Well, after spending way too much $$ and running around in a tizzy over the last few days, I have come to the following conclusion:
The feelings I expect to get from acts of gift-buying/giving/receiving (especially this year) will probably not be as soul-feeding as the feelings I would have achieved if I would have done all the other holiday-related activities (decorating, making cookies, making gifts, focusing on family and friends) that I wanted to do instead. I thought I didn't have time for them and that they wouldn't be fun and rewarding.
I'm definitely right there with you! Since we moved and are still sort of in transition...I haven't done anything Christmas oriented except the shopping...and even that felt forced.
Very interesting you say that. I didn't get much of a bang out of gift shopping this year, so I feel like we spent a lot less on gifts this year than we usually do. What we gave was really well received - at least by DH's family, since we did the big Hanukkah thing on Sunday with them. Won't know about my family/friends until Christmas Day.
I don't take much pleasure in receiving gifts, but that's a constant every year. I return or regift 95% of what people give me. It's a given that whatever certain people give me (MIL, SIL, usually my mom) will go back to the stores.
You said that very well- I think that's what I've been feeling too. It feels like there is a lot of anxiety and fear of what is happening in the economy etc right now and that's all I picked up on while shopping. The Christmas tradition type things that you mention are grounding and constant and I think they are even more important this year because of the uncertainty people are feeling maybe?
Very well put. I usually get more out of decorating the tree, and baking cookies and just snuggling with the BF watching Christmas movies than I do with the whole "gift giving." I swear I spent at least 5 hours wrapping gifts today when I could have been doing something else...
I feel like I have just not been into Christmas AT ALL this year. I didn't have a lot of gifts to buy. I didn't do very much Christmas-oriented. No cookies, not many parties, didn't watch ANY Christmas movies. The only Christmas-related things I did were see the Nutcracker and my office party. I can't even believe Christmas is here. It just doesn't feel like it this year.
-- Edited by ttara123 at 00:03, 2008-12-24
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Fashion is art you live your life in. - Devil Wears Prada | formerly ttara123
I agree 100%. Actually, I have a rule that all my Christmas shopping must be done by Nov 30 so that I can spend December decorating, socializing, entertaining, wrapping, and baking. Of course the original reason I did this was to avoid going into stores in December - I am crowd-phobic. But for many reasons this method works really well for me, and I feel like my presents are better thought out when I buy them throughout the year rather than buying them when I *have* to. The latter somewhat limits my choices to what's seasonally available and I don't like it (aka giving or receiving seasonal items such as sweaters or scarf/glove sets).
-- Edited by Vanessa at 16:22, 2008-12-24
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http://v247.tumblr.com One cannot perceive beauty, but with a serene mind -Thoreau
I agree 100%. Actually, I have a rule that all my Christmas shopping must be done by Nov 30 so that I can spend December decorating, socializing, entertaining, wrapping, and baking. Of course the original reason I did this was to avoid going into stores in December - I am crowd-phobic. But for many reasons this method works really well for me, and I feel like my presents are better thought out when I buy them throughout the year rather than buying them when I *have* to. The latter somewhat limits my choices to what's seasonally available and I don't like it (aka giving or receiving seasonal items such as sweaters or scarf/glove sets).
-- Edited by Vanessa at 16:22, 2008-12-24
That is such a great idea, Vanessa, and it's totally do-able. Thanks, ladies, for telling me your stories. I hope we all have a fabulous 2009!