Christmas has lost it's meaning Triggers
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| Fri, 12-24-2004 - 2:32am |
How sad is it that we have lost the true meaning of Christmas. The holiday seems to start before Halloween and does not end until the middle of January. The war and hurt and pain in this world and all anyone seems to care about is if they can get the lastes toy. If they can find a new designer outfit to wear. While people in the world and right hear in our own country are living on the streets and shelters because they have no home or job to go too.
This time of year is hard enough for me without having the idea of Christmas thrown in my face for two months before the acually holiday. The way I am feeling right now is sad and lost.
I know my family is guilty of it. My nephews and nieces are greedy little snots they want and want but if you ask them to do some kind of cheritable thing you would think you asked them to give up a prized possition. Little do they know that this year I made a donation to the local Children's hospital in all of their names. They won't be happy about not opening a present from but you know what it is about time they learned they are not the be all. Maybe I sound harsh but it is not like any of them are going to do without because they aren't. It is time that they learn the true meaning of Christmas is the gift of giving of one-self, the gift of love.
I feel lost and alone tonight.
I hope all of you have a Happy Holiday.
callie

Hi Callie,
I know what you mean, and I think it's important to find your own traditions and to make Christmas what you want it to be for yourself. I also made donations for a number of people this year, including my cousins who are 22 and 16. I figure that by that age, they are old enough to understand the point of it. I also have my children choose toys to give away before Christmas. Well, I choose the ones my ds (3) will give away, but my dd (8) has been choosing hers for the last few years. We also give food to a local food bank through the daycare and school, and this year, my dd's school collected clothes for homeless teens. They asked for socks and underwear(!), so that's what we gave.
Tonight, we will go to church. I can tell you that this was a battle. I go pretty much every week to a new church that is non-denominational Christian. My dh doesn't believe and doesn't like this church because it doesn't have a beautiful building and fabulous choir like our old one (not that he went there much, either). We normally spend Christmas Eve with his family, as they are European. His sister and her kids are there too. But this year, I decided that I was tired of missing the early church services every year b/c that's was Christmas is all about. The kids are too tired to go at 11:00. Anyway, I talked to my ILs, who suggested we come on the 26th, because in Germany, they celebrate Christmas Eve, then First Xmas and Second Xmas. We spend the 25th with my family. My SIL isn't happy because we "always" do it the other way and her kids won't see their cousins that day. Well, I'm sick of arranging my schedule around her ex-in-law's schedule (her kids go there around 6:30 for dinner on the 24th). If it's that important to her that the cousins see each other, they can go on the 26th, too. They have dinner there on the 25th anyway, and we just had a b'day party for my ds on Saturday, and my dh's b'day is the 29th.
This is a big step for me: to do what *I* feel is important on Christmas and insist on it. I think it is important for you to do that too. If you want to give to charity instead of buying gifts, do it! I told my brother to do that for me, too. If you want to spend Christmas Eve at church, go! If you want to volunteer to serve dinner at a homeless shelter tomorrow, do it! You are worth giving yourself the holiday you want and need.
Sorry I've gone on so long here, but I think this is a time of year that should bring peace and joy instead of stress as we try to please others. I hope that you will find that in your heart this year.
God bless,
Nicola
Callie,
I agree that a lot of kids nowadays have a strong sense of entitlement.
Every year my dh and I have bought toys of the toys for tots or Salvation Army toy drive for the needy.
I don't believe in giving gifts to anyone you don't want to give gifts to. You're entitled to do it however you feel like doing it.
My sister has always been very greedy at Christmas, at pretty much every other time. I don't have anything to do with her Martha Stewart Christmas of intricate, perfect form and no kindness. My life has been so much happier since I stopped spending Christmas with my family.
I think Christmas has tons of rules and expectations on it. So do it the way you like to. That's the best thing you can ever do for yourself.
MariaC
Hi Callie.