Are the holidays a happy or a sad time for you?

[CDaughtry]

I really enjoy the holidays. We just had our best friends in from San Antonio. Their daughter is our goddaughter and our daughter is theirs. My son calls him "Uncle" and is closer to him than my actual brother.
I know the holidays can be a depressing time for many.
What is it for you.....happy or sad, or somewhere in between?

[Luke]

I completely indifferent.

[GuitarsFromMars]

I am happy,blessed to be alive,truly grateful,to know people,like you,CD.

[devilrob1979]

They're sad for me. I think about how much I used to love them and look forward to them every year and the fact that all of that joy is gone now is really depressing. My holiday season last year was destroyed by marital problems and it looks to be repeating itself so I got that goin' for me. The only joy I get out of the holidays these days is from my daughter. Oh yeah, and I got a BMW 335i today so I guess that's pretty awesome, buahahah.

[Midnight Lady]

Both.

I am, as you all know, very happy with my new life. In fact, this will be our first Christmas together, so no matter what happens it will be very special.

But there is a sadness too.

I remember all the old family Christmases, all the people that aren't around anymore, my parents, aunts and uncles. My mother's favorite holiday was Christmas and she made it magical for everyone. It was never the same after her death.

I live many miles away from what's left of my family and until I have "status" in this country, I can't leave. I won't see that wonderul "Santa has been here!" look on my grandchildren's faces this year.

But we move on, create new families and new traditions. We hang onto the old memories and try to create new memories for those who come after us. And sometimes while trying to create fun and happiness for them, it spills over into our lives as well.

[gkoelling]

I'm just as miserable during the Holidays as I am the rest of the year.

[dgood]

I enjoy the hysteria, brutality, stupidity, and hypocrisy of the holidays. Humans are all too human, especially in November and December for some reason. Why? Who knows?

:dunno

[jazzandmetal?]

Sad because it is the first holiday season without my mom.

Happy because it is my 3rd with my daughter.

[Coach]

I don't really feel anything during the holidays. I wish I could get into it like the people around me, but it always just feels like another day to me.

[rattles]

I'm just as miserable during the Holidays as I am the rest of the year.


Misery loves company gkoelling!


Normally I love the holidays! The decorating, the baking, the Christmas programs, the music......but this year it's different. I'm really having a hard time with knowing that my dad won't be here with me.

It snowed last Friday and my dad LOVED snow! He use to call my kids and pretend to do a 'snow dance' and they were convienced that he could make it snow by doing his snow dance.

[Guitar Slinger6]

Don't care for the holidays.

[gkoelling]

Misery loves company gkoelling!


Normally I love the holidays! The decorating, the baking, the Christmas programs, the music......but this year it's different. I'm really having a hard time with knowing that my dad won't be here with me.

It snowed last Friday and my dad LOVED snow! He use to call my kids and pretend to do a 'snow dance' and they were convienced that he could make it snow by doing his snow dance.

Very cool story about dad! Now when your kids have their own (Grandma Rattles!:)) they can tell the little ones how their grandpa made it snow.

[rattles]

LOL True......he use to do it all the time. And if it started snowing and school was cancelled, they'd call him at the butt crack of dawn and wake him up to let him know that his 'snow dance' worked and they didn't have school.

What was sad, the other day when it snowed, my daughter was driving home from work and said she started to call 'pappaw' to wake him up to tell him it was snowing. I got a bit teary when it snowed and he wasn't here to enjoy it.

[Brad Scott]

Always been happy.

[2leod]

I love the holidays as a vehicle for getting together with family and friends. The other trappings are nice, but for me they are mostly a lens that helps us focus better on the good stuff. I would say that the holidays are maybe more poignant than either happy or sad - missing loved ones now gone, seeing the erosion of time on some of us while feeling the generational bridge between our children, grandkids, us and parents.

Both happy and sad, but always good.

[XKnight]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/114/293949076_92dd0b3006.jpg

[Seditious]

I love them. Thanksgiving because my mom and sister make it truly special. The go all out. We also have a nice tackle football game with all the kids and it just doesn't get better than that. :D

Christmas because my wife and kids get so excited. Watching the sheer joy on my wife's face as she and the kids decorate the house and tree is fantastic.

[rattles]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/114/293949076_92dd0b3006.jpg



ouch!

[fender tele]

I love em!!!

Especially my daughter came along 6 (almost 7) years ago. Ever tell a child to mark the things they want for Christmas in one of the wish books? She was busy for over an hour.

[90wreck]

I enjoy the hysteria, brutality, stupidity, and hypocrisy of the holidays. Humans are all too human, especially in November and December for some reason. Why? Who knows

:dunno:roll:roll:roll
Isn't this the truth?(At least with me)
Great reply, and it sums it up for me as well(sorta).
:D
IMO the best two months to self destruct.:o
WHHHHHHYYYY?
(I really know why and have it under control after all these years)
Family+spending $$$$$$$$=bad(in the past).
Now....JUST DO IT IT!!!!!:D
See..I am happy.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!!(George)

[madstrat]

depends .... some good some bad...fvck..it's live


as long as i have a guitar, i'mgood:drink

[phoenix 7]

I enjoy seeing family during the holidays, but I haven't enjoyed Christmas much since I was a kid. That's probably partly because my immediate family is no longer close. I also think the materialism is pretty out of hand (as illustrated by the fatal stampede at Walmart earlier today). I'm happy for folks who do enjoy it though.

[Lucidology]

Since both my parents have passed ,,,
My sister & Bro in Law live on the Big Island with no kids ....

It's a quite, reflective time for moi ...
Not lonely really, just quite out of choice...
I choose to keep to myself as of right now since I'm not in a steady relationship ...

Will most likely eat Xmas dinner with my bro's family ...
But that's about it ...

[BarneyFife]

Like a few others here, I usually love the Holidays, but this is the first one in my 51 years without my father.

The worst part was to see my mom drive up without him.

I really miss that smile and laughter, and a million other things about him.

Still have the rest of the family though, so I'm lucky.

[PinoyBoy]

Christmas (not T-day) is a happy time for us for a couple of reasons:

1 - it's a time to reflect and take stock of what's important in life. While I know you can (and should) always do that regardless of the time of the year, this is something like a regular "checkpoint" in the cycle.

2 - it brings family and friends back together physically. Most of my family lives far away now, but we still get to be with a few people on the day itself. Also, we get to reunite with friends and the rest of the community who come home for the Christmas to New Year's Day stretch.

[Suproman77]

Generally, the holiday season is a happy time for me, but also a soulful and introspective one. I usually take this time of year to really clean out the closet, so to speak.

[m@2]

i enjoy seeing my kid enjoy it. he gets really excited for christmas. I also like winter weather so, that's nice too!

[pbradt]

I try very hard to ignore "the holidays."

When I was a kid, we'd get dragged to Xmas eve church. Of course, my dad would have been at the office party earlier so by the time we got to church, he was three sheets to the wind. Naturally my mom would yell and scream at him and bait the hell out of him and sure enough, as soon as we got home, they'd start whaling on each other. When we got older, my sister (now estranged) and I would have mock fights, mocking our parents. This would incense them further and we usually got it taken out on us, but a couple times, they weren't so shitfaced and actually were shamed.

So now, J and I avoid all the trappings of "the holidays." Our gift each year is the Delbert Cruise, in January. In years when we can't afford that, whatever we're using that money for (often it's Veterinarian bills) is the gift. Kitties are our daily gift.

J still calls her parents and I call a few friends. We cook something nice and relax all day.

[Cornbread]

Now that my in-laws have finally left (after 7 days!!!) it's back to being a happy time :D

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday; food, family and football [rinse, repeat]

At Christmas the focus is on my daughter which is great too, plus my bro and sis and their families will be here as well

Good times, not bad times

[mge80]

It's generally a good time for us. But the fact that we have continually moved around a lot (and almost inevitably, one..if not both...of us were working on Thanksgiving and/or Christmas) made it kind of hard to really get into the Holidays and get together with family...by and large, it is a happy time. When we finally DO get together to celebrate, that is what we do...celebrate. No matter how bad things might seem, there is always something to be thankful for and Christmas is as special as you make it. Regardless of the reason.

This year, we will be together for both holidays. And even though it is only the two of us, that is still special. I wish we had better opportunities to get together with my wife's family, as that is a very special time for her (and for me, for that matter)...but regardless, we will have a good time.

[teleman1]

The sad part I find about the holidays is that people let it be the only time to be nice to each other. Whats wrong with all the other times? And people also have little reguard if someone is not celebrating Christmas. I started saying Merry Christmas to people instead of explaining I don't celebrate it. If you say you don't celebrate Christmas, they look at you like you are twisted; as if they have the only religion in the world. I respect it, but its somoeone elses holiday not mine.

[2leod]

The sad part I find about the holidays is that people let it be the only time to be nice to each other. Whats wrong with all the other times?
I hear ya. Christmas has faith significance for me, but if it's the only time some people feel they are supposed to be caring and inviting, something is whack with that.

[eBay]

I find the holidays more of a pain than a pleasure now that I'm older. I think they're really for kids. If you don't have any, it's just a lot of nonsense and inconvenience.

[Mike9]

Happy - and I have family to thank for that. It's especially fun with our granddaughter who's 4.

[jgyn]

Sad.
Anything that reminds me of time's passage makes me sad.

[Thwap]

Happy.

But I'm happy most of the time anyway.:)

[Jarrett]

Happy.

But I'm happy most of the time anyway.:)

That's basically how it is for me as well. It's nice to have the full fam (15 now) in one place at one time having a good time. That's what I enjoy most about it now.

[ThePK]

Sad.

But I'm sad most of the time anyway.

[dgood]

Sad.

But I'm sad most of the time anyway.

That's basically how it is for me as well.

[violetlove]

Holiday time is weird for me in some ways. Historically, nearly all of our family tragedies have happened within afew days of Xmas, includign the loss of my son.
But, my widfe is a hopelessly happy, optimistic person, and for many years we have celebreated Xmas big time with each other, showering gifts as an extension of our love and devotion to each other. This year is probably the fist time we won't do that in 15 years, as we booked late for a big ski trip in Feb, and all or funds are going to that currently.
The real downside for me, is that all my favourite places at the coast become over-run with holiday makers. But, that only lasts a few weeks, and I just keep my head down and stay home for a bit.
Lack of family does not bother us, we make our own fun.

[GAT]

I love the holidays, especially because of my little girls.

[TwoTubMan]

Sad.

[A-Bone]

I'm definitely in the ambivalent camp. The holidays seem to entail a mixture of happiness and sadness for me. But then, I'm ambivalent most of the time (wait, that doesn't really sound good...)

[8Painting]

Some parts are nice:

-Days off
-Spending time with people


Some parts are bad:
-Materialism
-Spending time with people
-Bad Xmas Music.

[Glowing Tubes]

Stopped liking them a while back. Just a lot of additional pressure and stress. Missing my dad who passed away 5 years ago. You really feel those you've lost around the holidays for some reason.

That being said, I have a new daughter now so it's time to step it up and make it special for her which I plan to do.

RC

[Midnight Shadow]

The holidays are a happy time for me. I enjoy all the famil things. Although it occured to me that I now am the elder of the family as all older have left this earth. I can't say I am depressed over being the oldest but I can say I have an appreciation for how my parents must have felt when they were able to watch their family grow up.
Midnight Shadow

[Zelmo]

Unfortunatly not happy here. This time of year has always been tough for a variety of reasons....

[teleman1]

Another thing that is sad about the holiday times in December;our economy depends heavily on it.

[rockinlespaul]

Well....

They use to suck. Now I love the holidays.

[Twangdaddy]

I have lifelong clinical depression. I'm doing really well - I'm treated medically and see the shrink when I feel the need. I am very lucky and feel extremely grateful. I am enjoying Christmas more these days.

But the holidays were always the worst for me, because you are expected to be merry when, in fact, every day is a struggle for survival. There's tons of pressure on depressives during the holidays, because many feel even more miserable than they usually do. The really sad thing is that the majority of people with depression do not seek treatment, especially men.

Not to put a damper on things, but there's always been a downside to the merriment.