plus side, another friend is responding well to chemo ATM and two other friends have been given the all-clear recently. I haven't told those two that if they'd had their cancers 20 years ago, they'd be long gone. Treatment is developing amazingly fast. Just not fast enough for everyone.

This is the first time in 3 years I've been able to go out to actual shops, though I have to admit that supermarkets and chain stores are hell on earth and I look forward to avoiding them as much as possible in future.

 

[Handley_Page]

There's a shadow over this one because last week, after some tests, we were told my wife's cancer is back. They feel she'll be fine, its operable and that will happen end of January, but it brings back a lot. Her mom, dad, sister all died of cancer over the last ten years and we almost lost her in 2014.

We're not telling anyone until after the holidays. We're going to be selfish and keep the joy to ourselves for now.


Fa La la la la.

Best of Luck !

 

[Alitaptap]

There's a shadow over this one because last week, after some tests, we were told my wife's cancer is back. They feel she'll be fine, its operable and that will happen end of January, but it brings back a lot. Her mom, dad, sister all died of cancer over the last ten years and we almost lost her in 2014.

We're not telling anyone until after the holidays. We're going to be selfish and keep the joy to ourselves for now.


Fa La la la la.

Sending you the tightest hugs, @lovecraft68 , from across the Atlantic. And sending to your wife and your whole family.

As for me, Mom’s pretty weak now so we decided to take her to the beach to celebrate the time she has left. She can hardly walk so we all take turns at being her human cane, which she loves. We have succeeded at getting her drunk on Sangria (we showed her pictures of her drunken state haha!), letting her eat oysters (her favorite), and buying whatever she wants (she is burning holes through all our pockets - pearls, dresses, a jacket, you name it - I got my naughtiness from her, go figure). So yeah, bittersweet Christmas.

Giving everyone here a tight group hug, and sending my love from my corner of the world to all of yours