The Holidays Begin....

[SteveForever]

Joy, love them but...
what's your pet peeve about what goes on in your family during the next 8 weeks?

Mine starts this next week when the father- in- law lands in the power chair in the living
room and doesn't budge for the week except "library" breaks.

[NealIsGod]

Joy, love them but...
what's your pet peeve about what goes on in your family during the next 8 weeks?

Mine starts this next week when the father- in- law lands in the power chair in the living
room and doesn't budge for the week except "library" breaks.

I hate watching my Christmas bonus disappear as fast as I got it.

[Moon Beam]

Hubby Bub not getting a Christmas bonus.

[SteveForever]

Hubby Bub not getting a Christmas bonus.

Exactly! "we get nothing and like it"...

[Behshad]

* The weird look I get at the grocery store when I pick up 30 limes for the holiday drinks. (last time this old lady was staring at me, I said "its for my wife, she has lime desease". And poor old lady goes "Oh dear. I hope those help her feel better"

*The Mall. Need I say more? (Thank God for Amazon.com for makin my part easier)

[Moon Beam]

Exactly! "we get nothing and like it"...

Oh I get lots for Christmas Liz.
A stocking full of stress, garland hung with grief, fragrant food that
only attracts a family feud..............

"its for my wife, she has lime desease"

..Good one!

[TRAGChick]

*The Mall. Need I say more?

NOPE!

The only thing they're good for are the Gift Cards....BAM!! Shopping's done!

[Playitloudforme]

My ex-father-in-law doesn't like his son's new wife. "If she's there, I won't be" sorta thing.

Sigh...life's too short for the melodrama. The day is about love.

The only thing I personally can't stand is the traffic on the 5. Ugh.

[Ms_M]

Joy, love them but...
what's your pet peeve about what goes on in your family during the next 8 weeks?

Mine starts this next week when the father- in- law lands in the power chair in the living
room and doesn't budge for the week except "library" breaks.

I hate watching my Christmas bonus disappear as fast as I got it.

I'm with you. I never got a Christmas bonus before, ok, I got a little bit when I worked for the .com, but have gotten one almost every year as a teacher. And yes, it is almost spent - at least this year, I can spend it as I choose without input from others.

[TRAGChick]

My Grandmother Loretta used to do her Christmas shopping in the Summer...

...so by the time Dec. came around, she could sit back, relax, have a drink & a cigarette....and watch the lunacy happen alllll around her LOL

[Ms_M]

My ex-father-in-law doesn't like his son's new wife. "If she's there, I won't be" sorta thing.

Sigh...life's too short for the melodrama. The day is about love.

The only thing I personally can't stand is the traffic on the 5. Ugh.

My ex-father-in-law doesn't like his son's girlfriend. I thought it was funny - I don't like all the drama either. The really funny thing - my ex-stepmother-in-law thinks her husband's opinions on the subject are stupid. I had the pleasure of seeing her this past summer and her sharing that with me. Karma's a bitch.

[jrnychick]

Oh man, do you really want to know?

Here is the problem: I do ALL of the Christmas shopping. My husband only has to buy something for me, and that seems to be a major hassle for him. I handle the cards. I used to drag my daughter to Penney's to have her picture taken, but I have promised to never do that to her again. She hates it. So now I have to find a photo and get the cards made up. That's not a huge deal, but the addressing the envelopes is a pain. Then my husband says things like, "I don't know why you send cards out." Then there's the wrapping. When you have a child, the amount of wrapping increases exponentially. And it all must be done in secret. My husband will help with the wrapping, but he usually complains then that I've bought too much. On Christmas Eve, the three of us go to church, then we come home and have pizza for dinner. My mother-in-law thinks that is absolutely terrible. We LOVE it. It's our time to just hang out together and relax. On Christmas Day, we have both of our families over to our house for dinner. It's a lot of running around for the hubby and I (he does most of the cooking), but it's a pretty nice day. I can get liquored up if I need to, because I can do what I want in my own house! I'm learning to let the complaints of my mom and MIL roll off my back.

[Rip Rokken]

Joy, love them but...
what's your pet peeve about what goes on in your family during the next 8 weeks?

Oh, sweet Lord... If I get started on this, I might never stop. I'm sure I'll return a bit later and chime in.

Well, I can't resist... Here's the problem in a nutshell. I found myself becoming miserable around this time of the year, and a few years ago started trying to get to the root of it. I mean, some was obvious, but I just dug deeper, becoming bound and determined to figure things out and enjoy the holidays again. There is no reason I can't also enjoy this time of year, ya know? And it worked! Just required a little more pushing and standing up for what I felt was right.

I won't get into it all now, but in summary -- expectation, expectation, expectation -- on where to be, when to be there, who to give to, what to give, how much to give. It just robs the enjoyment from the whole process. I love to be around people (half the time, anyway), and I love to give, but I like it to come from the heart, and from my own imagination. And if I can't make every single get-together (many of which I see the same people), then that's life. I haven't even scratched the surface, but I will return later and illustrate the issue in more depth.

[Behshad]

My ex-father-in-law doesn't like his son's new wife. .

Now, there's a sentence I thought Id never hear(read) !
Good thing you have the "ex" part in there, otherwise, that would make you father-in-law's son's wife,um, You!

[Moon Beam]

My Grandmother Loretta used to do her Christmas shopping in the Summer...

My Meme never had em done that early but she always
had all the holiday gifts bought by Halloween.

Where do you and Mark have Jesus's big day?

[TRAGChick]

My Grandmother Loretta used to do her Christmas shopping in the Summer...

My Meme never had em done that early but she always
had all the holiday gifts bought by Halloween.

Where do you and Mark have Jesus's big day?

At our house....we go over to my Parent's house for Christmas Eve for a party / dinner.....they live nearby.

[SteveForever]

This is an example of my mother in law,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JARF7q2S6ns

[Playitloudforme]

My ex-father-in-law doesn't like his son's new wife. .

Now, there's a sentence I thought Id never hear(read) !
Good thing you have the "ex" part in there, otherwise, that would make you father-in-law's son's wife,um, You!

Gaaah...never again. I have a good relationship with my ex's, all round. I even work for my exhusband (who knew huh..). But yeah. ... the rest of the family cannot stand wife #2. Life is In Session!

[Playitloudforme]

Karma's a bitch.

Or a beautiful thing....LOL

[Sassie]

Well, my husband and I will have our Thanksgiving Wednesday. He will be taking his 90 year old father to their hometown on Thursday so they can have their Thanksgiving with their family. So on Thursday I have all the cooking done. I stay home with my puppy and plop down in front of the TV. First I watch the parade. Then I watch the Cowboys. Go Cowboys!!!! And I allow myself to stuff myself until I turn green if I want to. Then it's back to rice cakes and water on Friday. I love the holidays.

[Ms_M]

Karma's a bitch.

Or a beautiful thing....LOL

Ok, you're right - it is a beautiful thing.... Check your PM...

[heardonthestreet]

*The Mall. Need I say more?

NOPE!

The only thing they're good for are the Gift Cards....BAM!! Shopping's done!

You have that right, Nora. There is some kind of gift card for everyone and you almost never have to worry if it's the right gift. That took care of the only problem of the stress that I had at holiday time. It was fun to shop when the children were little. Always went overboard for that as those are the early memories that children cherish and help them to make Christmas a joy for the children to follow, imo.

[Indyjoe]

We tried to take the stress out of the shopping thing. With all my brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, spouses that are adults we can only spend $1.00 (My brother considers the dollar stores cheating so he has to get really creative). Makes for a really creative and funny time and no one goes into debt for Christmas! The little kids still get bigger gifts. So far it has been a lot of fun.

[larryfromnextdoor]

This is an example of my mother in law,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JARF7q2S6ns

ugh!

[xflajrnylvr]

the shopping and themall

[Natalie]

Now, there's a sentence I thought Id never hear(read) !
Good thing you have the "ex" part in there, otherwise, that would make you father-in-law's son's wife,um, You!

Nope, not true, this is true of my family, my father-in-law can't stand his son's wife-but it's the other son! He adores me-but then again, what's not to adore?? Hehe, kidding.

[Natalie]

We tried to take the stress out of the shopping thing. With all my brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, spouses that are adults we can only spend $1.00 (My brother considers the dollar stores cheating so he has to get really creative). Makes for a really creative and funny time and no one goes into debt for Christmas! The little kids still get bigger gifts. So far it has been a lot of fun.

I used to take my little kids to the dollar store and turn them lose and let them buy whatever they wanted for the grandparents-they LOVED it, it was hilarious some of the things they would pick out. My kids are too old to do that now-they've figured out that the "good" gifts are not at the dollar store.

[Rockindeano]

Hubby Bub not getting a Christmas bonus.

Why don't YOU give him a bonus you lazy ass. He deserves a Hummer and you need to provide said service. Get on it G

[Rockindeano]

I think Christmas sucks and will suck even more this year for obvious reasons. On the flip side, Hollywood Park is open on Thanksgiving. Guess I know where I am hangin this Thursday.

[heardonthestreet]

I think Christmas sucks and will suck even more this year for obvious reasons. On the flip side, Hollywood Park is open on Thanksgiving. Guess I know where I am hangin this Thursday.

Your new son should make it special for you. That babe has magnificent eyes.