I'm hating holidays less

[susandennis]

When I got divorced shortly after I got married, I gave myself several presents. 1. The life of a single woman 2. My first PC (an IBM PC jr) and 3. Freedom from ever having to spend a holiday with family again.

We had great holidays when I was a kid. I mean really epic ones. Especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. They were postcard perfect in most ways. But, as I got older, they got tedious. My parents were very kind to my husband but it was clear to me that they liked him as much as I did - not much. And holidays, particularly, got not fun. So I swore off. And, for the next 15 years, I spent all holidays by myself or with friends.

Daddy died in 1999 and I fell into a habit of flying to Charleston, SC and spending Thanksgiving with my mom. We had some really fun Thanksgivings. Traveling there and back was a PIA but it was worth it. She died in 2005.

Especially when I retired in 2012, holidays turned into annoyances. Stores and businesses I wanted were closed, people left town, things didn't hum along like they needed to for ME.

But, over the last year or so, I've changed my mind. Holidays now mean traffic on the bridge coming home from the pool gets very more reasonable. Even this morning, I was able to swim early and the traffic home wasn't bad at all. And I don't mind the closures so much either. TV shows go on hiatus but Amazon and Netflix fill in the void.

It's ok.

Today, I have a bit of an adventure. I'm off to the Seattle Art Museum to see the Yves St. Laurent exhibit. I fully expect to be turned away at door for some reason or another, in which case, the adventure will be a lovely walk.

I may pop into the Target across the street from the museum and check their craft supplies. I need a good, cheap colorful felt source. Who knows what else might happen?

Comments

[quirkytizzy.livejournal.com]

I loathe the holidays. I've also never thought of it this way. To look at this way. I like this. Thank you for sharing.

[susandennis]

They are easier to get through once you decide they don't suck as much as you thought :)

[icyparadox.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. Holidays when I was younger were always fun filled family events. I used to love Christmas - now honestly, I detest the holiday. My favorite day of the year is the day after Christmas when I know I am as far from the blasted event as I can be for another year.

Hope you have a relaxing day at the museum.

[susandennis]

I am very grateful that I don't have holiday obligations!

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Christmas is fine, but I've never cared about Thanksgiving. I'd rather eat a pizza. Being in retail for all these years, I always treasured Thanksgiving as a day to spend by myself before the huge Xmas rush came in. But people always assumed I was depressed spending it alone, and begged me to come over and eat with their families, etc. It was just ridiculous. Nobody could accept that I needed that day to myself.

FM is open 7-4 on Thanksgiving and I don;t even mind working it this year. :)

[susandennis]

Maybe I should go to FM and get a little shopping in while the traffic is light. That's a pretty darned good idea.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

OH!!! I'll send you a coupon for FM...give me your address. It's for the week after Thanksgiving and it will get you the employee discount for that week. Only special people get them. :)

[susandennis]

Susan Dennis
526 first ave s. #413
seattle, wa 98104

that would be so cool!!! thank you!

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Once a year, every employee gets about 10 of these coupons for friends & family. We gave most of them to AJ's family. And it's a pass, you can use it multiple times! 10% off Kroger food, 15% and 20% off clothing, home stuff, etc. So if you've been waiting to buy a new lamp or any kitchen items, use it for that!

[susandennis]

I can go on a spree!! The Ballard FM has bear yarn! I'm making up a list. This is quite the treat. What a lovely thing for you to do!

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Most of my coupons last year went totally unused - I want people to use them this year! :)

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

I threw in a couple other coupons that you may or may not want or need...they send me so many!

[susandennis]

You are the best!!

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Mailed this morning - let me know when they arrive! Hopefully before Sunday :)

[susandennis]

Oh no worries. If they aren't here by Sunday (which they will be), I'll move my FM trip to Tuesday. I'm nothing if not flexible ... and oh so appreciative!

[susandennis]

GOT your coupons just now!!! Fred Meyers, here I come! Thank you so much. I might just go on Sunday after my swim because 1. not traffic and 2. brunch!

Thank you so much.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

I'm so excited to see what you get & how much money you save! Remember it works on groceries too, as long as you get the Kroger/Fred Meyer brand. :)

Sunday is usually the craziest day to shop there, but it works for the whole week. You can re-use it!

[myfinalusername.livejournal.com]

I used to love Christmas when I was a child, as I got older it got more and more boring, with less people around, family do their own thing for Chrisatmas Day.
We do have the odd family gathering once a year with my Uncles, aunties etc for my mum side of the family.

[susandennis]

For me, not having anyone counting on me or for me to count on is the best way to celebrate the day.

Rambling about holidays

[nanila]

I didn't miss the traditional US-ian holidays much when I first moved to the UK more than a decade ago. Weirdly, now I do. I make an effort to celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving - when I can manage it. This year I'm buried in a three-day meeting during the latter and my other half flies to India at the weekend so there's no chance.

My family kind of gave up on Christmas when I left home (at 16). We pared it down to exchanging cards and a single gift, usually by post. My partner's family is super, super into Christmas, and so it's a massive deal every year. I've learned how to roll with it, but wow it was hard work the first couple of years.