Kathy-Pgh

thanks for posting this thread. I have been doing this for years and as I cut back each year, the holiday season gets so much more special.

Merry Christmas

renee765

I have begun to realize that as I get older, time is going so much faster. It used to be that I'd put away all the Christmas decorations, and it would be a whole year before I saw them again, and I'd have forgotten some of them and putting them out made it such a special time of year.

Now that I'm (ahem) a senior citizen, I realize that it seems like only yesterday that I put away the Christmas decorations and here I am going to put them out again already? It just doesn't feel 'special' any more.

When I was a 'career woman' and could afford expensive things for my family, I was always in such a tizzy trying to get the right things, and feeling like it was never enough, and feeling responsible for everyone's happiness.

Now that I'm on a limited income, I've been making all of the gifts (except for the two little grandsons) and have felt very satisfied with this. There is no longer any question of 'is this enough?" because this is all I can do. It really takes the pressure off!

Abby'smom

Retirement has taught me to go at my own pace -- still time till the holidays to do what you want to do

sandpat

I'll start by saying that I LOVE Christmas- always have...but....times change, people change, our lives change. I think that people see the Norman Rockwell pics and thing "Wow...Christmas is supposed to be like THAT". Well, no, its not. Christmas is not about gifts..not about lights...not about decorations or cookies and candy or well, things. Christmas should be about family. As time rolls on and our families change (older members passing away and new members joining in one way or another)...enjoy each one. You really need to do no less than tell each one that you love them. Really you need to do no more than that either. All the rest is just frosting. Merry Christmas!

owie

Amen. As much as I like Norman Rockwell it is not all about that. Family and friends make my holidays. Just a hug, I love you and talking to me are sufficient. I am at the age of, "If I want it or need it I already have it."

drdolly

I just love Christmas, not for the gift giving but the decorations. Each year I just love to go for a ride to see them. Last year my 3 daughters surprised both my DH and me. They adopt a family and buy gifts to give. Last year we went shopping for the family had a nice lunch and later received a Thank-You indirectly as it had to be relayed from the family

Psychomomquilter

*Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with
cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas;
it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton,
Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word,
as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged
and discarded*
*The reason for the season,
stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break'
under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday !*
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet during the holidays a
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

bearisgray

I copied and pasted that - just in case it got taken away from us.

Actually, there have been winter "holiday" celebrations before Jesus/Christ was born.

No matter what one chooses to celebrate - or not, for that matter - I think it is important to get back to the "reason" for the celebration.

joan_quilts

This year, I put up my tree and my favorite decorations, you know, knick knack stuff. It didn't take me long to put up, so it won't take long to take down! LOL

Money is tight. I am giving gifts to my 3 sons and dil and the grandbaby and dh. Nobody is getting alot. I would say we spent less than $50 on each. That is what we are able to do. My bills have to be paid first.

I will do up a nice dinner, bake cookies and listen to Christmas carols. I decided to order most of the stuff off the internet this year because the "temptation" to get sucked into buying MORE MORE MORE is at the mall! LOL

I have a friend who is close to foreclosure, but, she is buying for Christmas! Her transmission is going out of her van, bills aren't paid, but hey, Christmas means the "high of the buy". NO THANKS!

So, this year I am so much more relaxed. I don't feel the pressure to buy, give, etc. I am only doing what I want to do, in my price range.

angieh1964

christmas always reminds me of a saying i heard a long time ago working in retail. after 20+ years of retail christmass it kind of made me a scrooge
definition of christmas: spending money we dont really have to buy stuff they really dont need for people we really dont like!
one of my fav christmas shows is the little house christmas the girls where so happy when all they got was a tin cup 1 piece of candy and orange and red mittens from ma what happened to those christmass?