Well, it is that time of year again, when TVs and Radios blast at us that it is the season to visit your local stores and spend, spend and spend. They blast us with "door buster" sales that only are designed to get us into their stores to buy other items. How much are you spending this year? I (being unemployed right now) am spending less, but I normally do not spend much at stores anyway, I use my craft work to give some choice gifts to a few, and I avoid the stores as much as possible. I suppose how these stores do, decides in large part how the economy does, that is, we must do our part and spend on others as much as possible. Of course I am not a willing participant, so my usefulness to the economy is not much.

And what about those holiday dinners and get togethers? Are family telling you to get your ass going to spend "holiday cheer" with them? I do as little of that compared to most people, but I have had an occasional dinner with someone when pressured enough. I see this time of year like any other, if I want to do some gift giving, I do so other times of the year as well, maybe on birthdays or just a spontaneous thing, but people tend to "reach" out to me just this one time of the year which makes me think they do so because they have learned that is what they are suppose to do during this time. We live in a culture of traditional robotic arm-twisting.

Whatever you all do, I hope you enjoy friends and family. I have more time on my hands than in many years, but not the funds, so I have more time to just reflect and wonder where my path may go from here. I have been here before but just not at my age now. Anyone ever see the Michael Douglas movie "Falling Down"? There is this guy on the street with the sign that says something like "No longer economically viable". That is how I feel now. But with new changes come new paths. I will see you all down one of them...

Gawd, if anyone needed their beard painted white in his sleep it would be you! Then you would see Chrissy first thing in the morning! Then I would spike your morning coffee with Christmas cheer...

Damien,This year I will be giving money to my parents as I never know what to get them they have everything they need.My sons and there wives get money as well, to spend as they see fit.They all get $50.My two oldest grand kids get $30. to spend.My two youngest granddaughters want me to make them american doll clothes.I also make jewerly for my close friends and cookies.I realy hate this time of year as everybody wants you to come over at the same time .My nursing home is starting to give out voilations right and left and im thinking here we go again its hatchett time.So my friend I just might be joining you as most of us older ones are the ones getting the flack while the younger ones get away with everythng.

I am not a big fan of “Christmas”. In the first place since it not my holiday I feel that is kinda crammed down my throat – and yes that includes Santa. While I do like the lights that illuminate the dark half of the year, I am not a fan of the decorations that seem to go from gaudy to worse.

I do the typical modern Pagan thing – which is a bit too much of a nod to the Santa culture for my tastes – but I have a young son. (“EVERYONE gets gifts at this time of year Mom.”) We stay up all night, then do a small ceremony at sunrise on Yule (Dec 21st / 22nd ) and welcome the new born sun and the light half of the year with a breakfast celebration. We have a Yule log with 12 candles that are lit, adding one each night between Yule and Jan 1st ending our winter holiday by celebrating the New Year. My son and I exchange gifts, one each night), for 12 days. But don’t get the idea that it is part of the buy, buy, buy mentality that goes with the Christmas shopping season. It’s 12 small gifts. This year he will be getting a bar of his favorite Russian chocolate, a homemade scarf, a handmade knit hat, a hand me down used book, etc. It’s not about how much money is spent on the person but more of brightening their world in a personal way at the darkest part of winter. Typically throughout the year, we give each other similar small gifts as a way of showing appreciation. Same will hold true for the few friends and I that exchange gifts – something small, handmade with love, and personal and not always just for Yule.

I have never understood the whole Christmas culture and the push to spend & spend. If you are close to someone why need a special occasion to show them that they mean something to you? To me it is just one more way the greedy retail bastards have hijacked the western mentality and turned the masses into consumerisms sheep. And for my two bits, when it is just me, I do not even put up a darn light. I may go as far as a pretty candle & a little bit of pine for the altar – but other than that, I really do not care.


Ahhhh...look...someone put arrows in poor Rudolf. Now who would do that? (Hee hee hee)

LA, nice touch what you do with your son during this time of year. It is nice to know that someone else sees the value of a creative thing for a gift as I do instead of the crazy spending that goes on in the stores. Some people have to live within their means which may not be much, but the important thing is it is something when you consider it is a gift to another. The few gifts I am giving come from my blade making and it is that energy which goes into that which I have found has true value...

Lost Darkkin, I am sorry to hear of your work troubles, I think many still have to budget what they do this time of year. I hope things get better for you, too many of us are still out of work as it is, don't need to add to it..

And oh btw, my condolences to "Rudolph"..

La,can I bring my sling shot and help you finnish off the rest of them??? I am glad to here some one else dosent like the whole tree thing.Last year I got hounded about not putting up a tree soooooooo I found a blk one and put red lights on it with hand made road kill santa and his rain deer! I am making the nightmare before christmas for next year.I love yule as well and am teaching my granddaugher the old ways .She is helpng me put the pine greens around my house .Damen I have a meeting this week with the union and the boss...I wont go down with out a fight

Oh, I love the tree thing! It's all fun and sparkly and I'm honestly a big kid at Chrismas... I do agree it is not about money, and having come from a poor background and currently struggling to make ends meet, I can't afford for it to be about money anyway. But I love sticking pressies under the tree and watching everyone smile on Christmas morning. One thing I have for my Mum is a book and a record that my brother had when he was really young and I know just seeing it will bring back memories for her of when we were little. It's an excuse to decorate the table differently... A reminder of what we do have - most importantly the people we share our lives with.

Turkeys are pretty safe in this country as we don't have Thanksgiving... Some people have turkey at Christmas, but often will just buy a turkey breast or hind quater or rolled roast. I guess Christmas is also an excuse to eat turkey and bake hams! Although often over here we have it with salad as Christmas falls in the heat of the Summer. Prawns aren't unusual to find on the Christmas table either! And cold beer, and when I can help it - a personally invented Christmas cocktail!

I'm not really Christian and I know it is a Christian Holiday, but I love it anyway! I just find it a great time to reflect and appreciate... An opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a child and remember how enchanting life can be. (Of course I do this most days anyway, but at Christmas I get away with it! )

Debbie, to see with the eyes of a child is what keep's us young.Thank you for reminding me

I'm also not a christmas fan. I hate how the stores are crowded and people are always angry waiting in long lines to spend oodles of money. While I do give gifts, it's because I like to see people happy. Even though I don't care for the holiday, I know others do and celebrate for their own reasons. This year I'm making gifts, though I have bought a few. One person asked for something specific for her apartment, so I looked around and was able to get what she asked for. For my mother, I was out shopping with her recently and she spoke of how her work gets so cold that she and the other workers often wear scarves. I noticed she'd taken a particular interest in one she saw hanging up. So I tucked it away. She used to collect jars and bottles made of blue glass when I was a kid. I recently acquired an antique blue jar, through an odd set of events, that has a hiker on it and the words "Pikes Peak". We used to live near Pikes Peak when I was 11-12. I know it will bring back good memories for her when she see's it

While I enjoy giving gifts, I don't really like receiving gifts. I feel awkward and uncomfortable. I guess maybe its strange. I just don't like it. My birthday is about a week after christmas, which can be good because it gets missed. Then I don't have to deal with awkward present receiving. Sometimes people will give me b-day gifts on xmas, getting it all done at once.

Know what else irritates me about this season? (besides the incessant drone of the music...whiny kids...and snow) The fake smiles & fake cheer!!!!! Don't be fake to me. I know when someone is lying to me. I know when someone is being fake. Do not wish me a "Merry Christmas!" with that fake-ness. I understand that store workers kind of have to be fake-cheery; but the rest of the people...just drop the act -.-

On the upside...I LOVE the food! Sweet potatoes! Mashed potatoes! Stuffing! Turkey! Summer squash! Fresh biscuits! YUM YUM YUM!

You people are awesome. LA I salute thee.

For those celebrating it though I truly hope you have fun and enjoy it.
It's just not for me. Firstly because of old trauma. Every time this part of the year rolls by I have a hard time dealing with. If it was any other date I would be fine but since everything is so fixated at family-fun and being together it's just an extra slap in the face. The memories of the mental trauma and the realization I'll never have a family myself because of the physical trauma really drag me down.

Second I do not celebrate Christian holidays. I had to celebrate x-mas when I was younger and if the trauma from abuse wasn't enough I remember having to kneel for a plastic JC in a damn wooden miniature crib and asking for forgiveness for being born the way that I was. Never knew what that was about until I learned I was Jewish by birth. It really boosted my confidence to not know what was "wrong" with me yet get punished for it.
And whilst praying for a small plastic baby, which funny enough goes directly against one of the commandments, the people who'd hurt me stood next to me with their hands folded and a big smile on their faces like everything was okay. Ulgh *pukes*
I just wanted to pick up that little stall and smash their sanctimonious faces in with it.

And third but not least the fake happiness of most and the ridiculous commercialization of the holiday like some already mentioned.