Grinch Club! «12...Next Go

Nushnushganay

Anyone want to spread Holiday Jeer or otherwise kvetch about the holidays? Might be therapeutic to share in a safe space for it.

It's not as bad as last year; the tree is up and lit but someone else can decorate it. And *someone* I live with wants to play holiday music and there's only so much of it I can stand before I need an antidote. Not sure why this happened to me, I once enjoyed the holidays. I think they just got to be too much work, not enough authentic enjoyment. I am supposed to be making butter spritz cookies today, so they can cure in tins and become fully yummy (they need time to do that, and I'm running out). Will find a way to enjoy that. Deathstep might help.

Love to all the Grinches, binches!

dreamerz13

I loathe Christmas music. Like there's a couple songs I like but they aren't played often it's all like different versions of the same like 5 songs. And when you work retail and hear "All I want for Christmas is you" 18 times a day.... uuugghhhhhhhhhh. How many covers does one song need? My goodness we need *new* music.

And the whole season lasts too long now. It's way over commercialized and lasts from early August to mid January sometimes. Like it just too darn much Christmas it's ridiculous.

I did cut back on my Christmas involvement though. I no longer do the gift giving. It's just too much pressure for much of my friends and family group for the last few years. And honestly I don't think I'll ever go back to it even when financially we can. The amount of stress I save each year by not dealing with the crowds and keeping more money in my pocket is amazing. I do dinner because time with loved ones is great. But it's just food and company all I need. I also like walking around the neighborhood to look at the lights especially when I'm stressed.

But largely I've become the grinch lol.

Nushnushganay

*raises bottle of skunked beer made drinkable with a squeeze of lime*

My grain-free vegan 'butter' spritz cookies, once I worked for an hour getting the consistency just right to successully squirt out Xmas tree cookies, then got burnt from a moment's inattention when someone was demanding my attention and I had to take my headphones off, was my last straw today. Into the trash and I'm just done. I quit. Cookies aren't worth it. IF I could deliberately recreate the Gingerbread Massacre, I'd take them out to a firing range and have some ACTUAL fun.

Movotti

The Killers have a Christmas album, but not all of the songs are annoyingly Christmassy. It's got songs like ¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!, Joel the lump of coal, and the classic, Don't shoot me santa.
That album is the closest I will get to 'christmas' music.

Bah! Humbug. I am a Grinch.
I do not like christmas. Christmas, I do not like!

I like the concept of Jolabokaflod, the Yule book flood, and the tree of knowledge (tree decorated with books)

PriestessBizarre wrote: »

And with due respect to everyone else's beliefs (or lack thereof), I am also an ardent atheist.

Atheist, bordering on anti-theist here.
Though I have an appreciation of Yule traditions, mostly just the feasting on meat part. But also feasting on pavlova, summer fruit salad, and mac'n'cheese (that one is my own, personal tradition for 'the' day.)
Several christmases spent alone lead to my loaded mac'n'cheese tradition, it's a bit of a parody of the season, sprinkled with red capsicum, some green veggies, and bacon, it's got such 'festive' colours. And is followed with pavlova topped with whipped cream and fruit salad. And is enjoyed with my own, personal book flood. I usually buy myself a stack of books.
On 'the' day, I read, play the sims, and eat my odd feast.

Nushnushganay

That sounds really nice, @Movotti !

Nushnushganay

PriestessBizarre wrote: »

On the occasions that I expose myself to going to family households, I just eat loads of roasted potatoes with gravy! And drink some dry white wine or beer.

That starts off like standup but quickly rights itself!

I could have rolled and cut the grain-free vegan 'butter' cookie dough and been done with it, many times over, in the time it took to get the consistency right for the cookie press for spritz cookies...and then one minor distraction and they were burnt so badly they had to be tossed.

Why did I get suckered into believing cookies were so important?! A grain-free vegan gingerbread house would be easier!

Nushnushganay

Those cookies looked like they'd already been there and were coming to take me home with them!

Nushnushganay

Ach, my sweet hubs. He leaves something he bought for me just sitting in a bag, just an ordinary shopping bag and doesn't tell me not to look in it, so then I end up moving it, and see what's inside.

But there is a silver lining: at least I will not be caught unprepared, unwrapping a Very Ugly mug with a shape of Texas on it, with a sizable chip in the rim. Because if I opened that not knowing ahead what it would be, I might not be able to conceal my utter dismay in being given such an object. But I am shocked he thinks I would like that. Even without the chip, it's hideous.

Nushnushganay

No, it wasn't a joke, but I was straight up with him. Asked if he could still return it. He took it well, said he'd drop it off at Goodwill. His heart wasn't broken; he found it on clearance for $2 (being ugly AND chipped, that's understandable) But he's planning to regift me a food gift someone gave him on his route (he's a letter carrier) ....so there ya go.

I'm starting to feel a little frosty this Christmas. But I know he means well, but Weird Al ought to do a parody of AJR's "Weak" with the lyrics "But I'm Cheap! (And What's Wrong With That?)" HA. HA. Ho..hum.

Good thing he already gave me a heated throw that covers my feet and half my midriff in bed, so I won't have to snuggle up to him to get warm. JK

Nushnushganay

I already wrapped his Rice Crispy Treats underwear for him to open! I would have gotten him Frosted Flakes with Tony the Tiger but that would be false advertising...JK, but I couldn't resist.

Saying all this with a huge grin because we just teased each other good-naturedly and had a good laugh about the whole thing. That is the best thing in the world, a belly-laugh, that we can tease each other. It makes my day. Sappy, but the real gift is his presence.

And we weren't expecting to spend much for other gifts, because we're getting an Oculus Quest 2.

Movotti

It's that day.
I had corn chips for breakfast, played the sims a bit, dyed my hair, and now I'm eating lemon myrtle meringue (crispy sort) with Crème Fraiche. Been listening to darkwave pretty much all day, none of that merry crap.

I'm spending the day blissfully alone. I've gotta do some work stuff this afternoon, cos it needs to be done by Monday.

WildIrishBanshee

Feeling very grinchy this year. Cruddiest Xmas ever. Normally I'm more Griswald than Grinch, even after 20+ years of customer service/retail...but not this year. Didn't even get a tree up or any decorations at all. Nothing. Just can't be bothered with it all. Want to pull the covers over my head and emerge after New Years.

Nushnushganay

Hugs to all the Grinches out there, you don't get enough appreciation, and holidays are inevitably going to be hard on everyone, if not for one reason, than another. It's unavoidable if we live long enough...even if life is otherwise perfect, we all lose someone we love and feel that pain. Or have no one to love and be loved by and feel that one. Or are exhausted and underappreciated as some of you undoubtedly are.

@Movotti that lemon myrtle meringue sounds delectable with the creme fraiche and all. And what color is your hair now? Sounds like a wonderful time, really.

@WildIrishBanshee I'm sorry you're having a rough time, but hope the blanket you pull over your head is a nice soft one, and that you do whatever feels good and isn't more work. Sometimes the doing of all that holiday stuff is just more work than it's worth. Treat yourself to a day of ease and relaxation, not stress.

@PriestessBizarre Looks like the migraine managed to hit just in time to clear up by Christmas day, so I can't complain after all. life is good and Christmas managed not to be the stressful thing it had become for a while, partly because I have started to just say no to a lot of things that are unnecessary. If no one else cares enough to do them, why am I doing them? It turns out, a lot of the sense of stress comes from a feeling of obligation to do things that really aren't missed, if we just skip them.

So one of the best things this year, is just not having to do things, just to do them. Next year, if I want to do it then, there will be another chance. But so far, I'm not missing it. Peace and tranquility are far more important than observing every tradition. Sometimes the pressure to be joyous and celebratory is salt in the wounds of anyone who is exhausted or emotionally depleted and just needs a pass.

Hugs and a wish for rest, whatever bring you replenishment and enjoyment, without hassle, stress, or pain.

Charla97

I celebrate Christmas but it's not like it used to be for me anymore. I'm in my early 20s and real life stuff like my health are a constant issue at the moment, so not feeling very festive right now! I have a tree and a few decs up but didn't go crazy.

When I was still at school and living with me parents Christmas was a huge thing for me, my family celebrated it and we used to love going crazy with gifts, decorations and the music. On December 5th me mum would put on Last Christmas and it was then we knew that Christmas was coming. Sadly mum died when I was 15 and since then I haven't felt the Christmas spirit like I used to. I still celebrate because me mum would be so sad if I didn't but it's not the same anymore without her and sadly it never will be.

I'll be taking tree and decs down the day before New Year's Eve.

Nushnushganay

@Charla97 Hugs to you. I can't imagine your loss at so young an age, but I do get how it can knock the wind out of you for Christmas. It's quite alright to have a lowkey celebration and just focus on self-care. Sending you good thoughts.

WildIrishBanshee

Goodness. I thought Ipswich MA, but nope, Aussieland is feeling it too. Fight over who gets to carve the bird? I don't know Oz's traditions, sorry.