Poll: How do you feel about this holiday time of year?

[audreyh1]

I’d be happy to ignore the holidays except that’s when family gets together from far away and the kids are so much fun.

[Gumby]

I wish the calendar would just jump from October 15 to January 15. I could easily do without everything in between.

[FIREd]

Kinda like the holidays. I look forward to the festive atmosphere, traditions, and family gatherings. But I also feel more stressed around the holidays - traveling to see family, hosting holiday dinners, getting the house decorated, finding the “perfect” gifts, etc..,

[redduck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby I wish the calendar would just jump from October 15 to January 15. I could easily do without everything in between.

But when would you sacrifice a goat?

[RobbieB]

This year my house looks better than it's ever looked for the holidays;



It's good to feel alive again -

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redduck But when would you sacrifice a goat?

Anytime is goat time!

Seriously ever eat a goat?

I wonder why they were not all eaten two centuries ago. Delicious, and kinda easy to catch. They'll do most anything for a cigarette.

[Gumby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redduck But when would you sacrifice a goat?

April 25th, of course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3w0eACxtoc

[Chuckanut]

I love the Christmas season, especially the 12 days of Christmas - Dec 25 to Jan 6.

I don't let the merchandisers ruin it for me.

[ABQ2015]

I like the holidays but don’t love them and I’m noticing that I’m liking them even more now that I’m newly retired and have time to enjoy. What I like the most is that I travel to spend the holidays with out of town relatives who I don’t see the rest of the year. I don’t care for the travel part but do appreciate that everyone has made time in their schedules to be together and I enjoy that – and we and their small children are together for several days at my DB and SIL’s large home, not just a few hours. They also have a Christmas party where we sing songs around the piano and go caroling in the neighborhood.

Other things that I enjoy about the holidays are the decorations and lights, putting up a tree, sending and receiving cards, going to special holiday events, holiday foods, dinners, and parties, etc. I used to shop for gifts but now just write a check and send it to younger relatives or their parents and no longer buy presents for siblings. Most of my younger relatives are going through some tough times financially so money is appreciated. And I don’t miss the shopping. I also enjoy the spirit of charitable giving at Christmas.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mdlerth I relax my low-carb regimen for a month and exult in eggnog (I use bourbon, not rum) and banana bread and chocolate and gingerbread and The Feast of 7 Fishes. Caloric penance can wait till January.

Try 6 oz heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp DaVinci sugar-free Egg Nog Syrup and nutmeg & bourbon to taste.

---------------

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
* 1 bag of fresh cranberries (12 oz)
* 12 drops liquid splenda
* 1/2 cup erythritol
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation:


1. Put cranberries in a pot on the stove, and pick through to remove soft and/or brown ones.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.

3. Stir frequently. The cranberries will pop, and then release their "gel" -- and the sauce will come together like magic. Cook until the sauce is the consistency you want, about 5 to 10 minutes. It may take longer.

[Nemo2]

We spend Christmas Day with the granddaughters........there's running, shrieking, yelling, giggling, laughing...................oh yeah, and the kids enjoy it too.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby I wish the calendar would just jump from October 15 to January 15. I could easily do without everything in between.

That's about where I am.

Kids are grown, family is a blended one, everyone seems to be sliding into their own deal and family gatherings are hard to get organized, especially now that DW isn't able to do all the organizing and cleanup work.

[easysurfer]

This year, I put neutral about the holidays.

Usually, more in the spirit but this year for one, been warmer than most so no snow on the ground.

Plus, for about the past month, was just getting over a mean chest cold then laryngitis. Pretty much all recovered now , but feeling behind with the holiday season.

[Moemg]

I kind of like the holidays since we have relaxed everything . My SO's DIL took over the big Christmas Eve party which relieved most of my stress . We now have a few friends for dinner on Christmas and relax . I do love the music and the Christmas movies and leftovers .

[Rambler]

I voted neutral, for a few reasons, although deep in my heart, I’m closer to wishing they’d disappear. I am Christian and love my God, and for his sacrifice I am grateful. Remembering Him, and what he has done for me, are the positives of the season.

The negatives? I can’t please everyone, no matter how hard I try. As an example, last year, we went to visit my son and his wife for Christmas. Their jobs did not allow them to travel during the holidays and DIL even had to work late on Christmas Eve. But we got to be with them. My parents, who I offered to take with us, pay their hotel and meals etc, refuse to travel. Then they complained, to the world, on Facebook, that all their kids had abandoned them for Christmas. Mind you, were the only ones that live close (35 minute drive). My siblings all live at least a 12 hour drive away, as did my son and DIL. My daughter and SIL had their turn at his parents’ place, so they weren’t with us. So we’re publicly humiliated for trying to enjoy time with our kids, after offering them the opportunity to go as well.

Second, everything has become so commercialized. There have to be 10 gifts for everyone under the tree, and they have to be carefully balanced because someone has their calculator out auditing the value of the gifts.

Third, this year, DD and SIL want to come to our place...not the place we want to be at, but our second home. We may have to drive 4 hours thru a snowstorm to get there...and when they find out they’ve got to drive thru the snowstorm, they’re likely to cancel, as they have before, and that after we’ve made the preparations. At our main home, this would not be a worry. On top of that, my parents will be left alone again this year, because they won’t come, and even if they said they’d come, we don’t have enough facilities for everyone if they did. I don’t want to open Facebook on Christmas Day.

DW and I have already decided we don’t want any surprises under the tree...prefer to buy what we want, when we want it, and not have to deal with wrong size returns, etc. Next year, we may very well just fly off some where and hide for a month and not deal with the all the drama.

That, my friends, is why I voted neutral. I will not, I cannot turn my back on my God, but I can’t take the drama anymore either.

Edit to correct: my parents’ issue last year was not Christmas...it was Thanksgiving, but we were with our kids, 12 hours away, and they had refused to join.

[Helen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB I am glad to be loving the holidays again. Had a hard time for 5 years after my wife died between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Time does heal -

I'm so sorry for your loss. My Dad died on Thanksgiving morning and my Mom died in mid December six years later.

After my spouse's parents died we spent a quiet and depressing Christmas at home. After that we started hosting Christmas dinner for friends who don't have family in the area. It has been a lot of fun. This year we will have about 15 people over on Christmas day.

[Alan]

I love the holidays over Christmas and New Year, because we have a close family and always get together. This year in particular we are looking forward to it as it is our first Christmas in England as a family in decades. (I have had 2 Christmases in England in the past as my mother then my father died at Christmas). We are living in the same town as my sister for the first time ever, our son just moved into his new house and we are all within 15 minutes walk from each other and the town centre. Our daughter and her partner are flying in from California on the 20th.

On Thursday last week we were walking through the town with thick snow on the ground, Christmas decorations, market stalls on the cobbles (Thursdays and Saturdays are market days) and I expected to see Bob Cratchet hurrying along to get back to work. Magic.

[Osprey]

I'm not religious but I love the holidays for the opportunities they bring to get together with loved ones, and they make the march into winter far less depressing than it would be without the festive atmosphere.

[Dash man]

I spend a lot of time at church and it’s a true blessing around the holidays. Tomorrow we’re distributing Poinsettias to shut in parish members. We’ve given a lot to shelters and food banks along with gifts to our church. Having a new grandson this year has made this year extra special! We genuinely feel the joy of Christmas this year.

[Red Badger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB I love the holidays and look forward to them. We are a very close family and the holiday season is an opportunity to get together. Edit to add - the commercial aspect around Christmas does irritate me.

I voted like. The commercial aspect(s) disgust me. Love the family, faiths (all), and fellowship aspects.