Comments on: Bah humbug!

By: Tess

Tess — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:17:09 +0000

lucy: you made me smile with your nor being stressed out enough! I’m glad.
Elizabeth: welcome aboard the raft!! Thanks so much for your comment and for sharing these thoughts. I’m going to go and explore some of the words on your blog, which having had a quick peek at, I suspect I shall enjoy.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:29:41 +0000

Hello Tess, I’ve been led to your website via Hermitage! And am so warmed from your post re: Christmas. A a single woman 42 with no children and no close family. And not a christian but { or I could say ‘and’}spiritual/Pagan I too spend this time on my own. And struggle not to feel the pressure of shoulds and not to fall onto blame. I have a rich and abundant life with friends. But at this time of year I have time on my own when my friends are with family. And I wish I could be in a space where you are at this time of year ~ in balance and able to put these outside pressures in persective. As Sue echoes re: collective unconscious frenzy and ‘should’s are so spot on.
To read your and other’s posts is heartening. Thank you. Another person for this raft!

By: lucy

lucy — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:42:49 +0000

tess, i love this post. sue speaks of it as a life raft. yes. no. there are layers and layers here all touching a part of my own heart and wow… me being one with lots of family, too. as we were driving to christmas eve service, i commented that it really didn’t feel like christmas and the car load asked “why”. i replied… because i haven’t felt stressed out enough. hmmm. what is this thing we call christmas? and how “should” we celebrate it?

By: Tess

Tess — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:13:29 +0000

claire: it’s difficult getting that balance, isn’t it? I hope you have a wonderful time with your grandsons. I’m just back from my small pre-Christmas food shop (a few extra goodies) and I was staggered by the mountainous shopping trolleys in the store. Heaven knows what it will be like on the 23rd and 24th – I shall not be there!
diantha: I love your ONE Christmas decoration. Congratulations on your journey from perfectionism – are you a recovering Christmasaholic I wonder?! I have to say it is great when kids enjoy it – without getting completely over-excited and breaking all those expensive new toys in the first half-hour.

By: diantha

diantha — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:09:16 +0000

Tess, your post made me smile….Being a “bit older” than you, I’ve certainly “been there, done that”. I put out one Christmas decoration this year. ONE! This from a woman who just about killed herself every Christmas doing everything she ever heard of in an attempt to be the perfect Mom, daughter, daughter in law, sister, sister in law….well, you get the picture. As I let go of things over the years I found myself enjoying the season more, but truly, I can’t get excited over it except when seeing kids enjoy it so much. Other than that, I’d be happy to join you propping up my feet, reading a good book, and letting the world go crazy on its own, thank you very much! Great post. I think you speak great truth here! Loved the photo too….PURR-FECT! xo

By: claire

claire — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:05:39 +0000

While a mother and grandmother, and looking forward to spending this Christmas ‘en famille,’ I find that I am out of the shopping race. I am delighted that my grandsons are into decorating. I would like to find a way to bring in the ‘Spirit of Christmas,’ the fact that Jesus chose to be born in the poorest possible place — both literally and figuratively (as in my heart). But I cannot spring that on them at the last minute. So I have to reflect on how I can integrate this in our lives in the course of the year.
So nice to find you back at your blog, Tess.

By: Tess

Tess — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:34:49 +0000

Hey, thanks all for the comments, and anyone who wants to climb aboard the life raft is more than welcome – room for everyone!
And I’ve learned both that Boxing Day is not universal and that the name doesn’t have some obscure religious significance I’ve never bothered to check into. I guess we must have sent the tradition over to Aus with all our unwanted convicts, Sue and Kel
Pollinatrix, thank you for your honesty and good humour in saying you don’t want your own Christmas affected – the comment about it being potential just narcissism is a very good observation. And believe me, I can glower with the best of ‘em!
Rebecca you make a really good point that for those who enjoy it, Christmas preparations are fun, not stress, and I guess I do kind of wish I could feel a little of that fun, rather than being as catatonic as Barbara describes. And B, I’m so pleased that goats are on the menu this Christmas, so to speak. Thanks for letting me know.

By: Sue

Sue — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:27:47 +0000

Oh, yeah, I forgot Boxing Day is not universal. Thanks, Kel, for being the cultural interpreter

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:59:28 +0000

I feel almost catatonic this Christmas. I can’t even get up the energy to tidy up my place. I have minimized my decorations these last few years — no tree, a wreath on the door, a creche, a few ornaments hanging here and there, the angel Isabel that used to sit atop my tree and that’s about it. I will join up with the sister and brother who live next door for dinner — I’ll bring dessert, wine and the cranberry sauce (which is a specialty). I will go to “midnight” Mass with the reveillon (party) that follows, come home and have a drink, and sleep in. I really enjoy the quiet and being out of the swing of things. It is so deliciously peaceful when everyone else is so busy elsewhere. I will buy a few presents and receive next to none. I don’t need anything anyway.
So have a really peaceful Christmas, Tess. Nothing Scroogy in that.

BTW, someone I know bought a goat as a Christmas present for someone because of the suggestion I made at church. And it all started with you!

By: Kel

Kel — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:01:03 +0000

Tess, the cat photo and quote is hilarious, and summarises some of my Dec feelings too. May I add that couples who don’t have kids, face similar ‘bah-humbugs’ about xmas . . .

The supposed ‘shoulds’ of the season are I believe what puts pressure on people, depression on people, and whips society into a frenzy of keeping up ‘appearances’ lest one appear scroogy, anti-social etc.

In case anyone wondered re Sue’s ref to Boxing Day, it’s an Australian Public Holiday the day after Xmas . . . and no, we don’t get out the gloves and have punchups!!! Despite the fact that many might feel like it after a few days with family……

http://goaustralia.about.com/cs/eventsfestivals/a/boxingday.htm