bearisgray

Holidays -

Do you love them?

or

Would you just like to pretend they are not there?


I think for many of us - the "ordinary" days are "ordinary" - but I think for some - that the "special" holidays would be tougher to get through than the "ordinary" days -

Of the "holidays" celebrated/observed in the United States - I am thinking that Labor Day has the least "emotional baggage" for most of us.

What do you think?

quiltingcandy

Even though I am married to a wonderful man and have fantastic daughters I really don't care for Mother's Day, Father's Day or Valentines Day. I don't need a "special" day to make others remember me. I have a birthday and enjoy that - but the those others are a waste of money to me. I do love celebrating Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day - great reasons to have the family together and eat some good food you don't eat the rest of the year. All Presidents Day doesn't get much celebration from our family - but it was a nice day off when I was still working.

Eva Knight

I have got to the point that I almost hate all of the holidays. Use to love Christmas, then the g-kids came. DIL has ruined all that. We have to chose gifts from a list that she has approved of. She gets first choice, her mother second and we are last. You guessed it, the hardest if not impossible to get gifts. Enough said.

ptquilts

Since my DH passed away, most holidays are sad. This past year was the first time in my life I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas by myself. I survived. I would rather be alone than with strangers or family of an acquaintance (that was an option.)

What hurt was not getting NO invitation anywhere, I probably wouldn't have gone, middle of winter and over 100 miles from family. What hurt was no one cared enough to say "What are you doing for the holidays, are you going to be OK?"

It seems the only holiday without sad memories is Halloween. Even though I only got 4 kids trick or treating last year.

SillySusan

I don't mind the holidays, but I do mind getting the gifts. I don't need anything. If I need or want something, I like to pick it out myself. And, I really don't like to pick out gifts for others either. I always think they wouldn't like what I give them. My DD and I decided to do our Christmas shopping in the grocery store. Then the gifts are not "life-time treasures." They are eaten and enjoyed ... or given to the nearest food bank.

Holidays are supposed to be perfect and extremely rarely are. They are just unnecessarily stressful.

pocoellie

They're just another day to us, about the only thing different I do, is I do bake a ham/turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but that's about it.

Teen

I use to enjoy the holidays but it seems that I am the one to always do the traveling...so, I Spend my holidays in a car. Not fun! My favorite holidays are Memorial Day and Veteran's Day since I do a lot with and for veterans...most of my friends are veterans...and my father was a veteran...and I'm a mental health therapist for veterans. I enjoy Christmas mostly because of church services. I'm not a mother myself....I love to spoil my mother and MIL but I do that all year anyway.

Teen

That does hurt and I'm sorry you experienced that. It sounds like you should start some new traditions for yourself to celebrate what's important to you and surround yourself with people you enjoy being with...perhaps, inviting people over to your home instead of waiting for invitations. New traditions are a great way to fill your holidays with new meaning. Happy Mother's Day!

Teen

Geesh, Eva....nothing like sucking the joy out of giving, huh? I'd tell DIL to suck it up and give the gifts you want to give. You don't need permission to spoil your grandkids. She has control issues....

Jane Quilter

I make a big effort to bring the family together for all holidays and birthdays. we don't really do gifts, but we get together and have a big family meal (we look like the Blue Bloods around a very large table). The grands refer to them as "feasts". Their mom's say they are picky eaters and won't eat much, but the grandkids (ages 7, 4 , 2 and 2wks) sit at the table with perfect manners and say very gracious words like, "this is the best food ever". "this meat is so juicy and tender". "This is a real feast", and things usually only adults say, except they gush. I think the 2 yr old, eats her weight in good food, and the 4 year old always says a beautiful grace. I have Muscular Dystrophy, and can barely walk. I may not be able to cook and entertain much longer, so each holiday i secretly think it may be my last, but I push through the pain because I think family is so important. And each holiday, my kids pitch in more and more. This mothers day, the 7 yr old GD cleared the whole table by herself. WoW, I was so impressed (and told her so). I also hope my kids will get beyond the intense child raising of "babies", and continue the tradition, maybe at their house, where I will be a guest. But everyone loves to come to Meme and PopPop's house, sit on the screened in porch, and enjoy the farm, tractors, animals, and orchard. I will do it as long as I can.