Now that you are retired do you still decorate for holidays (physically, crying)
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I'm a long way off from retirement, but I found the wording of the question interesting - what would retirement have to do with holiday decorations? Surely if you're retired you'd actually have more time to spend on things like Christmas decorations than you'd have as a member of the workforce.
It's not about having the time. It's age-related physical and sensory challenges and the fact there is no family around anymore to decorate for.
I'm a long way off from retirement, but I found the wording of the question interesting - what would retirement have to do with holiday decorations? Surely if you're retired you'd actually have more time to spend on things like Christmas decorations than you'd have as a member of the workforce.
When you no longer have children in your life or anyone to spend Christmas with, it seems like a waste to decorate so you can sit there alone looking at a Christmas tree.
When you no longer have children in your life or anyone to spend Christmas with, it seems like a waste to decorate so you can sit there alone looking at a Christmas tree.
It's sad but it's also an inevitable part of life for many seniors. It's one of the reasons I want to move to an over 55 community where there are activities, fun events and the opportunity to be around others going through the same life stage.
When you no longer have children in your life or anyone to spend Christmas with, it seems like a waste to decorate so you can sit there alone looking at a Christmas tree.
Wow...think I'll be depressed for the rest of the day now!
Seriously, I think I was born with a Martha Stewart gene. I LOVE to decorate for every holiday/every season. Halloween is my favorite, though. I have multiple bins of Halloween decorations...even more than Christmas. I did finally throw in the towel on having a real tree for Christmas during Covid....now put up the fake tree, which is a heck of a lot less hassle. My granddaughter, who lives with me, would never let me get away with ignoring the holidays, even though she is in her 20s! When I'm too old and worn to put up the decorations, I'l hand it over to her!
It's sad but it's also an inevitable part of life for many seniors. It's one of the reasons I want to move to an over 55 community where there are activities, fun events and the opportunity to be around others going through the same life stage.
But it doesn't have to be. I got rid of my big tree years ago (cats) but found some fake 1/2 trees with lights at Big Lots. The 1/2 tree goes flat up agains the wall and plugs in for the lights..about 3 feet tall. I can decorate them if I want with other stuff or just leave them be.
The 10 year old in me refuses to give up decorating.
It does, but that's reality for a lot of people. Once my daughter finished high school and went off to college and I moved, I still put up a tree and decorated just because she would come home Christmas Eve and stay for a few days, and she was always excited to see the decorations and the tree up, as old as she was.
But in 2014, she was living in China, and that was the first year I didn't bother. No one would be coming to my house, so there was no point in putting up a Christmas tree. My mother was still living, so I drove up to her house for the day.
I didn't intend to put up a tree after that, but then my older friend who lives in my complex (we serve on the condo board together) wanted to know why I wasn't doing a tree anymore. She didn't because no one comes to her house on Christmas--she goes to her daughter's and she has a pile of grandchildren and greats. Just has one of those ceramic things on the table.
Anyway, I said I couldn't see bothering to decorate a tree that no one will see, but she was into it so I went out and got a small tree (I've never used a fake tree) put the lights on it and dragged out the decorations, got a pizza and some red wine, and she merrily went to town, lol. By the second bottle of wine, the decorations were all bunched together in some places near the bottom because she is short, but I fixed them after she went home.
Wow...think I'll be depressed for the rest of the day now!
Seriously, I think I was born with a Martha Stewart gene. I LOVE to decorate for every holiday/every season. Halloween is my favorite, though. I have multiple bins of Halloween decorations...even more than Christmas. I did finally throw in the towel on having a real tree for Christmas during Covid....now put up the fake tree, which is a heck of a lot less hassle. My granddaughter, who lives with me, would never let me get away with ignoring the holidays, even though she is in her 20s! When I'm too old and worn to put up the decorations, I'll hand it over to her!
Yes, but that's different, since you have someone to share the holiday with. I'm talking about people who have no one with whom to observe Christmas or even share a meal.
Yes, but that's different, since you have someone to share the holiday with. I'm talking about people who have no one with whom to observe Christmas or even share a meal.
You are absolutely right. If I were to find myself widowed with my children living far away, I can not see myself putting up a Christmas tree and having no one to share it with.
At the same time, I don't ever want to put my kids in the position of feeling obligated to spend the holidays with me. They will always be welcome to do so, of course, and I would love having them. I just don't want them to feel a duty to be with me, if that makes sense. It's good to make a friend or two that you can share special times with - you won't be alone and neither will your friends.
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