The only holiday that wasn't a massive battle growing up was Halloween. It took a long time to learn how to get through major holidays without panic, depression, fear, nightmares, etc.
These days, I mostly ignore holidays and, in return, they ignore me. For decades, I either worked double shifts or, later when I got a little stronger, spent them with close friends, doing relaxing things. Eating favourite foods, reading in front of a fireplace, watching Pink Panther movies, stuff like that. Now, I see them as an excellent day to get some introvert recharging time in.
I do have a tree this year, for the first time as an adult, but I put up a small tree because I didn't want to deprive my cat of the opportunity to destroy a tree. She's pretty much ignoring it.
Some churches here are doing "dark night" services, often on the solstice, for those suffering loss or generally having a hard time with the Holly Jolly. Even if I am doing OK, I still go as a show of support for others. Since I retired, I try to use Advent to take stock of how I can be more helpful to others in the coming year and to generally be more outward looking. It helps.
As a friend of mine once said "Sometimes I get lonely, but never when I am by myself." I've avoided family Christmas for the last ten years or so, but am trying to show up this year. It's on the 22nd due to work schedules and I keep thinking of excuses to cancel out as it grows nigh. Even the food is mostly awful. Still, I should be able to do it once a decade....
Yes! To all of that! I had nice Christmas as a child and from the first day of being a mother ( which was in the Christmas Season, 8th of December 1994) I did not do ANYTHING that I did not want to. No visits far away, no travelling for days no things that have to be made in a certain way. We all look forward to a nice time together and every year there is a new nice idea and then we adapt our " not habits". I thank you very much for your newsletters and wish you the best christmas time in your own style. ❤ I am learning icelandic now ( ❤🇮🇸❤🇮🇸) and will read your book about tourists in iceland ( in english) in my spare time. Along with other books..... but i was free to choose that, no "book pressure" or book flood in Germany.....
The only holiday that wasn't a massive battle growing up was Halloween. It took a long time to learn how to get through major holidays without panic, depression, fear, nightmares, etc.
These days, I mostly ignore holidays and, in return, they ignore me. For decades, I either worked double shifts or, later when I got a little stronger, spent them with close friends, doing relaxing things. Eating favourite foods, reading in front of a fireplace, watching Pink Panther movies, stuff like that. Now, I see them as an excellent day to get some introvert recharging time in.
I do have a tree this year, for the first time as an adult, but I put up a small tree because I didn't want to deprive my cat of the opportunity to destroy a tree. She's pretty much ignoring it.
Peace and strength to those who need it.
I love that you got a tree for your cat! 😻🎄 Hope you enjoy the holiday downtime Lissa.
Some churches here are doing "dark night" services, often on the solstice, for those suffering loss or generally having a hard time with the Holly Jolly. Even if I am doing OK, I still go as a show of support for others. Since I retired, I try to use Advent to take stock of how I can be more helpful to others in the coming year and to generally be more outward looking. It helps.
As a friend of mine once said "Sometimes I get lonely, but never when I am by myself." I've avoided family Christmas for the last ten years or so, but am trying to show up this year. It's on the 22nd due to work schedules and I keep thinking of excuses to cancel out as it grows nigh. Even the food is mostly awful. Still, I should be able to do it once a decade....
Yes! To all of that! I had nice Christmas as a child and from the first day of being a mother ( which was in the Christmas Season, 8th of December 1994) I did not do ANYTHING that I did not want to. No visits far away, no travelling for days no things that have to be made in a certain way. We all look forward to a nice time together and every year there is a new nice idea and then we adapt our " not habits". I thank you very much for your newsletters and wish you the best christmas time in your own style. ❤ I am learning icelandic now ( ❤🇮🇸❤🇮🇸) and will read your book about tourists in iceland ( in english) in my spare time. Along with other books..... but i was free to choose that, no "book pressure" or book flood in Germany.....