I'll probably be the only one that feels that way, but I for one will be glad when it's over. I'm more than happy to honor the birth of my savior, but the rest just all seems to escape me. My family used to be real close, but all of our relationships seem to be strained these days. My wife has lost both of her parents, and really doesn't have anybody on her side. Christmas just seems to depress both of us. She misses her family, and I still see mine, but miss the way things used to be. I hope when my kids are grown and gone, we can all get together for Christmas like Christmas should be. We may not can pull it off, but I think we can.
I’m glad when Christmas is over
- Thread starter Bigfoot
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farmerjan
Well-known member
Sorry for your feelings this year, but I can somewhat agree. I will be glad when the holiday will be over and this year. We have lost several people we knew and a couple that we were close to in the last couple months. Buried a 38 yr old friend last week, a 2 yr battle with cancer.
Family is fractured and not at all the same as it used to be; and my mom has many Alzheimer symptoms and my father is becoming very depressed and even difficult to deal with. Not a good situation and have a brother that I do not communicate well with, that is "running the show" so expect it will get worse. Miss the family feeling like they were family when I was younger.
I hope that we have a better year coming for the weather, as it has been dismal and discouraging with hay making this past year. Alot of sick calves, pneumonia and such this fall, cattle prices aren't good and things don't look good for the foreseeable future. And I am hoping that both my joint issues; and my son's problems from the accident nearly 2 years ago with the headaches and such, will see some improvement this year coming.
So, I can agree with you on this Bigfoot.
Family is fractured and not at all the same as it used to be; and my mom has many Alzheimer symptoms and my father is becoming very depressed and even difficult to deal with. Not a good situation and have a brother that I do not communicate well with, that is "running the show" so expect it will get worse. Miss the family feeling like they were family when I was younger.
I hope that we have a better year coming for the weather, as it has been dismal and discouraging with hay making this past year. Alot of sick calves, pneumonia and such this fall, cattle prices aren't good and things don't look good for the foreseeable future. And I am hoping that both my joint issues; and my son's problems from the accident nearly 2 years ago with the headaches and such, will see some improvement this year coming.
So, I can agree with you on this Bigfoot.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Bigfoot":2gqalply said:
I can sympathize with this Bigfoot. And I don't mean this as a chastisement or anything of the sort. But if you want Christmas(s) in the future to be like they should be.... then you need to show your kids how it's supposed to be now. The reason you long to duplicate those fond memories of Christmas(s) past is because of the experiences at the time. Mediocre Christmas now may very well equal mediocre Christmas later. Show them how it's supposed to be now and they will make you proud later. Again, this is meant with the utmost love and respect. Not being critical in the slightest.
Redgully
Well-known member
Yeah Christmas isn't for me. I'd rather be in the paddock with my cows. Four young kids i have brings a bit of the magic back but the wifes family knock that on the head pretty quick! But I'm not really a social person at the best of times!! Mind you growing up we worked most Christmas days so it was never really something i looked forward to much to my wifes annoyance!
kenny thomas
Well-known member
I have some of the same feelings. We have no children so nobody been here since Saturday. When ask this morning what I was doing for Christmas I answered feeding the cows. To all with children, grandchildren and family enjoy them. Merry Christmas to all my friends
Bright Raven
Well-known member
Christmas is a family holiday. First, there is the Christmas of your childhood. Those are wonderful. Mom, dad, siblings, aunts, uncles, etc. Then there is the Christmas of your own family. Which is inclusive of some of the members of your childhood Christmas. Like grandma and grandpa, etc.
As you get older, your mom and dad are deceased, aunts and uncles are deceased - the experience is different. There are family gatherings and I enjoy those and we try to keep it going but it just does not match the childhood Christmas and when your own family was young.
I don't think your experience is unusual.
My big disappointment this year: Jogeephus didn't send me any of his homemade wine. Lol
As you get older, your mom and dad are deceased, aunts and uncles are deceased - the experience is different. There are family gatherings and I enjoy those and we try to keep it going but it just does not match the childhood Christmas and when your own family was young.
I don't think your experience is unusual.
My big disappointment this year: Jogeephus didn't send me any of his homemade wine. Lol
OP
OP
Bigfoot
Well-known member
JMJ Farms":bj3an1oq said:
I agree, we have been discussing it since we got in. They could feel the friction in the air. The dynamics of it all, is hard to explain to them (even harder to strangers). It hasn't always been like this though.
JMJ Farms":manjuycl said:
Bingo!
It tough to transition to the role of the elders but we owe it to our children and grandchildren to handle it with grace and enthusiasm.
Troy, I totally get your point.
slick4591
Well-known member
I enjoy Christmas quite a bit. It's usually the only time I get to spend with the kids and grands when they're not in a big rush to move on. And, because it's commercialized before Halloween...I enjoy when it's over.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Bigfoot":1lkkh5si said:
I don't know the whole story. But there is friction between parts of my extended family as well. Not a lot. But some. And you are exactly right. The kids know way more than we give them credit for. And as you said, it hasn't always been this way. I imagine every family deals with some friction. And I believe it's how we choose to deal with it that makes the difference! Time heals a lot of things. Ask me how I know! Keep a positive attitude when at all possible. Merry Christmas Bigfoot :tiphat:
Fire Sweep Ranch
Well-known member
Same here. We have all been saying what a sad Christmas it was this year. My family lives out of state, though I did have my sister and her kids over for a meal and fellowship. Hubby's family is hugely fractured, and he and his sister do not talk after the passing of their mother a year and a half ago.
I am ready for the next phase, as Ron put it. I really did not want to get a tree this year, but my son wanted one (he is 14). The Christmas decorations will be put away tomorrow, then on to the next step in life. I turn 50 in January, that is the next step. No party, just another mile marker in life.....
I am ready for the next phase, as Ron put it. I really did not want to get a tree this year, but my son wanted one (he is 14). The Christmas decorations will be put away tomorrow, then on to the next step in life. I turn 50 in January, that is the next step. No party, just another mile marker in life.....
Jogeephus
Well-known member
We had a terrific Christmas but we went into Christmas with an agreement that we were going to think of others rather than ourselves. I won't go into details but we as a family we touched a lot of people this Christmas season many of which would have been alone or forgotten. Some are simply overlooked. The smiles and the surprised looks on their faces were priceless gifts better than anything you could find under a tree. Funny thing is when you think of others first you don't have time to think of yourself and in the end you are rewarded with the true gift of the season and our family is much closer now because we all experienced and shared the true spirit of the season.
OP
OP
Bigfoot
Well-known member
Jogeephus":3csbkidl said:
Oddly enough, three acts of kindness were the catalyst that set our demise in motion. I would perform those acts again, even knowing the outcome, so I find some peace in that.
True Grit Farms
Well-known member
No kind of Christmas with our family this year. We should have probably went to Florida to be with the family, but neither one of us really wants to go down there and put up with the traffic and yankees. My wife got a real treat for Christmas, she got to meet Kenny. He really has her fooled.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
She knows a good man when she meets one. Probably the only good she seen all weekend. HahahaTrue Grit Farms":1dd5fw9m said:
Dave
Well-known member
I am glad it is done. My kids and grand kids all live 7 hours plus away with a couple good mountain passes in the middle. The wife's kids are 5 hours and those mountain passes away. We stayed home. The highlight of the day was watching a fox hunting the the front pasture. Foxes are fairly rare here so it is something we just don't see. Five deaths of friends, distant relatives, and one neighbor from age 7 to 80 something in the last week sort of dampened the spirit too.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
I hear ya. 4 'family' Christmas celebrations this season. My favorite was the one with kids 2-9 yrs old, so much excitement and fun. The one with only adults 19-79 yrs old was nice, but much more mellow and reminiscing of bygone Christmases. All in all it's kind of a relief when Thanksgiving/Christmas season with travels to and from is finally over.
bird dog
Well-known member
I'm a bah humbug type. It puts to much stress on some folks that think they have to give a gift to everyone in the family and they have to follow a bunch of family traditions that have been going on for years that no one really likes to do. To make it worse, my wife's family has a bunch of birthdays around this time of year and Lord knows we can't miss those.
Come to think of it, maybe its me that stresses out having to deal with all these stressed out people. I see now why alcohol is such a great gift.
Come to think of it, maybe its me that stresses out having to deal with all these stressed out people. I see now why alcohol is such a great gift.
greybeard
Well-known member
I hosted the Christmas Day event again, enjoyed it, but glad it's done. Fewer of us each year either out of attrition or because the family is so spread out now.
Had a big dinner here, with both my sisters, and some of their offspring and offspring's spousal units, one of my sons and his wife made it in as well.
We have planned the next family event, Mar 23...a crawfish boil & BBQ at my niece's place in Conroe.
Had a big dinner here, with both my sisters, and some of their offspring and offspring's spousal units, one of my sons and his wife made it in as well.
We have planned the next family event, Mar 23...a crawfish boil & BBQ at my niece's place in Conroe.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
It was in the news this week about holiday stress, statistically 10 pm on Christmas Eve has the highest rate of heart attack deaths for the entire year. I lost a friend this year from a heart attack Dec 20th and another dear friend 7 yrs ago on Christmas day. It was the first heart attack for both and each was under 60 years old.
