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Yes, Charles, I am glad it is over then too-surely there are many of us!
If there is a long, ongoing struggle with depression, well holidays can make it worse for some of us.
Before someone tries to blast me with some kind of Christian rant: MYOB
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles
My favorite day of the year is Dec 26th because it is finally over.
Depression? or Frustration? I supposes the cumulative frustrations can make someone depressed: Mixing with relatives in caustic environments; missed expectations on presents purchased for others; pressure to buy; pressure to put on a joyous happy face.
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is so ironic because it is actually the most stressful, most suicidal, most debt producing, most weight gaining, and most hurtful time of the year.
Wow, BigDGeek-I didn't know some Jewish put up trees etc.
Ignore the Christ-mas part, then supposed goodwill/spending time with people you like or with family, can occur no matter what our beliefs. Maybe that is what your friends mean...
Still, I imaging the Jewish with children have a mighty hurdle to jump...explanations etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigDGeek
Me too. I'm Jewish so I don't even celebrate Christmas but I'm surrounded by it for weeks on end and it's almost impossible to escape from it unless I want to become a hermit. Personally I think Christmas is over-commercialized and annoying and I'm glad I don't really have to do it, but there is pressure from other people to participate in Christmas. Christians every year ask me what I'm doing for Christmas...they know I'm Jewish...yet they act surprised when I tell them that I don't have a tree, I don't hang stockings on my mantle, I don't do any of that! I guess it doesn't help that some harried Jewish parents DO participate in Christmas somewhat. Some of them even go so far as to put up a tree. Ugh.
Welcome everyone to the group! No fake Christmas cheer...we are just gonna do one day at a time here...I work tomorrow, and took the rest of the week off.
I hate this time of year...I have no big family to sing "Kumbyah" with...just gonna hang out with Jasper. My daughter is hanging with me this week...maybe we won't fight too much....you never know. My psycho passive aggressive Mom will call, and whine about how lonely she is....whatever....fly up here then....which she won't....she has too many pets....I can't fly there...spend money for a hotel...and I can't stay at her place....out of the question. Stale mate. So...she needs to be quiet. Nothing I can do....she still guilt trips me though.
This is a good idea to have this thread. You always hear about what a wonderful time of year it is, but not everyone feels that. I am ok with Thanksgiving, but the weeks leading up to Christmas Day I do not enjoy. I feel a lot of financial pressure this year to provide Christmas gifts for my 4 children. With the economy things are tight. I am so anxious for Christmas to end I sometimes take down the decorations that night or the next day.
this is the first year in many that I didn't even put out all my really pretty Fall/Thanksgiving decorations. Just not in the mood.
Probably won't do much with Christmas decor either.
People all around this area have Christmas lights and decorations up. That annoys me for some reason.
I think if each holiday progressed without the other holiday being pushed upon us, it might be more pleasurable. My emotional circuits seem to get on overload when Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas crap is one aisle over from the other beginning in September.
I'm not a foodie and I detest cooking. All around me are people talking about their meal plans and recipes and yadda yadda yadda ...............
I hope those excited about the holiday do enjoy it.
I'll enjoy doing zilch except maybe taking in a movie.
Me too. I'm Jewish so I don't even celebrate Christmas but I'm surrounded by it for weeks on end and it's almost impossible to escape from it unless I want to become a hermit. Personally I think Christmas is over-commercialized and annoying and I'm glad I don't really have to do it, but there is pressure from other people to participate in Christmas. Christians every year ask me what I'm doing for Christmas...they know I'm Jewish...yet they act surprised when I tell them that I don't have a tree, I don't hang stockings on my mantle, I don't do any of that! I guess it doesn't help that some harried Jewish parents DO participate in Christmas somewhat. Some of them even go so far as to put up a tree. Ugh.
I used to be pretty skeptical when I read things like that. Like "yeah, right, what kind of moron would ask a Jew what they are doing for Christmas or be surprised that they don't put up a tree...people have to be making this stuff up"
But then, after being on City-Data for a while, I came to the realization that there are actually people in some parts of this country who have never met a Jew or who don't know when the Jewish holidays are and don't personally know any Jewish people. There was even a post from a woman in a southern state who asked if Jews believe in Jesus. I was outdone when I read that one. People don't even know this most basic of basic stuff about a major religious group in our country. I thought at least that was covered in a basic world religions class back in junior high, no?
Here in NNJ Jewish people and culture are very much part of the scenery.
So, BigDGeek, when I read what you wrote above, I looked at your location, and I said, "AAHHHH..."
The yr I was divorced, a friend (also divorcing) and I went to the Cayman Islands over Christmas-
it was such a pleasure away from the commercialism & frantic rushing around...
Wow, BigDGeek-I didn't know some Jewish put up trees etc.
Ignore the Christ-mas part, then supposed goodwill/spending time with people you like or with family, can occur no matter what our beliefs. Maybe that is what your friends mean...
Still, I imaging the Jewish with children have a mighty hurdle to jump...explanations etc.
When I was growing up I went to Jewish schools and our social life revolved around temple so it wasn't a big thing; I had Christian friends in my neighborhood and my Girl Scout troop but to me they were the weirdos because they didn't have Chanukah. I guess I was in kind of a Jewish bubble, LOL....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
I used to be pretty skeptical when I read things like that. Like "yeah, right, what kind of moron would ask a Jew what they are doing for Christmas or be surprised that they don't put up a tree...people have to be making this stuff up"
But then, after being on City-Data for a while, I came to the realization that there are actually people in some parts of this country who have never met a Jew or who don't know when the Jewish holidays are and don't personally know any Jewish people. There was even a post from a woman in a southern state who asked if Jews believe in Jesus. I was outdone when I read that one. People don't even know this most basic of basic stuff about a major religious group in our country. I thought at least that was covered in a basic world religions class back in junior high, no?
Here in NNJ Jewish people and culture are very much part of the scenery.
So, BigDGeek, when I read what you wrote above, I looked at your location, and I said, "AAHHHH..."
Dallas has a very large Jewish community ranging from secular to observant Reform to 100% Orthodox. The people asking me if I'm putting up a tree usually aren't from around here; they're usually foreign or from the west coast.
Money can be a huge issue this time of year. Not having enough, or overspending. I have guilt over that too.
I don't use credit cards at all this time of year, becuase it is so tempting, if I don't have money to pay for something, I don't buy it.
Hard though, when it seems like all the Christmas gifts kids want start at $200
Wasnt sure if I should add anything to this thread but here goes. I come from a large family (2 brothers, 4 sisters) and the holidays were always fun and magical and I loved that time of year. That was a very long time ago ... I moved to Colorado 30 years ago to be closer to my older brother (thought it would be good for my son to have some male influence) .. some years we would celebrate the holidays with his family ... but most years just with my son ... my brother died almost 5 years ago ... have no contact with his wife ... my sisters all live in NJ with families of their own....I never married ... don't have any friends .... lost my job 9 months ago at 64 ... struggling to pay the doctor for the prescriptions I need (including anti-depressants, vallium, vicodin, prednisone, benicor, pravastatin) with the unemployment check I have been getting (which will soon end) ... only shop for food ... when I did work I was always scheduled to work on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years (plus the nights before those holidays) but I still looked forward to having the dinner on one of my days off, or putting up a christmas tree ... my favorite was halloween ... loved opening my front door and seeing the kids in their costumes ... my depression has made it impossible for any of this .. I start crying when I go grocery shopping and see all the holiday stuff ... try not to look ... start crying if I wach tv and see ads for the holidays .. because I know I don't have any money for anything but the necessities ... I am lonely .. if my son wasn't still living here I probably wouldn't talk to any human for weeks , feel like my life is over ... just want to crawl someplace dark and never come out ...
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