All my Christmasses are shit ever.

[pixelbox]

All my Christmasses have been shit. Since I can remember. Having my birthday a couple of days later meant that as a kid I would only get one present, and no it wasn't double in value nor was there any extra expense made to compensate. I spent all my childhood jealously watching my brother and sister get a Christmas present and a birthday one.

Many years on. My wife, who is fully aware of this hang up of mine, tries year after year to make a special effort to get me something nice on both Christmas and my birthday. Yet year after year it all goes wrong. Maybe the situation would be easier if I wasn't such a demanding bastard, but that's another story.

Anyway, here is the typical scenario at my house Christmas time. I should point out first that my Wife and I love each other very much, but the same thing seems to happen year in, year out.

About the 23rd or 24th of December, we would have had a slight argument about something that started trivial and ends up being an in depth, psychological breakdown of each negative aspect of our personalities. Throw in a bit of yelling, some name calling and eventually it gets to the point of announcing divorce and going our seperate ways.

Then over a period of about a week or so, it all comes good again. We'll open our presents and if we haven't torn up the receipts in anger and if it's not too late, return or exchange them.

Having a birthday on 12/23, I used to whine about the same thing.....then I turned twelve!

Jesus Christ, do you realize there's people with real problems on Christmas and every other day of the year?

you're worse than the "waah, worst christmas ever, my car got a scratchy in the parking lot and no one cares!" guy.

Be thankful your father didn't have forced sex with you this morning or that your momma didn't sell what few gifts you got from the United Way for a five-dollar rock.

Ya'll must be some real privileged folks up in here. No shame in that, but you should see life from the other side sometime and realize you got it nice and cushy.


STRATEGY

Philosophically speaking, and looking at this from an absolutist, platonistic level, can we really quantify misery? To me, misery is misery. No matter what form or levels of degree it comes in.

ROFLMAO! Obviously you've never experienced bad times, my friend. You are saying not getting separate gifts for birthday and Christmas is equal to having nowhere to sleep and nothing to eat for a few weeks? Or like the quoted says, getting molested or abused? You might want to re-evaluate that statement.

Additionally, you need to man up and get over it. My wife's b-day is the 21st of Dec., and my mother's is the 23rd. With Christmas falling on the same week, you bet your sweet ass that they BOTH get birthday/Christmas presents, as I'm not fucking Bill Gates.

You drama queen.

[arafel]

Best xmas ever here..

No gifts between adults - nada.

Therefore: no stress, no stupid cash wasted, no debt, no mall rats, no shopping, no wasted time in lines with miserable suckers, no 'wrong gift' guilt, no return/ exchange lineups, etc, etc.

Relax, Enjoy.

[djadonis206]

As soon as you give up the gift thing you're all good

last year I volunteered at the Childrens Hospital < - no presents just me and my wife hanging out with bald headed kids who knew they were probably going to die

this year we had an early XMAS (I got some socks from the gap) and got snowed in (i.e. couldn't fly into Seattle) for like 5 days

we just played all kinds of board games with family and watched stupid movies which turned out to be really cool - no real gifts - another awesome xmas

holidays like this are about family, friends, and thinking of someone other than yourself for a couple days


I still treated MYSELF to a new game console though

I guess I could've upgraded my ableton rig but like I've said a thousands times before, I don't know how make music anymore - I just mix records


holla and at least try to have a happy new year!

[gjm]

Best xmas ever here..

No gifts between adults - nada.

Therefore: no stress, no stupid cash wasted, no debt, no mall rats, no shopping, no wasted time in lines with miserable suckers, no 'wrong gift' guilt, no return/ exchange lineups, etc, etc.

Relax, Enjoy.

This year my wife and I and our 3 kids gave each other time. Instead of buying gifts, I asked them all to think of things that each of our family members would like to have done for them, or an activity (that had to be free) that could be done together.

For instance, my 14 yr old son gave my 7 yr old son a day of play that included, in his words "Extreme wheel barrow and trolley racing" and "Marathon Lego building." We all made up voucher cards and dealt them out on Christmas morning.

Each person processed it differently, but the basic goal of having a slightly different type of family interaction than usually occurs was achieved. My 7 yr old is an "up front and in your face" third born "don't give a shit" kid who is always in his own way wanting to hang out and be like his older brothers. He gets it wrong most of the time and therefore the older boys don't play with him "nicely" very much. So, my sons played with each other in a way they normally do not. THAT made me happy, and them too.

I took a slightly different approach. Because I have a bit of time off, I gave time for activities that I have been wanting to do with my boys but have not been able due to personal circumstances (guilt trip).

For instance, my 14 yr old son is a natural artist. So I gave him a course in wood carving. Both myself and my own father are/were sculptures. Most of the tools I use were my dads. So I will take my son through a process of choosing a project, sketching the idea, choosing the wood, sharpening some tools etc and finishing the project. He has chosen a simple Celtic knot pattern that will hang nicely on a wall.

Basically, we all decided to do something for each other that takes us away from the normal set of routines and responses. It was a bit weird at first, but everybody bought into it, and in their own way thought about how to enrich the rest of the family.

[STRATEGY_510]

As soon as you give up the gift thing you're all good

last year I volunteered at the Childrens Hospital < - no presents just me and my wife hanging out with bald headed kids who knew they were probably going to die

this year we had an early XMAS (I got some socks from the gap) and got snowed in (i.e. couldn't fly into Seattle) for like 5 days

we just played all kinds of board games with family and watched stupid movies which turned out to be really cool - no real gifts - another awesome xmas

holidays like this are about family, friends, and thinking of someone other than yourself for a couple days


I still treated MYSELF to a new game console though

I guess I could've upgraded my ableton rig but like I've said a thousands times before, I don't know how make music anymore - I just mix records


holla and at least try to have a happy new year!

That's what up, it's all about making the most of what you got and NOT GOING TO WORK.


STRATEGY

[arafel]

This year my wife and I and our 3 kids gave each other time.

Nice one! i barely remember most xmas gifts...but the time i've spent with my dad (now 74).. priceless. Especially when he as stunned me with skills and talents I did not suspect he had (eg. sourkraut making - WTF?!?). I'm pretty much making a living off the know-how and basic construction/ repair skills he taught us as kids (1-18 ). So a little more time... Yes Please!

[sinistral]

well, cant be worse than me, i DJ and on the 25th i had to go the hospital for a ear infection. im on antibiotics and pain killers and i cant hear out of one ear. i cant DJ, I cant produce, on the bright side, ive been playing alot of videogames.

[CuBuLo]

Usually my christmases suck, but this one was acceptable.

[CuBuLo]

Usually my christmases suck, but this one was acceptable.