With the Coming of the Holidays

[eDJ_]

Each year this time as the Holiday Season approaches some people tend to get into  a funk that ranges from
depression to repressed anger.  I've wondered how the full timers cope with this each year who aren't with landed family or friends to go visit and stay with.   I know even those living in their homes and working
jobs that they have been at for some time go through changes when all should be happy and joyous in the
world.  

How do you experience the Holiday Season ?  Do you participate or avoid ?  Would you like to have
meetup's in different parts of the country to go to during this time of the year ?

How do you feel about these times ?  What do you do as a reaction ?  Are you just glad to see the season be over with ?

 

[TMG51]

Having retail experience, I once commented to a gun store owner that the winter months must be his slowest. He said it was the opposite: People get depressed, and go buy a gun.

He wasn't joking.

His position was that this trend was of gun enthusiasts cheering themselves up with a new acquisition, not anything morbid, but I found it an interesting observation either way.

 

[mockturtle]

How do you experience the Holiday Season ?

Other than sending Christmas cards and gifts, I largely ignore the holidays.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

We don't pay much attention to holidays much anymore. We have no grandkids so doesn't feel so important.

 

[akrvbob]

Once you leave society to the greatest degree you can, most of the depression that it causes drops away and you can cope with the holidays much better.
Bob

 

[Almost There]

Since the 'holiday season' is based on religion, it holds absolutely no importance to me.

I mostly ignore it other than for steadfastly avoiding the malls. If given the opportunity in the past, I planned a vacation around the time so that I could be absent from the dysfunctional family events.

I do buy turkey in some form or another because I like the taste of it and it's at its' best pricing around the holidays. When travelling I bought just a couple of breasts for on the grill, when in a S&B, a whole turkey so I had lots of leftovers....

 

[SoulRaven]

Each year I get at least a dozen invites for the holidays. If I'm close, I may join in. If I have no other plans which is usually the case, I try to volunteer serving up dinners to the homeless on the holidays. There is something about that ritual that brings me a lot of holiday cheer.

I do find this time of year sort of depressing, but not because of the holidays. The cold doesn't bother me, my van is super easy to heat and keep warm, and staying warm when outside the van isn't too difficult. I don't really mind the rain, snow, sleet, or ice either, but what I do find depressing is the dark and gloomy days, and the lack of daylight hours.

 

[LeeRevell]

On the gun thing, down here hunting season begins just before Turkey Day, and continues through January, into February and even March depending on the particular game.  So yeah, a lot of guns bought during this time. 
I generally avoid all holidays.  I don't like to be on the road in the heavier traffic.  The Christmas Grind got to be too much, so I generally say "Bah Humbug!"   Last couple years, I do a much reduced Christmas at my elderly Mom's place.

 

[Silver]

"dark and gloomy days, and the lack of daylight hours. "

I rather have more light in the Evenings & less in the mornings.
I love the quiet times of the early morning.

Good for the gym & shopping @ places that open early or 24 hrs

 

[SoulRaven]

Oh my....don't get me started on the holidays and especially xxxxmasssss. Too late..... you already did by asking your questions. I have all the symptoms you mention, funk, depression, repressed anger and a few more. xmass is a very bad time for me. I hate the fake good cheer, the stores selling their useless garbage to people for their xmas gifts, the sheep buying the useless garbage to give as xmas gifts. I am a terrible person to be around during the holidays. Everyone around me can't understand why I am so bitter and somewhat hateful around this time of the year.
As the holidays start approaching to me it's like watching a storm move in. First you see it around this time of the year with the stores starting to ramp up with their advertising and stocking their shelves with extra stuff to unload on the starry eyed people that are in the daze of their disease called "holiday season cheer". Then the constant "merry xmas, happy holidays, happy new years, ad nauseaum" things people shouting to one another.
I just want to get away as far as I can from the holiday cheer as possible. I don't really know why I feel this way but I attribute it to growing up, as most of everyone else has in experiencing the holidays, especially xmas, brainwashing. Which is why most people, including me, get very depressed around the holidays when they are alone also, because we are brainwashed our whole life that you should always celebrate the holidays......and it is always supposed to be celebrated with your loved ones and other people.
So far I have not been able to find a place to go around this time of year that totally ignores the holidays where it's like it never existed. Where people just treat this time of year like it is just like any other time of the year. I know, that sounds boring, but to me it sounds refreshing.

 

[compassrose]

We have never been big holiday people. David liked the cheap Turkey so we often did that. Last year was a bad year for the holidays. The girls & I were pretty much depressed and in mourning the whole time. One of my daughters (and her hubby) are heading east to spend Christmas with my mom. My other daughter & I will stay here. We have already agreed that we will not be "doing" Christmas this year. No tree. No decorations. Minimal gifting like normal. I have asked for that winning lottery ticket for Christmas. Not any of the losing ones, just the winning one. I think we will do shrimp for Turkey Day since neither one of us are huge turkey fans. Maybe make an egg custard pie for desert. We will probably just rent movies from Redbox or dig thru my collection for movies to watch. For Christmas, we will probably splurge and buy crablegs and shrimp and do a Boil. I will probably make my tradional stollen for Christmas. Try to stay warm otherwise. I think the holidays will be about as sad as they were last year.

 

[karl]

Had the 2nd best christmas ever a couple years ago- spent it all by myself at Tumbling Creek campground in N. Ga.
The best was 30 years ago when we did NOT drive to the Cape to be with in/outlaws....kids were young and we cooked, played games, x-country skied together as a family. They remember that one fondly as well.

Christmas has always been difficult for me, early it was the family dysfunction, now it is mainly with the ridiculous retail expectations society has reduced an already corrupted by religion holy day to.

If I feel the need to celebrate, I choose to celebrate Solstice and thank Mother Earth for putting up with me..

 

[USExplorer]

When I'm traveling, holidays are simply days when everything is closed. I don't celebrate them much.

I'll probably spend thanksgiving with my folks, who knows what I'll do for christmas.

 

[LeeRevell]

Mom has a small turkey in the freezer, and just got a smoked meat gift box via UPS.  That will do us for the holidays.  

 

[BobBski]

I had difficulty when the kids were first all grown and out on their own. 5 kids, 11 grandchildren and 6 great grandkids spread out all over the place...Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Ohio and Arizona . I've never liked the commercialization of the holidays. Seldom set up a tree anymore but...do call and talk to all on the holiday. For the last several years I've sent each of the 5 kids a Hickory Farms sausage n cheese pack, sometimes accompanied with a movie dvd to be enjoyed on Christmas Eve..Kinda makes us all feel together. The grandkids, in particular enjoy it. Depressed...no....very thankful that all are healthy. My kids are my proudest accomplishment and the holidays bring back many great memories of when they were home.....I smile for having those memories.

 

[Silver]

“crablegs and shrimp and do a Boil”
I love SeaFood !

“spent it all by myself at Tumbling Creek campground”
sounds kind of sad .

Parents go to Vegas durin the Holidays.
I eat turkey with trimmings in our house trying to avoid my bro.

“sausage n cheese pack” with garlic bread & salad

 

[BobBski]

“sausage n cheese pack” with garlic bread & salad

Might just try the garlic bread this year...usually just Triscuits and Dijon

 

[blars]

I didn't bother with the all saint's day candy sales this year, and ignored the boxing day sales last year. I did get myself something on black friday, but it was online deliver to store. Sometimes you can find bargains on some foodstuff after boxing day.

 

[GotSmart]

Last year I was house and dog sitting for my ex in laws.  This year I will be doing the turkey for my kids, as I start packing for RTR.   They had better watch and learn how to cook as this is their last chance!

 

[buckwilk]

I have spent a couple of Thanksgiving days and a couple of Christmas Days with Bob and Steve and many others in the past. Steve cooks a mean turkey out in the desert. The holidays have never bothered me the way they do some. I like telling people MERRY CHRISTMAS ! I will go to a restaurant and buy someones meal for them and their family without telling them. When the waitress presents the "check" and says it's been paid the look on their faces makes my day. Try something like that this season, you'll be the winner. This year I've got some little things I picked up and wrapped that I'm going to give to some of the homeless in the area. They can't believe someone thought of them. I've done that the past two years and hope to do it for many more.