<p>Here’s what has saved me the last few years - pick one thing that you do that doesn’t really matter to anyone else and drop it. Nobody but you cares about that thing… Getting cards out by Dec 10 vs Jan 25 doesn’t really matter to your friends. Focus on the things that you and your family really enjoy. FInd a few things that are just for fun and make them the top of your list.</p>
<p>I have been going out shopping fairly late for the last few nights. I am trying to get most of the shopping done because I will be away at a conference for 3 days next week and then visiting an old friend who lives near the conference site for the weekend. The stores and mall seem very empty to me - I asked one of the clerks at the Borders bookstore in the mall if it had been busy and he told me that it is very crowded during the day, but that “no one goes to this mall in the evening”. I wonder when other people like me who work during the day do their shopping ??? Online perhaps ???</p>
<p>Costco is very busy–maybe many of them are buying things at wholesale places, electronics places & non-malls. My friends no longer exchange gifts much & are all cutting back because of budget constraints & it being too hard to figure out what to buy kids; my extended family is similarly cutting back & will only be trading grab bags worth $20 or so.</p>
<p>Strange with first child as a freshman in college. Put up some lights, but otherwise doesn’t seem like the season, although we had flurries today.</p>
<p>Don’t think the season will really kick in here until D is home mid month. Taking a low key approach this year…</p>
<p>Anymore, I hate Christmas. Aside from a few ceramic Christmas trees that my grandmother made me and some Christmas tapes in my car, I’ve done nothing. My living room looks the same as it did in August. There’s too much other stuff that’s higher priority right now (like finishing my basement, my finals, and preparing for some church events). Outside? I put up a wreath but I’m like the only person on my street without lights.</p>
<p>I like going shopping on Black Friday for two reasons–incredible deals and because I usually run into people I know. I get more satisfaction out of catching up with an old friend or two than actually getting into the Christmas spirit. Financially I’m fine. My concern right now is getting the basement done–I have one cieling, six cabinets, and a carpet to install in two weeks.</p>
<p>Honestly, I’m probably not going to decorate much this year. Christmas cards? Well, they’ll be a half hour job since I’m posting them on my friends’ MySpaces. Postage is zip that way and I don’t have to pay for ink and paper. With all the people I’d send one to (that is, my friends who have MySpaces), I save about five bucks. Which I can use toward that lamp I’m buying the day after Christmas.</p>
<p>The good news? All the church related stuff. I love that part of Christmas. The bad news? No church on Christmas morning. That leaves me at home and frankly I don’t want to be there on Christmas. I like to sleep in on Christmas morning and really could care less about presents anymore. The rest of my family, who I love dearly, become my own worst enemy on Christmas morning when they are ready to murder me for still being asleep at 9:00 AM. Plus they are all into the “gimmees” at Christmas. And that ticks me off.</p>
<p>Christmas is also stressful on my dog. Hard to see the little fellow adapt to all the people/surroundings/events. Plus she hurt herself last Christmas morning (slipped on tile) so it’s painful for me to think of that. I think it would be for the best for the old puppy to stay with me if I’m keeping a low profile this Christmas.</p>
<p>I just haven’t gotten into the holiday at all for the past two years. I think it’s because Christmas has become WAY TOO COMMERCIALIZED. I also am sick of these people who only want presents and don’t want to observe the real meaning of Christmas.</p>
<p>I wonder if you took a poll of moms how many would admit to “hating Christmas.” I bet MOST of them.</p>
<p>After three trips to K MArt yesterday I almost have some decorations done outside my house. I could not deal with trying to get any of the old lights working. Then of course I didn’t buy enough. Then I notice they failed to charge me the sale price. ARRGH</p>
<p>Today it’s snowing pretty hard and I’m heading out to get on the ladder. So if I’m not on CC in a few hours send over the paramedics.</p>
<p>weenie, be careful! 
It was snowing here this morning, too. We woke up to a cover of white but now the sun is shining brightly and the snow has melted. My dogs love playing in the snow but I’ll be happy if we have none til Christmas Eve.</p>
<p>I should be stressing, but am too overwhelmed to stress. The tree is in the house–no decorations on it. Nothing else done–no cards, few gifts bought, no baking—if I can hold out Christmas will be over and it will be too late ;). I also have S., H, DIL, and D birthdays between now and Christmas!!! Am going to bite the bullet and go shopping tomorrow–I am making a friend so nervous about not having anything done, she is dragging me.</p>
<p>I’m waiting for S to come home & help drege out the tree from the carport closet. It’s big & pretty heavy & no one is in a rush to get it out anyway. Not really feeling “Christmassy” this year either–maybe having a kiddo sick in bed again does it. 
Oh well, hope some folks are enjoying the season!</p>
<p>I’m not stressed at all…I’ve just let it all go. My mom, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last month is going to have more surgery before Christmas and treatment to follow. My closest friend is recovering from her mastectomy and going through 12 more mini-chemos. Both are SO cheerful and thankful to be alive, that it is just CONTAGIOUS. </p>
<p>I’ve got two trees up, one to be decorated when my d gets home, the outside lights are done…though I’ve got a crazy idea about ‘enhancing them’. I’ve filled my house with Christmas decorations, invited every member of my family and their dog over for a Christmas spread Tex-Mex style. Every day, I’m burning all the good, expensive candles, blasting big band music throughout the house and planning my meals which will be served on big fancy-schmancy PAPER plates. I’ve even threatened to require everyone show up in their flannel jammies and slippers in honor of my mom who will be taking it easy. There are plans for my d to teach my mom to knit and for my mom to teach my d how to pull peanut brittle. I probably won’t be doing Christmas cards just cuz I can think of a ton of ‘funner’ things to do. My husband ordered UNC postage stamps and has offered to take that one off my hands anyway. I’d love it if some my CC friends in the North could arrange to send a little of their snow to Houston btw. That would be the cherry on top.</p>
<p>Life is full of bumps, but life is GOOD! :)</p>
<p>Okay sprinting off for another 30 minutes of touch up painting in the flooded bathroom.</p>
<p>Remember that Grisham book, “Skipping Christmas”? It got destroyed when they turned it into a movie called “Christmas with the Kranks” but the book itself was awesome. I loved it. I wish I could skip Christmas.</p>
<p>Someone once told me, “For moms, Christmas is like having aan extra part-time job.”</p>
<p>SHOPPING for everyone, decorating, cards, wrapping… what I really hate is climbing up to the attic, getting down all those dusty boxes, pulling out the decorations, deciding where to put everything and ending up putting it all in the same place year after year, putting AWAY all the stuff that normally lives where the decorations go… it’s like moving, only a month later I just have to UN-do it all! AARRGGHH!</p>
<p>I’d like Christmas a lot more if I could just down-size it…</p>
<p>LOL! I completely concur with the part-time job thing!</p>
<p>I’d like Christmas more if I had more space to put that regular stuff away to make room for the Christmas decorations. Heck, I can’t get a tree into the house unless I store some furniture. While I love the holiday season and entertaining, I hate feeling so crowded with decorations and extra people. That really adds to my stress. Maybe we need that little table-top tree…naaah!</p>
<p>Downsize it! I am singing in the church choir first time since I was 12! Son says he will too. And we are heathens whatever that is. Nothing better than music at this time of year. It’s all very British. I will decorate some this weekend after my son arrives this afternoon. I have his requests: local beer in the fridge and pizza from the shop down the street. Downsize it and make every single second count. :)</p>
<p>^ “I have his requests: local beer in the fridge and pizza from the shop down the street.”</p>
<p>That’s the Christmas I want too!!!</p>
<p>Update…I’m feeling much less stressed now. DS has arrived in China, and we’ve connected via cell phone. I did some shopping yesterday, and the rest will be online (we are downsizing somewhat this year – I’m tired of having the trappings ruin the holiday.) H is home for a few days, and we’ll put the tree up this weekend.</p>
<p>I now realize that my stress is more about H’s travel schedule and my concerns about DS’s trip to China. Since H is home, and DS is safe and having the time of his life, I’m not that worried about the rest. Happy holidays, everyone! :)</p>
<p>I think much of the stress we feel is about trying to live up to expectations, either our own or others’. I am going to try to let that go and appreciate just being with my family more. :)</p>
<p>It IS like a part time job for Mom…cards, decorating, kids’ school parties, Secret Santa…errr!..baking??.. maybe it gets less labor intensive as the kids get older? Mine are 13 and 10…plus TIPS for everyone…making sure everyone gets what they’re supposed to get…eek!</p>
<p>sjmom2329 - I have a quick question for you. My son will be leaving for China next weekend. You mentioned that your son called you via cell phone. Did your son call you on his cell phone that he uses in the states? If so, do you have any idea how much it will cost you for that call? I know I am such a dinosaur when it comes to this type of stuff, but I am trying to figure out the best way for my son to let me know when he arrives. I just assumed his cell phone (he is on a Verizon plan) could not be used overseas. If it can, that is perfect. Thanks, and I am so glad your son is safely there. I will be very anxious next weekend, until I know mine has arrived safely.</p>
<p>Dogwood, my son is traveling with his college roommate, who has relatives in China. They were met in Beijing by a family friend, who provided the cell phone. S sent me an email (he brought his laptop) and I phoned him using a calling card. I don’t think his Verizon cell phone would work from China. Also, calling from China to the US is very expensive, from what I understand. I don’t know what to suggest for your son – maybe he could buy a pay-as-you-go phone when he arrives?</p>
<p>Also, we did arrange for medical insurance and emergency medical evacuation insurance through Medex assist. It costs $4 a day, and covers up to $100K in health care. There is more info available at the US Embassy web site for China.</p>
<p>I know that the name “curmudgeon” is taken, but that is I guess what I have become. Thanksgiving was extremely stressful, as my dad was not well and I spent the whole time worrying about him (still am, but he at least is having tests and I am doing research into caregiving, etc.). I decided I just couldn’t handle malls, or even online shopping–it all feels rather empty right now. And, my children’s rooms and possessions are so completely messy that why should I add to the chaos with more clutter? Or reinforce the idea that it doesn’t matter how they treat their things?</p>
<p>I guess I am on strike. I don’t see this changing in the next two weeks. I guess the other parent is going to be the popular one at our house this season 
and I am sure he is not so grumpy about everything materialistic.</p>
<p>I DID do some wonderful shopping for the “Adopt a Family” child I always sponsor at Christmas time. But that is a needy child whose own parents have not been able to take care of her and it is a joy to buy things for her. </p>
<p>I myself am looking forward to January and I think I need a frequent-flier trip to a tropical clime to cheer up. By myself.</p>