For parties and get togethers. Going to annual functions with people from work, the excitement of meeting new people and generally having fun seems to exude all around us. I've at least 5 parties to go to and that's without the New Year Celebrations.
The only thing that is frustrating is the pressure some parents feel to give their kids everything and get themselves deep in debt over it.
Still the most important thing is sharing the happiness.
So anyone got anything exciting happening over this coming month?
Im excited for sure... but since I'm stuck at school until Dec. 20th it's hard to find the Christmas spirit. Sure we put up lights, and there are some cool Christmas functions to go to with friends from school. But for me the best part of the Christmas/New Years celebrations are being around family and old friends from back home. I wouldnt say it makes me home sick, but it cuts down the celebrations to only a week or so.
Never the less... I'm going to a Christmas play tonight with my girlfriend and her friends. There's a Christmas dance, and tomorrow is the last formal day of classes so we're having some Christmas parties in between tomorrow and the first exams.
One of my close girlfriends is gunna have a group of our best buddies from around here over for a little Turkey dinner and then an 'ugly christmas sweater' party which I'm totally looking forward to.
The Hot Chocolate and Baileys and Rum and Eggnog have already begun to flow
I absolutely love this time of year, though I'm having a little trouble feeling the spirit just yet.
I love the get togethers. I love the lights strewn everywhere. The decorations. How everything has a "full" look to it.
Every year my friend has a cookie baking party where a bunch of girls get together the day before Christmas eve to bake cookies for everyone. I hate baking but enjoy it with this particular group. There are 3 of us who've been doing it for the last 5-6 years and a few others who are newer. I don't see these girls often but it's such a good time. Lots of beer and wine are involved...makes everything more fun. About 3/4 of the way through we start to lose it...the alcohol sets in...my title has become the motivator to get us through.
I love the family part on the actual days and the the friend times all surrounding.
Just not looking forward to New Years. but, things can change.
"A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him" Alexander Pope
The Taoist in me will kind of step back from this thread.
However, I have to admit Thanksgiving Weekend was great and partially due to the the actual Holiday.
I will be spending almost zero time this Christmas with my new family, as people all want their piece of us this year. Her family and mine. Which is why I don't care for the actual holidays. I read posts like GFs and Lisey's and understand, but...
Why do we need the Holidays for this? I told my mother that she can cook a big dinner in January 2009 or the middle of December and we will make it. I am not going anywhere this next Christmas or Thanksgiving unless it works around our Schedule.
Winnie the Pooh is a must read for dwellers of this thread. He had a big day and celebration. Why? Because it was Thursday.
However, to appease those that make time only for the Holidays or can only get time during the Holidays I have to say make the most of it and enjoy it for all its worth. I do believe this time of year, if celebrated in its true spirit can be a great time of healing and of coming closer together with loved ones.
The Taoist in me will kind of step back from this thread.
However, I have to admit Thanksgiving Weekend was great and partially due to the the actual Holiday.
I will be spending almost zero time this Christmas with my new family, as people all want their piece of us this year. Her family and mine. Which is why I don't care for the actual holidays. I read posts like GFs and Lisey's and understand, but...
Why do we need the Holidays for this? I told my mother that she can cook a big dinner in January 2009 or the middle of December and we will make it. I am not going anywhere this next Christmas or Thanksgiving unless it works around our Schedule.
Winnie the Pooh is a must read for dwellers of this thread. He had a big day and celebration. Why? Because it was Thursday.
However, to appease those that make time only for the Holidays or can only get time during the Holidays I have to say make the most of it and enjoy it for all its worth. I do believe this time of year, if celebrated in its true spirit can be a great time of healing and of coming closer together with loved ones.
Merry Christmas to all,
Short Version? Didnt used to 'need the holiday for this'... Now I kinda do. Not in the Coka-Cola, Hallmark, Wal-Mart, Xbox, sense (if someone wants to buy into that then the tao in me says ) but because it means for me family, friends, family and more friends. I'd be perfectly happy with an empty jar of Honey
How Wu Wei is it to hop into every holiday post and explain your grievances?
My cousin, who is like a sister to me, is in Indiana for school. I have not seen her since June and I'm damned excited to see her. My brother is in Grade 12 and busy as hell. My dad has a busy job. My aunts and uncles have kids to raise and live a 50 minute drive from our house. And I live in Victoria, 4 hours away.
5 years ago I would say that aside from the religious part of the holiday, you're right. We used to get together, regardless of our schedules weekly or at least monthly. Gift giving has never been restricted to Christmas and celebrating God certainly isn't only Christmas and Easter in my family. But it's getting harder and harder as we all grow up. And I think my family is damned good at staying very close. There are families who dont or possibly cant make time other than the holidays for the closeness that is expected to come as a result of the season.
I'm sure my mom will make a nice dinner several times in both December and January and anyone in the extended family who can come will be invited. But I know half the family just wont be able to make it.
Holidays are tradition and they mean more to me this year than ever before. I was just talking with my best friend. We both said fuck the gifts this year. Neither of us care like we did when we were little. I just wana be with the people who I love and love me when the lights are beautiful, the weather is beautiful, and the only thing anyone has got to do on December 25th is be together.
I love ya G, you always make me think, but if my family all thought along those lines then I'm not sure what I'd be looking forward to with essays and 5 exams on the horizon if Christmas was canceled and second term started right after first.
I've read the Tao of Pooh and of course the actual books as a kid. A party on Thursday sounds awesome... but Ive got an essay due Friday, my friends are all studying too; my brother has school, my mom and dad have work, my extended family is in Indiana, surrey, Kelowna, Powell River, Kamloops.
I totally agree that the gift giving is over the top and we should be able to appreciate each other all year round not just Christmas and Birthdays, and people shouldn't ignore family until a specific day on the calender says we have to do it. That's sad, it's shallow it's not Tao or Christian or the sign of a strong family.
Maaaaybe I dont understand the kind of forced-holiday you're talking about that turns you into a bit of the Grinch... so maybe I shouldn't roll my eyes when you shake your head at tradition but I sure know a lot of people who love the season where we dress in Red and Green, decorate everything, drink eggnog and ice-chocolates. Makes the holiday seem like a pretty good idea to me
Is that a fair argument for Why we holiday?
PS. I know you tried to appease by saying if this is all we have, then make the most of it... but I'm just so pumped on it this year... probably more than even as a child and this time for the reasons of family and home and nothing to do with gifts or decorations
The point I was trying to get across was that its the time of year where most people get together and share their love and happiness. A time when people should make that extra effort to take stock of how lucky we are to have what we have and show others the spirit of peace.
Meeting old friends and new and sharing our experiences and sharing our knowledge.
I totally agree about the commercial side of Christmas...it stinks big time!!! It only puts pressure on parents to get the best for their kids.
It is sad that its the only time of year where people go that extra mile, push out all the stops to be with their family and loved ones. The only other time this kind of thing happens is at funerals and weddings. Then you wonder in 20 years time when you meet up and say...we must meet up and catch up on things. Sadly it barely comes to fruition.
Far be it for me to digress too much off the point but I just want to state that I really do love the spirit and camaraderie this time of year. All I want for Christmas is family, friends and fun.
My favorite part is on the 25th for 4 years in a row we have my parents over and my mom-in-law.
2 of my wife's siblings and a close family friend. I make a 15 pound prime rib roast with
all the good stuff. Mash potatoes, steamed asparagus with hollandaise sauce, a giant
salad on lots of snacky stuff. It is an all day gathering and it has become a tradition
since my father-in-law died. We used to do it at my in-laws, but it is just so hollow
with him gone now.
I am already bartering with the butcher.
I think I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so............
The Best Time of Year
Knowledge Talks, Wisdom Listens. 
