Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Again.
It came up in a conversation I was having with someone who, like me, has no family.
I'm an old guy and I have a family now, but I can remember when I didn't. No fun, it was sometimes (Thanks, Yoda).
Those days are in the past for me, but there are plenty - PLENTY - of people out there who suffer through The Holidays. The dreadful Holidays, with all those Hallmark movies where everyone stands arm in arm at the end and watches it snow. Except you.
People who are left out are hard to recognize, sometimes. I know from experience that we try to hide it, and we get darn good at hiding it, too.
One idea:
Years ago I eased the pain of the season by giving! I discovered by accident that when I gave gifts - just little gifts - to the people around me, the joy I received was probably 10 fold what the recipient felt! You don't have to know the person well. Sometimes a casual acquaintance that you hardly know is a good recipient, and sometimes even a complete stranger.
I slipped the guy cleaning up the happy hour bar a $20 a few weeks ago. Made his day. Mine, too.
But I really like to do that sort of thing anonymously - you know, give it to the waitress, and tell her not to tell him where it came from.
So this year, let's all watch out for each other. Promise yourself you'll be extra aware of who might need a Klondike Bar, so to speak.
It is going to be here before you know it. I have a family, but you are right there are many lonely people during the holidays. One way to help is to visit a shelter or a nursing home. Volunteer and spend time with people who need you, and you will feel better. Merry Christmas!
Thanks & wishing you the same. What a lovely post!!! I hope it inspires the people here to give more during holiday season. There are more lonely people here than we realize & thats why according to a recent survey the most popular food for christmas day is chinese takeout. Lets remember to be kind & giving during this season because you never know what someone is going through. There are especially many immigrants like me who are far away from home & celebrating holidays with the family are a distant memory. I have been lucky to find my own friends here who treat me like family & involve me in their celebrations. I always try to participate in any local events as well to keep myself occupied during this season. I look forward to those sappy movies on hallmark & lifetime. Those are my favorite thing about the holidays. Oh & also hot chocolate.
Again.
It came up in a conversation I was having with someone who, like me, has no family.
I'm an old guy and I have a family now, but I can remember when I didn't. No fun, it was sometimes (Thanks, Yoda).
Those days are in the past for me, but there are plenty - PLENTY - of people out there who suffer through The Holidays. The dreadful Holidays, with all those Hallmark movies where everyone stands arm in arm at the end and watches it snow. Except you.
People who are left out are hard to recognize, sometimes. I know from experience that we try to hide it, and we get darn good at hiding it, too.
One idea:
Years ago I eased the pain of the season by giving! I discovered by accident that when I gave gifts - just little gifts - to the people around me, the joy I received was probably 10 fold what the recipient felt! You don't have to know the person well. Sometimes a casual acquaintance that you hardly know is a good recipient, and sometimes even a complete stranger.
I slipped the guy cleaning up the happy hour bar a $20 a few weeks ago. Made his day. Mine, too.
But I really like to do that sort of thing anonymously - you know, give it to the waitress, and tell her not to tell him where it came from.
So this year, let's all watch out for each other. Promise yourself you'll be extra aware of who might need a Klondike Bar, so to speak.
It's early. But Merry Christmas, anyway.
I like the ideas too. I love the holiday season, but it also has an emptiness to it. There is something about only doing he traditional obligatory giving to people you know that just feels kind of blah! You gave some good food for thought.
I hope others post some great ideas. I also hope this thread doesn't end up on some CD rabbit trail by page three. :-)
Again.
It came up in a conversation I was having with someone who, like me, has no family.
I'm an old guy and I have a family now, but I can remember when I didn't. No fun, it was sometimes (Thanks, Yoda).
Those days are in the past for me, but there are plenty - PLENTY - of people out there who suffer through The Holidays. The dreadful Holidays, with all those Hallmark movies where everyone stands arm in arm at the end and watches it snow. Except you.
People who are left out are hard to recognize, sometimes. I know from experience that we try to hide it, and we get darn good at hiding it, too.
One idea:
Years ago I eased the pain of the season by giving! I discovered by accident that when I gave gifts - just little gifts - to the people around me, the joy I received was probably 10 fold what the recipient felt! You don't have to know the person well. Sometimes a casual acquaintance that you hardly know is a good recipient, and sometimes even a complete stranger.
I slipped the guy cleaning up the happy hour bar a $20 a few weeks ago. Made his day. Mine, too. But I really like to do that sort of thing anonymously - you know, give it to the waitress, and tell her not to tell him where it came from.
So this year, let's all watch out for each other. Promise yourself you'll be extra aware of who might need a Klondike Bar, so to speak.
I am totally delighted to be able to decide what I want to do for the holidays - if anything, and not have to get sucked into someone else's obligatory notions of happy holidays. It is GREAT to be able to make you own holiday plans and decisions!
And there are tons of things you can do with and for people all year long that will make them and you feel good. No need to wait for December 25th to roll around to show your colours...join the human race for the entire year.
Have heard many who have family make a comment like this after the holidays: "Thank goodness that is over! I hate the holidays, too expensive, too stressful, and I'm worn out!"
The holidays are what we make out of them; there are no rules.
We have long stopped the gift giving thing. None of us need anything and before it became an empty exchange of gift cards, we halted it. The big meal I could also do without having had Thanksgiving a month ahead of it.
I think we are staying home. The best gift we can give ourselves is a totally lazy day watching movies, eating what we want, when we want without consideration of what might be healthy for one day. I'm pretty sure that's our plan.
I'd also be open to a "lonely hearts" Christmas open house but we live so far out that it's unlikely that anyone would want to come.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Except you.
