For me 201o can be summed up in two words. THE MOVE.

The best Christmas ever... that's a tough call. Not counting the ones when I was a small child, as those are always the best one ever, I'm not sure one qualifies as "the best".

I have moments from every Christmas that are wonderful. I know that sounds sappy, but it's true.

When my brother was small, he liked to jump. No idea why, he just jumped when he was happy, or hyper, or really excited for something. He got a toy for Christmas that came in the plastic packaging that requires a blow torch and a college degree to open, and he (at three/four thought his older sister could do anything) handed it to me with "Here Sissy, you do it."

I can still remember the feeling of his hot little hands on my kneecaps as he jumped up and down in front of me while I wrestled with that stupid damn package. Eventually I got it open, he screamed "Thank you Sissy! I love you!" and spent the rest of the day playing with it.

When I was eighteen, I got a cell phone for Christmas. I'm sure you can figure out why a teenager was thrilled to get her first cell.

At twenty-two, I got woken up early by the jumping little brother (who was no longer so little and no longer jumped when excited) and spent the day in my pajamas with my mother watching the holiday parade and fielding phone calls from family.

Last Christmas was both wonderful and awful. It was wonderful because it was a day of family, both blood and adopted, and awful because my then husband called and made me feel bad.

I went with my mother, my best friend, and my not-bio dad to see Sherlock Holmes when it opened. We gorged on popcorn, then went out to the bar. I thought it was strange, going to a bar on Christmas night, but I spent the time with friends who mean the world to me.

This Christmas isn't ever going to be "the best", but it's better than others. I'm poorer than ever, but I'm free to celebrate my way. I can decorate a tree however I want, I can cook whatever I want, and I sing whatever Christmas Carols I want, because the only one who is around to hear is the dog, and she thinks I'm perfect either way.

Oh, Christmas time, you're the Pink Elephant for overspending and proving that money spent equals how much someone loves you.

I understand that, if someone has the ability to buy it, they can go for it.

But I don't understand spending several thousand dollars on ONE gift, and still getting other gifts for them.
Maybe they think that, the more expensive it is, the more they're proving their love.

Me, I'm glad that my idea of love is not money based. Excluding shipping gifts out, I spent less than $50 and made ten gifts. The 'big' gift for Ma Mere, the supplies I used were free. Ma Mere won't see it as me being cheap, she'll see it as I spent a month making it and won't care about the price.



Christmas bitching! A lovely idea!!! I am also hand-making gifts this year. Not everything, but a lot of it. I'm stressed to the max and hoping that by the time the big day comes I will be able to settle in and roll with it in an enjoyable manner. I hope. The older I get the faster December flies by and the less I enjoy it. I feel like a grinch for saying that. I know it's all "in" right now to grinch on Christmas and make Scrooge-y faces and what-not, but it's just not me to do that. I don't have any animosity toward Christmas I just don't have that giddy Christmas spirit that I had several years ago. I miss it. Lots.

What disturbs me the most is the relief I feel after all the Christmas decorations and things have been cleaned up and put away. I relish the return of my usual space whereas there was a time not all that long ago that I felt sad when the tree went away.

Dear Santa, this year I'd just like my Christmas spirit back and to not burn my wrists or the top of my hands taking the freaking ham out of the oven.


I’m sick and tired of having it shoved down my throat that I need to donate and volunteer at this time of year. You have no idea what I do or how I spend my money when I’m not at work or in your orbit so butt out.

I’m not a bad person because I’m not spending time at the church, nursing home or homeless shelter. Maybe it makes YOU feel good to email/extoll the wonderful feeling you get from doing such but I don’t feel the need to tell everyone about every little good deed that I do.

And it’s not nice to belittle people for donating money to places instead of physically volunteering. Doesn’t the soup kitchen need money to buy the food that you are so wonderful to serve? I know that the shelter animals need to be walked and played with but doesn’t it take money to pay for their vaccinations and food? Wouldn’t all the organizations have a bit of a pickle on their hands if everyone decided to donate time instead of a few recluses donating money too?

I was this close to doing a payroll deduction to donate to the organization that you work with (my employer will match up to $1000 per year) and then your email came rolling in where you talked down about people “throwing money” at problems instead of "getting their hands dirty". Fine. I’ll keep my money in my pocket.

So I didn’t pick an angel off the angel tree...I happen to actually know a family going through a rough time and decided to help them with their Christmas instead. But you don’t know that, do you? If I was a real tightwad meanie, I’d just pick a fucking angel off of the tree because it would be a hell of a lot cheaper.

Maybe I do random nice shit all year long when funds allow and not just at Christmas. My own husband doesn’t know about most of the things that I do because it’s not even any of his business.

You can take your candy cane and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.