I don’t stress out about Christmas anymore. Only put a few decorations out for myself, play Christmas music on the stereo, bake a few cookies, make a little homemade candy and I’m set. I don’t put up a tree anymore since nobody ever comes to my house to see it. They DO come to my house to visit, but never when a tree might be on display. As for gifts for the family. I put some money into a card I put under their trees and they are happy. I don’t have to go shopping, and my gifts are always welcome. Sometimes I will get some small item to wrap and put the money in with that, but even that is a stress-free thing. It is the dreary days and months afterwards that bother me. I don’t like the cold and would gladly do without snow. But as long as my kids and grandkids live in this town, I will stay put. Can’t wait until Spring!
We go big on decorating – mostly inside. Bears village upstairs. We put up 5 trees. A 6 foot main one in the living room which gets more Victorian type decorations. This tree gets an assortment of ornaments. I also have a beaded tree (about a foot tall) that I made years – decades ago.
In the upstairs hall there is a small tree decorated with teddy bear ornaments that sits in the middle of the teddy village – bear figurines and some small bear toys celebrating Christmas and winter – including a parade, caroling with an orchestra at the church, skiing and skating, stopping at the coffee, cocoa & tea booth, roasting vegan hotdogs in the park, craft show and baking competition. (We like this village so much that we hated to take it down, so this year and in the future we had spring village, a summer village, and fall village.
In our studio we have a small tree with items we have made over the decades.
Our newest tree is in our otherwise colonial decorated dining room. It has brass ornaments from Colonial Williamsburg.
We buy a gift US$25 for each of his nieces – aged 8 and 16. We send a US$25 check each to my niece and nephew aged 30 and 27. I stopped sending a check to my step-nephew aged 24 as his dad (BIL) never sends me a change of address for step-nephew who has aspergers and moves to different homes.
Husband has already bought himself a book – 50% off at Barnes and Nobles last Saturday. If he finds another book or a cheap DVD at Walmart or Costco he will buy same and I will wrap whatever he buys by putting them in recycled Christmas gift bags. Chances of my getting anything is close to zero as I have trained him over 39 years of marriage, 2 year engagement, and 4 years of dating not to buy me anything when I say that I do not want anything, because I really mean that I do not want anything and why should we have to waste time returning something.
DDrazen about 6 years ago
That’s the way the cookie of contentment crumbles.
Perkycat about 6 years ago
Sit back and relax. Let Ben take care of Christmas shopping. After all, it’s Cyber Monday and he’s hogging the computer.
sfreader1 about 6 years ago
I don’t stress out about Christmas anymore. Only put a few decorations out for myself, play Christmas music on the stereo, bake a few cookies, make a little homemade candy and I’m set. I don’t put up a tree anymore since nobody ever comes to my house to see it. They DO come to my house to visit, but never when a tree might be on display. As for gifts for the family. I put some money into a card I put under their trees and they are happy. I don’t have to go shopping, and my gifts are always welcome. Sometimes I will get some small item to wrap and put the money in with that, but even that is a stress-free thing. It is the dreary days and months afterwards that bother me. I don’t like the cold and would gladly do without snow. But as long as my kids and grandkids live in this town, I will stay put. Can’t wait until Spring!
cuzinron47 about 6 years ago
From stressless to stressful in 5 seconds.
Grayhair, The Pirate Formerly Known as Tom Powell Premium Member about 6 years ago
That’s no biscuit! That, sir, is a cookie!
mafastore about 6 years ago
We go big on decorating – mostly inside. Bears village upstairs. We put up 5 trees. A 6 foot main one in the living room which gets more Victorian type decorations. This tree gets an assortment of ornaments. I also have a beaded tree (about a foot tall) that I made years – decades ago.
In the upstairs hall there is a small tree decorated with teddy bear ornaments that sits in the middle of the teddy village – bear figurines and some small bear toys celebrating Christmas and winter – including a parade, caroling with an orchestra at the church, skiing and skating, stopping at the coffee, cocoa & tea booth, roasting vegan hotdogs in the park, craft show and baking competition. (We like this village so much that we hated to take it down, so this year and in the future we had spring village, a summer village, and fall village.
In our studio we have a small tree with items we have made over the decades.Our newest tree is in our otherwise colonial decorated dining room. It has brass ornaments from Colonial Williamsburg.
We buy a gift US$25 for each of his nieces – aged 8 and 16. We send a US$25 check each to my niece and nephew aged 30 and 27. I stopped sending a check to my step-nephew aged 24 as his dad (BIL) never sends me a change of address for step-nephew who has aspergers and moves to different homes.Husband has already bought himself a book – 50% off at Barnes and Nobles last Saturday. If he finds another book or a cheap DVD at Walmart or Costco he will buy same and I will wrap whatever he buys by putting them in recycled Christmas gift bags. Chances of my getting anything is close to zero as I have trained him over 39 years of marriage, 2 year engagement, and 4 years of dating not to buy me anything when I say that I do not want anything, because I really mean that I do not want anything and why should we have to waste time returning something.