Christmas Spirit

[JohnT]

Keeper,

I don't know what to say here. I feel bad for you. Seems it would be a small thing to expect a merry christmas given everything you have been through.

My brother has 7 kids. They have a "secret santa" way about the holidays. Each person gets only 1 gift. The put all names into a hat, and each person purchases only one gift. It was fun and rather low impact during hard times.
Perhaps this could work for you too?

johnT

 

[Kraffty]

There seems to be a common thread here of learning to apprieciate what we have and not so much doing what the commercialized segment has been so successful in conditioning us to believe is important. Perhaps this should be expected from a group of people who take joy in creating their own wines. It seems to me a great deal of you make hundreds and hundreds of bottles a year only to give away or share a large portion of those freely with friends, family and aquaintences. Sounds to me like the kind of Christmas Spirit that exists here should be envied by all.
All the best to all of you this Christmas,
Mike

 

[dangerdave]

We are fortunate enough to be able to get things we want when we want them. I've found that gift-giving on commercial dates is less meaningful than treating each other the way we did when we were newlyweds throughout the year means more ... and the dividends are much greater too!

I'm with you, Bob. I was going to say just that!

Still, I am what I am, and I'll not deny it. I'm an American consumer. I'm a small cog in the big American machine. I work, I get paid, I spend. There are a lot of people who have jobs who rely on me to do just that. My wife and I get what we want and/or need throughout the year, so that xmas has less commercial meaning and more family fun. I couldn't care less what those bozos in DC are doing. What they do affects me very little, really. I tend to only worry about things that I can deal with. My house, my job, my family, my wine. The past is gone, and tomorrow can take care of itself. Today, we live!

My wife is not mediaclly well, but I don't worry about that either. She relies on me a lot, and like I tell her, "Never has a man had so many opportunities on a daily basis to do so many wonderful things for the woman he loves."

I always try to remember that happiness is a choice you make.

 

[Julie]

I'm with you, Bob. I was going to say just that!

Still, I am what I am, and I'll not deny it. I'm an American consumer. I'm a small cog in the big American machine. I work, I get paid, I spend. There are a lot of people who have jobs who rely on me to do just that. My wife and I get what we want and/or need throughout the year, so that xmas has less commercial meaning and more family fun. I couldn't care less what those bozos in DC are doing. What they do affects me very little, really. I tend to only worry about things that I can deal with. My house, my job, my family, my wine. The past is gone, and tomorrow can take care of itself. Today, we live!

My wife is not mediaclly well, but I don't worry about that either. She relies on me a lot, and like I tell her, "Never has a man had so many opportunities on a daily basis to do so many wonderful things for the woman he loves."

I always try to remember that happiness is a choice you make.

Dave this is pretty much what I tried to say but couldn't get it out as well as you. Too bad you live so far away from Luva Bella's, I'm thinking you and I could be singing Christmas songs together.

 

[dangerdave]

And I thought I was rambling. Thanks, Julie. I'll toast you all on the 15th. Perhaps some day we will drink and sing together, all of us.

 

[Bartman]

Holiday spirit? What is this holiday spirit of which you speak? Oh, is there some annual social event(s) upcoming? Should I bring a gift?

We've all heard about the over-commercialization of Christmas for years now, and I wouldn't dare to argue otherwise, but frankly, I stopped agonizing over it once I decided Christmas is for the kids to look forward to for 3 months of the year, and me to relax and play along. You put the tree up, get an Advent calendar started, make some dinner plans with my folks and my in-laws for the 24th and 25th, play your favorite Christmas records (now CDs), and try to make it to the local winemaking club's Christmas party. Now we have to schedule around Nutcracker ballet rehearsals, but that's not so bad either. Look back at that list of holiday 'stuff' - not one bit about shopping or feeling pressured to buy a Cabbage Patch Doll, a talking Elmo, Madden '**, an iPad, or any other over-hyped bits of plastic and electronics.

So, Rocky, I'll let others worry and fret about when the Black Friday sales start - I have better and happier things to dwell on! Which reminds me - the wife's birthday is a week before Christmas - that's the Reason for the Season, according to her! ::

 

[Rocky]

Thanks, Bart. You are right on the mark on this. Happiness comes from within and I will not let others define mine. I am actually feeling really good now since I have seen the responses and took a moment to reflect on my particular situation.

BTW, for me there is a bright side to all the holiday mania. Bev's birthday is the 28th, our anniversary is the 29th. I portray this as a marvel of good planning because in 47 years, I have never forgotten either celebration! All the holiday hoopla reminds me of the upcoming events! Smart, eh?

 

[grapeman]

Good planning Rocky and obviously a great choice in your wife! My birthday is the day after Christmas, so it is also hard to forget also.

 

[Bartman]

Is that a not-so-subtle hint for the rest of us, Grapeman?

 

[Tom_S]

I never did understand the anger over saying "happy holidays" when not everyone celebrates a Christian Christmas. Stores advising their employees to say "happy holidays" to people is meant to be inclusive of everybody. You don't want to make Jewish customers uncomfortable by telling them "Merry Christmas" for example.

And before anyone starts the "reason for the season" talk, Jesus wouldn't have been born in the winter, according to the bible. The shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks when the angel appeared to them, which they only kept watch over flocks during the spring lambing season when the lambs were easy meals for predators. It wasn't until many centuries later when the pagans were celebrating Winter Solstice that Christianity adopted it as an official holiday. They did this with Easter, too, but that's another discussion.

 

[GaDawg]

- I am just getting old and crotchety.

Rocky, we are like wine. As we get old we can turn to vinegar or get better with age. It is your choice!

 

[jswordy]

Go out on the streets of your city or town and find people who are living on them. Give them food, shelter, clothing. Visit the sick and those in nursing homes. Make it a holiday point to contact old friends in person, not online. Then come home and hug your family. You will have found the true Christmas spirit. The rest is simply crass commercialism.

 

[jgmann67]

I struggle to get through the Christmas holiday every year... to the point of my family noticing that I've slipped into a deep funk around the 18th of December that grips me for weeks. There always seems to be some type of sadness to deal with (e.g. my grandfather passing on Christmas eve; the first Christmas after my dad passed away; then Mom).

The only things that I've found that help are: turning off the television, going to church and spending as much time as I can with my family and friends. It helps with the 'Charlie Brown' feeling.

 

[JohnT]

has anybody seen this?? It is supposed to project lights onto your home and have them move about. The unit is under $20 at Wally-World! Just think, setting up you lights could be as easy as uncoiling an extension cord and pointing a projector!!!

 

[Julie]

Out neighbor has one for Halloween, it was pretty neat. They had ghosts flying all over their house!