I hate christmas.

[Crazyhole]

The ultimate contrived holiday. I can get on board with celebrating the birth of Jesus but the rest of this crap is just that. The music sucks. Trying to figure out what to buy people is crap. Spending time with extended family is fine but doing it under the guise of a holiday celebration just undermines what we should do all year long.

 

[DaShuckster]

I've already seen the extreme highs and the extreme lows that often take place during the holiday season.

On one hand, I have a 58 year-old, alcoholic brother-in-law who seems hell bent on drinking himself to death. He just got out of the hospital (the fourth time in less that two months.) He's going to have Christmas dinner with us tomorrow by himself because his wife of 35 years has had enough.

On the other hand, I have a twelve-year old granddaughter who was absolutely beside herself with excitement and glee last night in anticipation of opening presents. Even when our kids were growing up I can't recall either one of them being as 'off the walls' excited as Kara was.

I think we all wish we could package up and savor all the magic, excitement and glee we had for Christmas as young kids growing up. Nowadays most of the time it falls short -- and sometimes 'really' falls short. But once in a blue moon, we're granted some special moments -- like the one I experienced last night watching my pre-teen girl go bonkers when she realized Grandma and Grandpa had gotten her the Apple watch she'd been hoping against all hope for.

Yeah, Christmas has gotten pretty contrived over the passing years and it's easy to let the holidays get you down. But if you try looking for the magic, it is still to be found. Here's hoping you have a very Merry Christmas, Crazy. And everybody else too!

 

[Crazyhole]

I have a lot of anxiety about this christmas. After 2 suicidal episodes this year I am really uncomfortable with the idea of being around the in-laws. This year has also brought about changes with my girls. I got divorced 8 years ago and had full custody of my kids until this year. They moved in with their mom in january and things have been pretty difficult between us since then. Nobody, including my wife, has been terribly supportive of what I've been dealing with this year and I've been putting on a happy face whenever I'm asked how things are going because when I'm honest it makes things worse. I'm just tired of it and now its going to be in my face for the next few days. Nobody understands but everybody has a solution.

Sorry to vent. Merry christmas to everyone

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

The ultimate contrived holiday. I can get on board with celebrating the birth of Jesus but the rest of this crap is just that. The music sucks. Trying to figure out what to buy people is crap. Spending time with extended family is fine but doing it under the guise of a holiday celebration just undermines what we should do all year long.

I've gotten to the point where christmas songs on the FM dial are driving me crazy. The gift giving decisions are nuts! Oh btw, Merry Christmas Crazy

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

I have a lot of anxiety about this christmas. After 2 suicidal episodes this year I am really uncomfortable with the idea of being around the in-laws. This year has also brought about changes with my girls. I got divorced 8 years ago and had full custody of my kids until this year. They moved in with their mom in january and things have been pretty difficult between us since then. Nobody, including my wife, has been terribly supportive of what I've been dealing with this year and I've been putting on a happy face whenever I'm asked how things are going because when I'm honest it makes things worse. I'm just tired of it and now its going to be in my face for the next few days. Nobody understands but everybody has a solution.

Sorry to vent. Merry christmas to everyone

I can relate

 

[ucfversusbcs]

Its only one day.

 

[UCFKnight85]

I've already seen the extreme highs and the extreme lows that often take place during the holiday season.

On one hand, I have a 58 year-old, alcoholic brother-in-law who seems hell bent on drinking himself to death. He just got out of the hospital (the fourth time in less that two months.) He's going to have Christmas dinner with us tomorrow by himself because his wife of 35 years has had enough.

On the other hand, I have a twelve-year old granddaughter who was absolutely beside herself with excitement and glee last night in anticipation of opening presents. Even when our kids were growing up I can't recall either one of them being as 'off the walls' excited as Kara was.

I think we all wish we could package up and savor all the magic, excitement and glee we had for Christmas as young kids growing up. Nowadays most of the time it falls short -- and sometimes 'really' falls short. But once in a blue moon, we're granted some special moments -- like the one I experienced last night watching my pre-teen girl go bonkers when she realized Grandma and Grandpa had gotten her the Apple watch she'd been hoping against all hope for.

Yeah, Christmas has gotten pretty contrived over the passing years and it's easy to let the holidays get you down. But if you try looking for the magic, it is still to be found. Here's hoping you have a very Merry Christmas, Crazy. And everybody else too!

Maybe you’d enjoy Christmas more if you came clean with your need to call others racist and lie about why you did so?

 

[DaShuckster]

Sorry to vent. Merry christmas to everyone

Hey Crazyhole. I left you a PM on our other board.

 

[NinjaKnight]

The ultimate contrived holiday. I can get on board with celebrating the birth of Jesus but the rest of this crap is just that. The music sucks. Trying to figure out what to buy people is crap. Spending time with extended family is fine but doing it under the guise of a holiday celebration just undermines what we should do all year long.

You ok man? Merry Christmas!

 

[btbones]

I've already seen the extreme highs and the extreme lows that often take place during the holiday season.

On one hand, I have a 58 year-old, alcoholic brother-in-law who seems hell bent on drinking himself to death. He just got out of the hospital (the fourth time in less that two months.) He's going to have Christmas dinner with us tomorrow by himself because his wife of 35 years has had enough.

On the other hand, I have a twelve-year old granddaughter who was absolutely beside herself with excitement and glee last night in anticipation of opening presents. Even when our kids were growing up I can't recall either one of them being as 'off the walls' excited as Kara was.

I think we all wish we could package up and savor all the magic, excitement and glee we had for Christmas as young kids growing up. Nowadays most of the time it falls short -- and sometimes 'really' falls short. But once in a blue moon, we're granted some special moments -- like the one I experienced last night watching my pre-teen girl go bonkers when she realized Grandma and Grandpa had gotten her the Apple watch she'd been hoping against all hope for.

Yeah, Christmas has gotten pretty contrived over the passing years and it's easy to let the holidays get you down. But if you try looking for the magic, it is still to be found. Here's hoping you have a very Merry Christmas, Crazy. And everybody else too!

Solid post and explanation . Hope your brother in law can stay sober and get better . That’s a hell of a tough disease /addiction to beat

 

[Crazyhole]

Solid post and explanation . Hope your brother in law can stay sober and get better . That’s a hell of a tough disease /addiction to beat

Alcoholism isnt always as cut and dried as it's made out to be. I'm a notoriously heavy drinker, but rarely do I get drunk. It takes me somewhere in the range of 35 beers for people to even tell I've been drinking. So after 2nd episode this year, my friends and family decided I must be an alcoholic and sent me to rehab. I checked in at 3AM, went through their screening process, and they sent me home at noon. Basically there is a difference between a heavy drinker and an alcoholic, which is hard for people to understand. In my case they determined that drinking wasnt the problem, it was a symptom and I needed to address the problem. I wonder how many people there are out there that have determined themselves to be alcoholics and have just addressed that symptom, and then just found other coping mechanisms to deal with whatever the real problem is.

 

[DaShuckster]

Solid post and explanation . Hope your brother in law can stay sober and get better . That’s a hell of a tough disease /addiction to beat

Thanks, btbones. I shared it because there are a lot of really good people who compare their current situations against the Christmas Family 'Gold Standard' and feel really bad when they feel like they come up short.

The fact-of-the-matter is that the gold standard is as much of a myth as Santa Claus. This isn't meant to sound all sober or gloom and doom. But life is life -- even during the holidays.

My favorite line is from my movie hero, Rocky Balboa. "Life ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep movin' forward."

 

[fabknight]

Thanks, btbones. I shared it because there are a lot of really good people who compare their current situations against the Christmas Family 'Gold Standard' and feel really bad when they feel like they come up short.

The fact-of-the-matter is that the gold standard is as much of a myth as Santa Claus. This isn't meant to sound all sober or gloom and doom. But life is life -- even during the holidays.

My favorite line is from my movie hero, Rocky Balboa. "Life ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep movin' forward."

Santa is a myth?

 

[btbones]

Thanks, btbones. I shared it because there are a lot of really good people who compare their current situations against the Christmas Family 'Gold Standard' and feel really bad when they feel like they come up short.

The fact-of-the-matter is that the gold standard is as much of a myth as Santa Claus. This isn't meant to sound all sober or gloom and doom. But life is life -- even during the holidays.

My favorite line is from my movie hero, Rocky Balboa. "Life ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep movin' forward."

Agree 100 percent here . Life is complicated for everyone . Money , success etc doesn't change that one bit

 

[btbones]

Alcoholism isnt always as cut and dried as it's made out to be. I'm a notoriously heavy drinker, but rarely do I get drunk. It takes me somewhere in the range of 35 beers for people to even tell I've been drinking. So after 2nd episode this year, my friends and family decided I must be an alcoholic and sent me to rehab. I checked in at 3AM, went through their screening process, and they sent me home at noon. Basically there is a difference between a heavy drinker and an alcoholic, which is hard for people to understand. In my case they determined that drinking wasnt the problem, it was a symptom and I needed to address the problem. I wonder how many people there are out there that have determined themselves to be alcoholics and have just addressed that symptom, and then just found other coping mechanisms to deal with whatever the real problem is.

truly hope you can find some peace and relief from the issues you are dealing with. I think you can see there are multiple people here that wish you the best. Hopefully that can help start your mind on the right path. In most cases Its a marathon not a sprint, Good luck man . reach out if you feel the need

 

[UCFWayne]

I've already seen the extreme highs and the extreme lows that often take place during the holiday season.

On one hand, I have a 58 year-old, alcoholic brother-in-law who seems hell bent on drinking himself to death. He just got out of the hospital (the fourth time in less that two months.) He's going to have Christmas dinner with us tomorrow by himself because his wife of 35 years has had enough.

On the other hand, I have a twelve-year old granddaughter who was absolutely beside herself with excitement and glee last night in anticipation of opening presents. Even when our kids were growing up I can't recall either one of them being as 'off the walls' excited as Kara was.

I think we all wish we could package up and savor all the magic, excitement and glee we had for Christmas as young kids growing up. Nowadays most of the time it falls short -- and sometimes 'really' falls short. But once in a blue moon, we're granted some special moments -- like the one I experienced last night watching my pre-teen girl go bonkers when she realized Grandma and Grandpa had gotten her the Apple watch she'd been hoping against all hope for.

Yeah, Christmas has gotten pretty contrived over the passing years and it's easy to let the holidays get you down. But if you try looking for the magic, it is still to be found. Here's hoping you have a very Merry Christmas, Crazy. And everybody else too!

i hope one day your brother will wake up to his problems before its too late.

 

[DaShuckster]

i hope one day your brother will wake up to his problems before its too late.

Thank you for your kind thoughts, Wayne. My brother-in-law has gotten coaxed back into a rehab program so we've all got our fingers crossed.

 

[UCFWayne]

Thank you for your kind thoughts, Wayne. My brother-in-law has gotten coaxed back into a rehab program so we've all got our fingers crossed.

i dont know if this will help, but ive heard finding new hobbies can also help the process.