What would it take

To get you into the holiday mood? I read the Christmas tree post by Monica (btw loved that idea). Far to many of you are meh... really?

Really???

Dont get me wrong I am not a HUGE Christmas fan, but I love the mood of Christmas maybe its cause I work in a Fantasy location. VERY few people are ever mad here. My house is a good location for fun in the cold weather. My son is a riot, he could careless if we have a tree or not. ITs more for my memories.

Every thing at christmas time reminds me of something from when I was little. I then can share the story of my past with my son and husband. It's a great feeling.

So why the glum this year with you all? What could bring that small joy of christmas back to you? Come on you got your health now you need the feeling. Unless this surgery takes away that feeling. COUNT ME OUT I want to be fat and happy then healthy and scroge'ish durring the holiday season... but thats strictly me...

I think everyone has their own reasons for "glum" around the holidays.  For me.....Christmas just will never be what it was like in the past.  My daughter passed away 3 days before Christmas....10 years ago this year.   Some years have been better than others (I had a pretty happy Christmas last year...pulled out the tree and decorated and tried to celebrate), but more often than not, December is the worst month of the year for me.  I've pulled it together every year for my son, but now that he's getting older, I don't have to anymore. 


Sorry.....but not all of us find it easy to get in the Christmas spirit.  For some of us Christmas is a very sad time of year.

I can understand that, my hubby and I lost a baby last month (we miscarried) and my hubby lost his son (from his 1 marriage) 9 years ago and he still hurts and I dont blame him. But I kow for him throwing himself in the holidays helps him...

But as I said that HELPS him. I look at this christmas a little less bright.

But I was just wondering I am not a person to say anything against anyones wishes or self being. I just wonder, and yes while at work I am a people watcher.

Katrina,

Here's my take on things.  For a lot of people, the holiday time can be a somewhat "dark" period.  People who had wls still have to deal with life's issues.  The BS doesn't stop coming your way, it doesn't even slow down or mellow out.  You still have to deal with it.  Here is the kicker... you have to learn how to deal with it without running to food to comfort you.  There are some folks here on the boards(me included) *****ally have some deep seeded issues and they just cannot gorge themselves out on chocolate cake.  Somehow...someway we have to find a non-destructive way of handling things while trying to keep our sanity.  That is not easy!

In conclusion, the surgeons operated on our stomachs, not our minds or psyches.

Kim

Here's my Christmas story, maybe it will help someone else get in the Christmas spirit.

My father passed away in 2001, and it wasn't during the holiday season but that event was one the most painful things I ever experienced. Then several months later we experienced the tragedy on 9/11. I think the loss involved in both events prompted me to take inventory of my life. I was so unhappy with many things and I was suddenly aware of how quickly life passes by. (In fact, I think some of the changes I made in my life during that time led me down the road that prompted me to have WLS.)

For example, with my father I don't remember the last conversation I had with him. I had always been so busy with things to do and places to go that I can't remember the last time I told him that I loved him. I do remember the last time I saw him though....he was sitting under the tree in the backyard sipping his morning coffee. How I wish I had taken the time that morning to tell him goodbye, or to have a good day, anything! The first Christmas after his passing sucked. It was awful. I remember standing in line to buy Christmas presents for my family and realizing I didn't have a gift for him and I burst into tears.

So fast forward a few years....I've learned a lot since then. I can't bring my father back, I can't get those lost opportunites back, and I often still grieve over those lost opportunites. But I now realize that I only have today. I only have the people who are here now. Everyday is a new opportunity to create happy memories. It will be whatever I make it to be.

So I do the holidays differently now. I do not attend every party. I do not overload my schedule with too much stuff. I say no sometimes. I do not kill myself to buy the perfect gift for every single person in my life. Christmas isn't about things, its about PEOPLE. (By the way, it's not about food either.) I take time to make memories with my family, especially since my mom is getting older and I don't know how many more holidays I have left with her. In fact, we do not know how many holiday seasons anyone has left!

So my hope is that each of you would make the holiday special in whatever way works for you. Whether it be putting up a tree, sending a Christmas card to someone you have not seen in a long time, or playing some Christmas music around the house. But more importantly enjoy the season with the people you have in your life and appreciate them for who they are before the opportunity passes.

Merry Christmas

I don't know what it would take for me.  I have never been one to love the Holidays.  I do New Years but I don't Christmas.  I have never been shy about saying I am bi-polar, don't know if that has anything to do with it, maybe.  Losing my mom, has some, but it goes way back.  Maybe it's the pressure of just doing too much.  Have to do this, have to do that, could be, but it's not a happy happy time for me, but I do get the Christmas spirit every year, on December 26th.  I need to keep in mind that this is the birth of my Lord and Savior, and not think about anything else, and celebrate that.  Sometimes I think a swift slap in the head, and someone telling me to "snap outta it" would work.

I do wish everyone a good Christmas season.  Hugs, Diane

Here is my gripe about the holidays! 
It kills me year after year the madness that begins around Thanksgiving time.  People are running around trying to get ready for the holidays, buying gifts for people they can't stand, pissed off they gotta buys someone a gift they can't stand just because that person is getting them a gift.  People complain about having to go to this party and that party or seeing this person or that person.  The amount of things people do out of obligation during the Holiday season irritates me.
I am a person that celebrates life daily.  I try my hardest to let those around me know how I feel about them. I like to buy things when I see something that is perfect for that person.  Or do something for someone I care about "just because."  The meaning behind the holiday season has gotten lost and I don't like how people act around the holidays.  People should appreciate what/who they have ALL year round not just during November and December. 

I personally put up a tree and get into the spirit for my lil man.  I make the holidays special for us.  I do what works for my family. 

I feel you on that!  If I don't like a person (or know them very well), I don't feel obligated to buy  a gift.  Gift giving is very personal for me.  I try to do things throughout the year to let people know how much they mean to me.  I have shifted my focus to giving more of my time than anything else to people.  That is just as meaningful , if not more than buying stuff.

I'm in the holiday mood....We planned ahead and began cleaning, shopped, and put our tree up.  Now we get home and turn on the Xmas spirit and enjoy sitting near the tree.

For me, it only comes once a year and I want to enjoy it!

Thank you everyone for posting. It means a lot to me. Monica I love your post. I want to copy it but I need your permission.

The reason I asked was basically what you said. We dont know how long we have one another or anyone else for that matter.

6 years ago my son was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. 6 drs told me this, I kept getting others to see him. I was frantic finally after taking him to an older Dr. This man was in his 70's or maybe 80's told me 6 others were wrong and he had my son better in 2 weeks. I had been told he would not make his 1st birthday that was 4 weeks away at the time.

My guy is amazing he is the sunshine of my life. And best of all hes still here. That second Christmas with him was stunning, I remember it vivdly, now fast forwards to him being 5, I was taken to the hospital.

Informed I had a 50/50 chance of having cancer myself. And it was ovarian/uterin cancer. My husband and I didnt bother to tell my son until I had surgery to find out for sure.

And the comment of people loving people all year long is right not just at the holidays.

Diane ( I can understand the bi polar) you and my hubby are the same the only day I know hes in the spirt is when he goes shopping for myself and our son on his own. Then he comes home all chipper...lol

 

As I said before I am not judging I was just wondering.