Holidays - My Official Stance

[susandennis]

I started to say that I am not a fan of holidays but then I realized this is not entirely true. I'm not a Halloween person. I don't enjoy being scared. I'm not a fan of orange and black. Or children begging. But I do like Halloween candy. Particularly candy corn and candy pumpkins.

I'm not at all a fan of family gatherings which works out nicely since my only family is my brother who is too far away to gather with. But I like a nice Thanksgiving meal.

I don't like a lot of Christmas things - parties, ceremonies, hoopla, family gatherings but I do like Christmas carols and I am beyond fond of Christmas cookies. I can never get enough of the latter.

I do take great joy, after every holiday, at not having to put away and find storage for, a bunch of decorations.

So... as we head into holiday season, my stand is pretty much, bring on the food, but you can skip the rest.

I just did a little mini shopping for Christmas cookies on Etsy. I found several excellent options already. Heavy duty shipping charges and expensive but, hey, they should be. That's a lot of work to make delicious Christmas cookies!

And, speaking of making stuff. When I did my freezer cleanout yesterday, I liberated a package of cooked chicken. I think it's probably from the last Costco chicken I bought. I had a nice chicken sandwich last night but there is a fair amount left. I think I'm going to whip up a Minnesota hot dish today. Rice, Parmesan cheese, chicken...

We are full on into winter now... With global warming, this is likely exactly what it will be like from now until next April-ish. mid 30's (1c ish) in the mornings - going up to mid 50's (12/13c) in the day. Some rain days, a few sunny days and the rest overcast. I love it for sleeping. I don't mind it at all for the rest. At least I know how to dress. I won't get too hot and the sun, mostly, won't get in my eyes.

I have a new blanket started. I want a smaller one than the last one. It's squares again so it might well end up being a cardigan. I have a fair bit to go until I have to decide for sure. So I'll be working on that today and maybe a little laundry.

Comments

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Weird upside to Covid. No family get togethers for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hold over from last year when everyone was sick with the flu.

Otherwise ditto with your holiday comments.

[susandennis]

Ha! Covid giveth.

[terri gordon (from livejournal.com)]

I’m with you on the holiday nonsense. What really irritates me is seeing people in my hobby groups get all Gaga over say, cross stitching everything Halloween or Christmas etc, Same in my diamond painting and other groups. I just want to scream “why!? Why waste time making this crap that is only displayed a few days a year. Such a serious waste of good time.”
I tell you, if I inherit shit like this from anyone it’s going right in the dumpster. I don’t care how long it took you to make it.

[susandennis]

oh exactly right on craft shit. i can see something that takes an hour or two if that's what floats yer boat but - flooding my feeds with that shit is not acceptable :)

[sleepybadger.livejournal.com]

Personally I love Halloween, and then the rest kind of goes downhill for me. My large extended family likes to get together for Thanksgiving and I have kind of a love/hate relationship with them. I love them, and I care about them, and I like saying hi and finding out what's new, but then I want to go home and I always feel trapped there for hours and hours. We'll be off the hook this year, but it generally stresses me out. My immediate family has decided to go on trips over thanksgiving for the past few years and that's been nice - I get to hang with my immediate family and I have an excuse to not go to the giant party. Xmas stresses me out. I hate shopping because I never know what to get for anyone so I spend ridiculous amounts of time searching and searching and finally giving up and just getting something so I have something to give them, and not feeling great about it. I do enjoy watching the kids open presents because they get SOOOOOO excited about it, and that's a joy to watch. But stuff like... buying presents for coworkers or my godmother.... I struggle so much and it really sucks the joy out of it. Also since I'm with Zen, all holidays are double frustrating because now I have to deal with his family as well as my own. Again, I love them, but it's just too much.

[susandennis]

i hear you and appreciate my lone-ness 1000 times more now. thanks.

[sweetmeow]

I relate to your love/hate relationship with holidays. I don't completely fall exactly into the same slots you do when it comes to how to (or not to) celebrate. In short, I have mixed feelings.

I remember once telling a therapist, "if there were no women, there would be no holidays!" Who prepares that Thanksgiving dinner? Who decorates? Who entertains? Who shops? Of course, there are men who love to get on top of their houses to hang lighted icicles. But - for the most part, it's women who make holidays "happen." They, then are on "clean-up" duty.

Just. No. I like to eat, but I don't like to cook. I love to take a road trip to see the brightly lit houses, but don't want to do one myself. I don't bother to decorate for any other holiday except Christmas.

In part, I have acquiesced to Christmas. I love the music - making it, and listening to it both. But - if Ray were ever to "disappear" - there would be no Christmas tree. I'm NOT going to be the one to drag that thing out of the attic. Yet - I love my ornament collection and find it SAD they are only out for a month a year. So - I tend to leave it out for an extra month in January. I do love putting ornaments on the tree. (putting them away, not so much)

In preparation for the time when we both refuse to get that 7-foot tree out of the attic (and that year is coming soon) - this year I purchased from "Signals" catalog a metal, easy-assemble 7-foot high ornament tree. (I admit I haven't unpacked it to see just HOW easy-assemble it is!) It's metal - not a "green tree" and it has no lights. There are only lots of metal "branches" to hang ornaments. That and a small table-top tree will be quite enough.

Covid has changed this holiday season, and in part, I'm relieved. Our family's extravaganza Thanksgiving week is off, but replacing this is another, smaller gathering at my son's. I'd almost rather forget it. Hard to say no since we live so close, however. We'll spend Christmas alone and I'm ok with that. I'll get a delicious take-out dinner from Fresh Market and we'll be happy - enjoying our cats and my ornaments and a ride in the neighborhood to see the Christmas lights.

[interes2012.livejournal.com]

The biggest horror on Halloween will be caused by humans. who will come without a mask
I hate official holidays.
the holiday should be in your soul, with you, when you want.
and not when someone allowed
(https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/interes2012/25717847/1284136/1284136_original.jpg)

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

One of the joys of emigrating from the UK to NZ is that every Christmas your relatives are 12,000 miles away:). It took being forced to attend my former husband's family Xmas gatherings to discover why people (including him) hated Christmas.

[meowmensteen]

What is your stance on ginger cookies?

[susandennis]

I am 100% for ginger cookies, ginger bread, ginger ale, red headed people.... but for sure ginger cookies.

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

I also love candy corn and pumpkins. I really can't understand why so many people hate them!!

[susandennis]

snobs

[amw.livejournal.com]

I like your take on the holidays. I also tend to enjoy the food and not much of the rest.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

I don't really decorate for pretty much the same reason.

[letmesaythis.livejournal.com]

I hate the work of the holidays and the fact that it falls on women to do it, as sweetmeow put it quite nicely.

My SiL is doing Thanksgiving and I declined immediately and to her face. She had the house remodeled and is anxious to have family over to enjoy it. Nope. Not this year. The kids say they are going, which puts me at risk certainly, and I hope they change their minds!