Christmas in the spirit or not?

Rick, you're not alone. I haven't bothered to put up a tree or decorate in any way. My only concessions to the season are burning cinnamon- and peppermint-scented candles in my house, buying low-fat eggnog, and occasionally popping in my "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD at work. I am gearing up for doing my shopping as one would face a very grim but necessary task.

I'm not normally a big bakin', decoratin' fool, but I'm less into it this year than I've been in many years. l've decided that's okay and I'm not going to force it. I think I'll be more into it next year. This year, I'm flying to Chicago to party with a bunch of friends for New Year's and I'm much more excited about that!

This year I have to work and just thinking about working on Christmas (12-8) makes me depressed. I have to go in and be jolly and all, but really I HATE being at work on Christmas day. I'll come home and be so tired that I'll just want to sleep. Then I feel guilty that my family is left part of the day without me because I had to give most of my time to the residents...It really suc*s though. All in all there's really nothing I can do about it, so I should just get over it and get into the spirit of Christmas. I'm really trying...... I did put up the decorations, and the tree, but I keep thinking about going to work Christmas eve into Christmas morning...UGH!

Well, we just got some bad news at work. One of my colleagues has breast cancer. Merry Christmas.

There is no snow on the ground here in NE Ohio. Now I am not complaining mind you, it's just that without snow, it doesn't seem like Christmas.

I have to work on Christmas Day. Not the first time, but working on the most important holiday of the year isn't much fun. Oh well.

YES! I am in the spirit this year, unfortunately, I have NO time to decorate or shop! Started that new job, doing 30 hours per week plus lots of reading of policies and regs at home. Then working 16 hours q w/e for VNA. I begged to have off and go per diem, they gave me such a hard time (we gave people off based on the hours you promised us) OK, I could buy that, but what if I quit on 2 weeks notice instead of telling them I am exhausted 6 weeks in advance! Or what if I drop dead tomorrow? They will manage. PLUS they have given other people the day off when not needed, last Sunday, only 2 nurses worked!! Of course one of them, HAD to be me, right??!!

The reason I am probably feeling good about Christmas is that I am rolling in dough this month, as I am paid every week, one week for job one, the alternate week for job 2, yes it is nice for a change.

Usually, I am the most depressed person at Christmas. It saddens me to think my husband's relatives, who are the most wonderful people otherwise, have no regard for the fact that I have to work like a dog to supply the gifts AND serve the food to 13 people, which is not cheap either. I feel so disgusted by all the commercialism. Not talking about kids, but what the he!! do adults need to give each other presents for?? Come over, bring a dish and a bottle, we'll get smashed and eat til we burst, then we'll clear the table and play poker all night. Now that is my idea of a downhome good time!

I have cut out many things that give me stress. Xmas cards, nope, only to old people and relatives far away. Cookies, I buy 'em. I'd love to bake them, but my days of suzy homemaker are over until my teenagers learn to drive. It scares me that I am looking forward to that day! But it will mean I can come home after work and for once do....NOTHING once in awhile!

I also ditched the idea of Xmas dinner, now we have brunch. I can prepare almost all the Xmas casseroles and soups and ham ahead, so all I have to do is stick the throw-away bakeware into the oven and bake til done. So I can actually sit down and enjoy people's company. This is also great for several other relatives who need to get to other relatives' houses, they come to my place for bfkt/lunch, the they go to another place for dinner. Everyone has been very happy with it, most of all me. Then, when everyone goes home, I can chill for the evening!

I will never forget one year I was soooo broke, came home from a 3-11/11-7 double, and while backing the car into it's parking spot, I nailed the passenger side side mirror into the tree! Came in, ready to cry, my husband goes balistic and rips me a new one. All I could do was cry. Yes hon, I really wanted to drain our last penny, that is why I DELIBERATELY hit the car! (DUH!!)

This year the dryer broke and the washer was hanging by a thread, we get the new ones Saturday, and now the precious few hours I had planned in the eve will be spent in the freaking laundry mat instead of shopping.

I plan to go Friday eve and not return home til I am DONE! Most everyone is getting a gift certificate!

I discovered a great gift for the older folks are gift cert's to their beauty parlors, restaurants they like to eat bkft or dinners at.

The year we went to Disney world in Oct, we were flat broke, I went to the craft shop, bought everyone a Sweatshirt, and used puffy paints to put an original design on each person's shirt. My hubby's aunt likes cats, so I did 2 kittens on hers, my father in law works in the garden and my M-I-L calls him Yard Bird, so I did two cute little garderner crows and wrote yard bird on it. They all loved the shirts, but NO time to do that again!

I have been in the dumps many a Christmas.

BTW, as for working on Xmas. Let me say one more thing. My first Xmas I ever had to work, it may seem pretty naive, but I was totally PO'd to discover that nurses had to work on Xmas, and I was really re-thinking why the heck I wanted to be a nurse. Anyway, Isabel, (thank you wherever you are Iz!) brought in a bottle of homemade italian wine, made by her dad. I was appalled that she would even think of drinking at work! She told me to "get over it" and proceeded to pour everyone a med cup full of wine. I tried it, convinced we would be caught by the super any second, it was great. I decided one more med cup wouldn't hurt, so we all had another round, and I was a happy camper! No, it was not enough wine to catch a buzz, but it was the spirit of the whole thing. We bonded in our misery and decided to make the best of it. Since that time, whatever holiday I work, I am the one who now pours the champagne into med cups. It truly makes a difference! To anyone who finds this practice unethical or problematic...I have one thing to say... Get Over It!!!

[O/T]: hoolahan, I love champagne, and a reason to celebrate, as much as the next girl. But a group of my co-workers on a different floor of the hospital where I used to work were caught, reported to the State Board and went through disciplinary hearings for "celebrating" at work with champagne. Not worth it, IMHO. [/end O/T]

Put me firmly and squarely in the undecided category. Maybe when the snow starts it will tip the scales, but right now its raining. Had a lovely middle school Christmas concert and that kind of helped, especially the carols that were audience participation. I love to sing and I just don't seem to get much chance these days.

My daughter has been nagging to put up the tree but there just hasn't been enough time. And who wants to go pick out a tree in the dark rain?

I hate being obligated to find gifts for people. I love creating or finding just the perfect thing for someone special.

I'm determined to enjoy the traditions I choose to observe and not feel pressured or rushed. If my cards get out on time, great. If they are late...so what. I'm not doing the guilt thing this year.

Hoolihan,

Did it one year for New Years eve. It did make coping with work on the holiday that much more easier. Getting caught? I doubt it. The super is a wino herself!