What is your holiday mood?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

I'm just wondering how you are feeling as the close of the year draws near and Solstace/Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanza/New Year celebrations are planned....

[dryan]

1. Neutral...

I have lost both my parents in the last month -- my mother on Halloween and my father just last week. Mom always made a big thing out of Christmas. We're all a little down right now.

[Nimrod2005]

2. Sorry for your loss.

[CrispyQ]

3. I am so, so, sorry for your loss.

:hug:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. I'm so sorry !

It is very very hard around the holidays when you've lost a loved one, and the closer to the holiday that they pass the harder it must be.

[CountAllVotes]

12. well I am admittedly depressed

No father, no mother, no brother, no cousin, no aunt, no uncle - all dead in the past few years.

Next: THE DOG - CANCER! I'll be dealing with possibly having to put him down before New Year's! I cannot stand this time of the year! It sucks like shit for me; always has and likely always will. :( :( :( :(

:dem:

[entanglement]

57. I'm so sorry to hear that!

:hug:

[pdx_prog]

26. It's hard.....especially Christmas...

but I'm sure they would not want you to suffer...

Enjoy the season...cherish, and remember them. Celebrate for them....

[lonestarnot]

45. OMG... I'm so very sorry.

:cry:

[AtomicKitten]

75. damn.

hugs.

[AtomicKitten]

76. cranky

just plain cranky.

[Protagoras]

4. Fatigued and sad

Because I've seen everyone turn this time of year into a giant orgy of consumerism including my own extended family. I have decorated my house with various holiday themed decorations but I didn't put up ANY kind of tree. I'm looking at everyone's debt load, and what's about to happen with CCs in January and speechless that there isn't a panic in the streets about it.

Nonetheless I'll end up watching a Christmas Carol on Dec 24th and hoping that we can somehow all eventually "get it".

[MostlyLurks]

11. What'll happen to CCs in January?

I've been planning for "Apocalypse Round About March" because of the Iranian oil bourse coming on line, so I've times my debt load to run out on March 1. What's coming in January - is this an aspect of the Bankruptcy bill?

Mostly

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Protagoras]

40. Here's a link that spells it out pretty well

http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=4180826&nav=ZolHbyvj

"Credit-card users who send only the minimum payment will see that sum double in January. That's because federal regulators want people to get out of debt sooner.

Americans have sunk into a record $800 billion in credit-card debt in part, according to the government, because too many people pay the smallest sum offered by the credit companies. That amount is often as low as two percent of the balance. Paying the minimum stretches moderate charges into debts that will take decades to satisfy, according to regulators.

Citibank, MBNA and Bank of America will double their required minimum payments in January, the Associated Press reported. Other companies will follow suit. Regulators say the move will mean credit customers pay the balance more quickly, cut the amount of interest paid, and slice the time it takes to repay the charges.

The average credit customer carries a $9,000 balance, according to a credit study released this week. Paying only the minimum on that balance, at 18 percent interest, will stretch the debt to more than 31 years, according to bankrate.com's credit calculator. In that time, the consumer will pay more than $13,000 in interest."

[bicentennial_baby]

66. Yep, just got my bill

Doubled indeed, and to boot, they made my payment due on Jan 1, so i have to make a second payment in December just so i won't be late...fuckers x(

[MostlyLurks]

71. Thankfully, that won't impact me.

While I understand it'll hit a lot of people hard, especially those of lesser means than me, it won't have an impact on me as I'm already paying well over the minimum monthly payment.

By the way, don't you HATE it when there's a deleted reply to one of your posts? I'd love to know what used to be there.

Thanks for the information.

Mostly

[Bluebear]

6. Excluded.

I have been told by America's ruling religious parties that it is no longer a 'holiday' season for all, rather just those of ONE faith.

[rucky]

7. Nervous:

my wife just opened up a children's boutique in October, and we really really need a good holiday to make this thing fly. So far it's been spotty. Not too many folks in town are in a shopping mood after all the December layoffs were announced.

[Synnical]

8. Bored

[foreverdem]

9. I'm just not into it

Can't get into it this year. Every year I get caught up in the whole holiday, decorating, shopping, etc. This year everything and everyone annoys me.

[tnlefty]

19. I can sorta relate to that! I decorated the inside of the house because we

see it and enjoy it everyday, but I'm not decorating anything outside. I'm looking forward to having my kids out of school and spending time with them, but not extended family. I've enjoyed shopping for books and some other items for my kids and spouse, but (insert big raspberry here) on the rest. I'm sick of the rwing religious nuts so I'll observe whatever religious feelings that I have in the quiet of my own home. The whole idea of Peace on Earth has been turned upside down so I'll quietly do whatever I can to try to make someone else's time a little better (community kitchen, homeless shelter, and organizations who are working with Katrina evacuees here).

Peace.

[libhill]

61. Same here -

Just going through the motions for the sake of my grandkids. Otherwise, I'd say the hell with it.

[obxhead]

10. It's not the "holidays" yet...

[stillcool]

13. Depressed...

every year it happens. Expectations never match reality, and the stark contrast of all the false images of family, with that of my reality....well, it has an isolating affect. With each year it gets easier, but this year...the holidays are more acute because of the sharp contrast of death and destruction in my periphery.

[demokatgurrl]

14. A combination of apathy and annoyance, same as every year

First I have to say that I do not celebrate Christmas, so that may account for part of my mood. Annoyance comes from crowds in stores that are so bad I hate to even go food shopping, endless carols in public places, newspapers full of ads rather than news. Apathy comes from, well, it just isn't a time of year I enjoy very much or that has much meaning for me.

I enjoy Thanksgiving though- no religious entanglement, no commercialism, just food and fun and togetherness and all that other happy shit. Probably used to be that way for Christmas too, once upon a time.

[Blue_In_AK]

49. I'm with you.

Thanksgiving's my favorite holiday.

[Ariana Celeste]

15. Both depressed & excited.

Depressed because my family is on the west coast, my husband's family is in other states, Germany, and Iraq, so we won't have any family (and we can't afford to fly out to family- even if we could, who do we choose? and how do we explain to the others why we chose whoever over them? best not to go anywhere at all).

Excited however, because I've made some friends since I flew out here 2 years ago, and this year we can afford to buy gifts for our friends, and their kids. Will be fun to shop for them, and even more so to give them the gifts!

So really, I'm just going back and forth between the two opposites. :).

[foreigncorrespondent]

16. Depressed!

This year I haven't put any decorations or a tree up. And I have no intention of doing so either.

[babylonsister]

17. Apathetic. I fulfilled my familial responsibilities.

The gifts I had to get are got, wrapped and sent. Now it's just me and my husband, and we're not doing a thing. Plus he works holidays, so this feeling will prevail.

[Endangered Specie]

18. Considering that finals are still going on...

dreadful

[Semi_subversive]

20. Everything is wonderful

I love this time of year. I'll be taking a week off to spend quality time with my family, visit the in-laws for a couple of days in the high desert (I love northeastern CA), the weather is still dry enough that I can ride the Harley to the office, and the best of all .... my almost 23 YO son is finally moving out!!!! He'll be sharing a house with friends just a few blocks away. I have such plans for his room!

[Tyler Durden]

21. Everything that's rotten has happened to me from 11/15 to 1/5

Every single rotten thing that's happened to me, breakups, death or terminal illness notices, car accidents, natural disasters, firings, homelessness, ALL happen during this time.

This year, the whole rest of the extended family on one side just cut me and my family off.

GEE, what fun. Merry HooHah.

[yasmina27]

22. My dad died yesterday

the greatest dad in the world. Truly one of the good ones. Oh, he wasn't perfect, but who is? He loved us dearly and never failed to show us, even when being the disciplinarian.

I was there Sun. AM when he passed. I was the only one there. Wow. He had been taken home on hospice just 3 weeks earlier. My mom and sister were convinced he would hang in there until after the holidays. I knew otherwise - I don't know how, I just knew.

Sat. AM when my mom got up, he was breathing but not responding. She called my sister & I. I decided to stay the night, as did my sister. We were going to take shifts staying up so we could all get some rest.

Their dog knew. About 5 minutes before he passed, Buddy (the biggest wimp in the world, in spite of his 70 pounds) started prowling. I told him to lay down with me - no deal. A few minutes later, dad took his last breaths.

I feel privileged to have been with him. I believe he knew I could handle it. I had talked to him for about 15-20 minutes earlier, I thanked him for being my dad, I told him we would be OK, that we would take care of my mom, and I told him it was OK if he was ready to go Home. ( I also sang to him - which he probably wanted to escape!)

God, I miss him already. We are so much alike, except in genitalia, it is scary.

I am proceeding to get properly semi-sloshed (only semi because we have one of the viewings tonight).

Here's to Joe Pletcher!

Godspeed Daddy - I love you!:toast:

[Historic NY]

24. So sorry for your loss....yasmina27

I lost my Uncle last yr too, same day after bring him home with Hospice. He slipped away peacefully too, he would have been 91 on the 23rd. He lived with me for a long time. We did the same as your family did, taking shifts, strange how it seems to work out that way. Peace to you and your family.

[yasmina27]

29. Thank you

It means alot to me. Words fail me right now...

[babylonsister]

27. Here's to Joe Pletcher, too, and I'm

very sorry you lost your daddy, yasmina27. It's so very difficult to lose parents, especially close to the holidays. I hope your family shares their strength. :hug:
RIP, Mr. Pletcher.

[yasmina27]

30. Thank you

Your hopes are appreciated. We have a strong family & I know we will get through this. I've requested the song "Someone is Missing At Christmas" as one of the songs at his funeral.

[brook]

36. My heart goes out to you.

It's wonderful that you got to be with your Dad. I was with my parents when they passed and like you, felt it was a privilege which I treasure. Dad died at Thanksgiving and Mom at Christmas - long ago but still so missed. I got home from work a few minutes ago to an email informing me that Dad's sister passed away Saturday. They're all gone now and I'm crying like an idiot - for all of us - with losses old and new.

Fly high, Joe Pletcher! And smile down on the daughter who honored you here. :toast:

:grouphug:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

37. I'm sure he enjoyed the song

My condolances on your loss.

[jbnow]

55. Sounds like it went

as nice as it could, considering he had to die. Home with those he loved.

You're right that he knew you could handle it, people often wait until people are gone for a while to take their last breath.

But I am so sorry your dad died, that people die. A rotten system.

Here's to Joe, his love surrounds you.

[dryan]

72. Prayers are ....

with you and your family.

[lady raven]

78. I'm sorry for your loss

It's so hard to lose a parent.

*hugs*

[lcbart]

23. Spirit sucked out of me...

By a nasty divorce, being alone for the first time in twenty years.

Just want to make it go away this year.

[More Than A Feeling]

25. An interesting cocktail of emotions

Peace that my second-to-last semester in college is over. Excitement over the new year and the 2006 midterms. Anxiety over getting into law school. Annoyance and frustration at the continued subversion of our democracy.

[Lilith Velkor]

28. All of the above

:crazy:

[AngryAmish]

31. I'm leaving

I feel great.

[libhill]

62. Another fortunate

expatriate - damn, I wish I could leave with ya -

[MsTryska]

32. Hmm....i'm feeling pretty darn cynical....

in a jackass haha suckas!kinda way.


sort of like a wry sardonic cynicism.

[RB TexLa]

33. It's a three day weekend this year

So we are probably going to the Caribbean for the weekend

[erinlough]

34. I'm nervous and on edge and angry

nervous that my temper will break on someone who is only parroting the RW claptrap about the war on Christmas, on edge because I don't like having to worry if I will be attacked because of what I do or don't say, angry because this isn't the country I grew up believing in anymore.

[xchrom]

38. my dad became an invalid this year -- and i'm his care taker.

i have to stay with him -- pretty much twentyfour seven.
my mom has had heart trouble so she can't help much.

and i've had a right wing rushbot staying with me as well to help out.
but of course she can't lift my 135 lb dad -- so guess what, not much help -- but for my mom's sake i have to put up with her.

but this year -- like every other year -- i absolutely fall in love with christmas -- it's just magical to me.
peace and good will to men -- miracles -- santa clause -- midnight mass -- choirs -- cookies -- egg nog -- i just love it.

and that from a usually bitter, tired old queen.

p.s. i just wish my dogs sport and peewee could be here with me -- then it would be heaven -- even with all the sickness and infirmities.

[mtnsnake]

39. I'm indifferent & a little apathetic as usual when it comes to holidays

I'm not proud of that either!!

What I lack in holiday spirit, my wife more than makes up for! I'll get into it, though. Just not yet ;)

[Nicole]

41. Lonely n/t

[entanglement]

58. You aren't alone

in being lonely, that is. Sad world, isn't it?

[Nicole]

73. yes, it is sad

Maybe next year will be better.

[TankLV]

42. Generally thankful, peaceful and happy.

But then again, I've had a good shit, an a good orgasm and a good sneeze recently, not necessarily all at the same time or in that order!

[kineneb]

43. overwhelmed, tired

Hubby is on dialysis 3x/week and I had bronchitis for almost the entire month of Nov. Now I am half-way through the performances of the local Renaissance Christmas Pageant. I just don't feel very enthusiastic about the holidays this year. We will put up our little living tree, decorate it, light the candles on Christmas Eve and then listen to some medieval and Renaissance music. I'm thinking of baking a store-bought lasagne for the two of us for Christmas dinner. I just feel tired; too much medical stuff happened this fall.

[KoKo]

44. Last year I was really down (Election) this year...I'm just thinking it's

something to get through. And, I love Christmas ...was always my favorite time of year. Love to bake find fun gifts...creative stuff.

I'm just Blah...

[drdtroit]

46. Everyday is a holiday.

I'm healthy with a loving family and dear friends.
Also, my life's greatest pleasures are creating music and travel, and that is precisely what my life entails.
I guess I'd have to say I'm living my dream.
It's funny that when I was in my earlier years and decided to dedicate my life to music my dad would say "what are you going to do when you retire?"
I would always retort, "I'm already living my retirement!" :-)

[unkachuck]

47. I had big-time heart...

....surgery this year, in a few weeks I've got bankruptcy court, probably will be divorced by spring and I'm sitting here alone in my pathetic little room with no money for Christmas feeling pretty good....I'm still alive and I've got a great excuse not to be buying presents this year....I hate shopping....

....but what I do cherish most is my Imaginary Christmas Tree....I'm not joking, I tell my Grandkids all about it when they ask, 'Where's your tree, Grandpa?'....last year it was slightly less than 34 feet tall with more than 8700 lights and ornaments....and that's a much bigger and prettier tree than the crappy little trees they all have....and this year, I've gotten an even bigger and better tree....

....my Imaginary Tree this year is over 47-1/2 feet tall with more than 11500 lights and ornaments....it's a beautiful tree topped by a 3 foot tall white angel with out-streched wings....it smells real 'piney' and about half the lights twinkle while the illuminated ornaments shine brightly in the night....and that's not even counting the ornaments that actually 'move' around on the tree....

....I was going to get a snow machine to create 'falling snow' over the tree while it was lit at night but I figured that might be a bit excessive....maybe next year....

[jbnow]

56. You are cool

great attitude.
Merry Christmas unkachuck

[Blue_In_AK]

48. There's been better, there's been worse...

I'm happy my kids will be here (except my oldest who's flying to Hawaii Christmas Eve to get married), and I'm happy that I'm married to the man I am now instead of the one I used to be married to, but I wish we all had more money to spend on each other. The budgets are awfully tight for all of us, and that takes away some of the gift-giving joy ... but we are all healthy and in good relationships, so I guess you can't ask for much more in **'s America in 2005.

[BeTheChange]

50. Wow.. a D20 + accessories is a tight Christmas for you...

Wanna adopt my husband and I? :)

[Blue_In_AK]

52. That's my husband spending more than he should have...

...against my stated wishes -- although I should say I'm not complaining. :evilgrin: His extravagance aside, the rest of us are finding it a little tight this year. I've had to use my credit card, and I'm not too happy about it, but I can't not give my kids and grandkids gifts at Christmas, whether I can afford it or not. I realize that we are much more fortunate, though, than many. It hasn't always been this good for me either so I really have no complaints on the personal level. Globally, that's another matter.

ed. My husband was telling me last night he got me the camera so I could document the coming revolution. I hope I don't have to.

[juajen]

51. I just keep remembering

how beautiful New Orleans was at Christmas, and I start crying. Can't seem to stop. Our coast is toxic waste from Lake Charles to Mobile Bay. How can this be. Where is the outrage?

[Blue_In_AK]

54. I am outraged...

I never spent any time in New Orleans, but I find it totally shameful that the impostor would go down there in his photo op and promise money and huge rebuilding projects and then just leave you guys in the lurch, no respect for your towns and cities, no respect for your people and no respect for your dead. It's obscene. And please accept this Alaskan's apologies on behalf of our porky senator. Many of us here wanted our "bridge to nowhere" money sent to the Gulf. Ted marches to his own drummer.

[Swamp Rat]

53. All of the above at the same time non-stop every day.

Join me in flooding Washington! Louisiana groups have launched an effort to generate 300,000 e-mails demanding category 5 protection for New Orleans and Southern Louisiana. That means effective levees and flood control projects as well as comprehensive coastal wetlands restoration to give Southern Louisiana a critical storm buffer. Please take a second to help spread the word!

Take action now at http://www.democracyinaction.org/GRN/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1521

[InaneAnanity]

59. I'm angry

But I'm always angry. I'm not any angrier during the holidays than I am the rest of the year.

I do hate the "war on christmas" b.s. though, so maybe I am slightly angrier now.

[jbnow]

60. Not so merry

I like Christmas carols-a lot. I might belt out Oh Holy Night in July.
I use the Christmas stamps all year figuring no time is wrong for the birth of the Christ energy within us all

I am not religious but I love the symbolism.

But where is the peace on earth and good will? Where is the thrill of hope to get this weary world rejoicing.

I love Christmas because...I believe in all that on a deep level, that we live in a healing world.

Now, not so much.

The world feels heavy, we seem going in the wrong direction. Not that we are. I know enough to know that things can look worse as they get better. For instance when we do deep cleaning or home improvement construction we create a horrible mess, it looks worse, chaotic.

I can't resist hope. This year Hope is resisting me.

Still if you want Peace, be Peace, What else can you do?

Peace.

[tiredofthisstuff]

63. Other.... The non-stop retail commercials are driving me mad.

Maybe it is just my age but for some reason the retail holiday advertising machine is taking a toll on my nerves. I feel that I cannot even go to a gas station bathroom without hearing an ad for 1/2 all sweaters, or no payments until February, etc.

On top of that I'm tired of hearing about the debate on whether or not to use "Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays" as a greeting. If these speech police are so concerned with the wordage used at the end of a sales transaction, then they should look at how corporate entities grossly exploit the holidays for profit.

[LWolf]

64. Stressed and focused.

It's not the holiday yet. I have another 4 days of work to get through, with meetings every single day before and after school. I was up way past my bedtime trying to correct 120 papers last night; a family member woke me slumped over the pile. Once I've gotten through the week, I can turn my attention to the neglected house; clean it, try to find where I put the decorations when I moved, and worry about how many "festive" activities to pull the 5-year-old with the nasty cold from. I hope, while on break, to get some peaceful, quiet time, and to catch up on months of chores I haven't been able to get to. We'll see. As far as the holiday itself goes, I'm spending my time wanting to make sure that things are festive enough for my mom and grandson, without wearing me out. I'd be happy with a little tree in a pot and a day where nobody wanted anything from me.

[tlsmith1963]

65. Depressed

But then I've been depressed since Bush was re-elected.
And I'm sick of these fundie wackos & their "War on Christmas" BS. I'm just not into it this year because I'm fed up with all the fake holiday cheer & rampant materialism. "I *have* to get the new X-Box!" Geez...

Tammy

[mmonk]

67. With

militant Christianity on the rise, the holidays, excuse me, Christmas, doesn't keep the distancing from me and my religion from growing. I'll just keep the ethos of Jesus of Nazareth with me, but not the perversions laid at my feet in his name by others.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

68. "Bah, humbug!" Pretty well sizes it up. But, amused at the hypocrisy.

"Behold the lillies of the field..." the birthday boy said. I doubt that he would be pleased with the eager shoppers contributing to the wealth of the fatcats that he spoke against.

[Binka]

69. Sad & Thankful

Sad because I miss my children back in the States. Thankful that Ben is alive and out of Iraq. Thankful for My Beautiful Late Life Baby Peyton Rose. Conflicted. But I am always CONFLICTED.

[ThatsMyBarack]

70. Not really in a "holiday" mood, but....

....rather a waiting-for-my-nephew-to-be-born kind of mood! :woohoo:

[Zinfandel]

74. Just going through the motions, to make others happy, that's not

so bad, I suppose...has nothing to do with my feeling though...My "mood"? I would guess is truly indifferent!

[lady raven]

77. It's a hard year for us...

My father in law died quite brutally in January (murdered), and he and my hubby were very close. My son and I loved him a lot too. My hubby and I have had health issues this year on top of that and our money situation is pretty dismal. My brother is going to Iraq in the New Year, and when he was home for Thanksgiving he went off on me and we basically aren't talking now.

This has been probably the worst year of my life and I can't wait for it to end.

Christmases used to be fairly jubilant around our house. Now it's just depressing. We haven't put up our tree or anything else. It's not a conscious decision- We just haven't felt like it. We'll have a small 4- person get together and a nice home cooked dinner. It'll be hubby, me, our 5 year old, and my mother. She wanted to order a pizza for Christmas dinner, but I have insisted on cooking so we'll have SOMETHING resembling a "real Christmas". The highlight will be our 5 year old singing in the Christmas Eve church service. Then we'll go to the midnight service at the church my husband grew up in.

The fundies talk about putting Christ back into Christmas while bitching all the while about Wal Mart not shouting Merry Christmas from the rooftops. But for us this year, Christmas is JUST about Christ.

I didn't mean for this to sound as self pitying as it did. Sorry.