Christmas is a time of jolliness, family gatherings, plenty food, lights and carols.
Christmas is a time of profound depression, loneliness, a recurring sense of loss and long, empty days with barely any daylight.
Which applies to you?
Which applies to those around you?
Do you dare to admit?
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#2 applies to me.
ReplyDeleteBut there was a time, (until about 7 yrs ago) that I was in the #1 category.
God bless,
Sugar
#1 applies to me now, but I have had my times. We have lost many loved ones in my life during this time of year and it can affect you for many years, but I got over it for the young ones. Also working retail at Christmas may cause #2. Joni
ReplyDelete#2 for me
ReplyDeletei like to give the presents,dont like to recieve them
10-12 years ago i would have said #1 but not now
made worse this year by just losing a very special friend
I think I'm a mixture of both. Life is so complex at times, most times. I try to be upbeat for the most part but have one meltdown usually before the holidays. Chris
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit of both.!!
ReplyDeleteYasmin
I'm both. Years ago, when my children were very small is when things always went so well and you could feel the energy in my home. Now, I'd lean towards the last one. My children now grown and a grandchild and another on the way, things have changed so very much. It's as if I have to have them both pencil me in their scheual! Sometimes I let it get to me and other times I can go with the flow.
ReplyDeleteLisa
I leave for Mexico EVERY Christmas. No Drama either way. I just go do my thing and enjoy! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://journals.aol.com/lattedah711/lattedah/ Tracy
I'm Both-and not surprised most everyone else said the same..
ReplyDeleteNever is black or white is it-usually the gray............
For me it is a mixture of both. I love the upside of Christmas, the joy of children on the day, seeing the family. On the downside I lost three very close members of my family in December, one on Boxing Day and last December I first found that lump. So Christmas now is a blend of memories of the past, loss, worrying about the future and the happiness of the family. There is no black and white, Guido.
ReplyDeletehttp://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/
For me it is a quiet time of reflection, some relaxing with family, a few special dishes, a fond remembrance of people gone and different times. - Barbara
ReplyDeleteA little of both applies to me. A time for family, joy and then reflections of those loved ones who have gone on before and that leaves sadness. Helen
ReplyDeleteLike many others, I view it with mixed feelings, mostly happy but Ihave had some bad ones ....love Jan xx
ReplyDeleteAs a Christian, I view it first as a celebration of our Savior's birth. But there have been a few Christmas times that it took all I had to keep my spirits up; the first one after my husband left home, the one after my mom died and then the one after my dad passed away. I decided in 1981 after the husband left...I wasn't going to let his bad behavior dampen the holiday for the kids and the rest of my family..but it was hard. After my mom died was the worst. She passed away in October and my poor dad was lost. We decided to go to their house for Christmas that year. We had our dinner there (prepared by myself, my sister in law and my daughter) and then my brother and sister in law took him home with them for a couple days. We decided it would be too hard on him to have kids and grandkids come to the house for the one day and then be all alone again. After he passed away in 1990 it all changed. No more grandpa & grandma..we had to start new traditions, and find new ways of celebrating this blessed day. This year most of may family will be together on Sat. 12-22-07 but I'm also going to invite some others...people who are alone and thru circumstances of the past year may not be very happy this year. I hope they'll come & join us. Linda in WA
ReplyDeleteThis year is very hard, it seems I have lost so many that I loved this year ~ their presence in my world is really starting to hit my heart. I am missing my dad & my grandma and I wish my family life was "normal". We don't celebrate with family, just my mom & sf and Doug's dad & sm and not all at the same time. I guess it can make a person feel or look at their situation as inadequate because everyone around you is enjoying their big families and traditions. My moms extended family doesn't have anything to do with each other and the family on my dads side doesn't acknowledge I exist. Doug gets sad because of his own family situation which out of respect for him I won't go into. It's funny you should put this in an entry, I've spent the past week crying at the drop of a hat.....wanting to sleep to stop thinking about what is making me cry and overall just pushing myself to do what I have to do. I do celebrate and rejoice in the fact that Christmas is the birthday of Jesus ~ of whom I believe in with all of my heart.
ReplyDeleteSorry to be such a downer ~ I am sure you are sorry you ask.
Lisa
Christmas in my neck of the woods is always very family centered. We have a big close family, and I'm both blessed and thankful. It's a joyful occasion.
ReplyDeleteBut....usually somewhere around the holidays I experience unexplained depression. Some years much worse than others. This year has been extremely mild :)
Congratulations on being "editor of the week"
~Meg
This is all so so true Guedo. We must always try to take time to look around and give support to those lonely folks. It can be very hard though as they tend to keep out of sight and very quiet, so we must be very much on our guard. Sybil x
ReplyDeleteI have treid my utmost with a solitary elderly neighbour but I can't budge him!
ReplyDeleteHe wont come out of his house now. Once he would come down and sit for five minutes unload and then go. Now I find myself annoying myself encouraging him to come down for a cuppa just for ' a change of wallpaper at least!' No joy. He is, I knew, a loner and likes it that way.
I shall keep annoying him though....
Jeanie
Oh I am all about the happy!
ReplyDeletebe well,
Dawn
http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/
Since hubby has the christmas music blasting in the kitchen at the moment bring on the food and lights....
ReplyDeleteLinda :)