Annoying stuff about the holidays

It's always the most hectic time of the year. I never feel the need to self medicate as much (even with my anxiety) as around this time every year. There's good stuff going on but it's also stressful.

My mom is depressed because my sister decided after leeching her financially and emotionally for years, that having his grandmother around was somehow bad for him, and decided to move away to the wilderness in Maryland. Neither me nor my mom have seen him in over a year now. We basically raised that kid. I'm still upset over it but I accept that there's nothing I can do about it. My mom can't seem to get over the loss of her daughter and her grandson, so she's especially depressed around the holidays now. It's hard for me because I'm always trying so hard to be there for her whenever she needs, to make up for the hurt my sister caused.

Also she's not my girlfriend's mother's biggest fan either because my mom is super liberal and her mom is extremely Christian and conservative. And her mom's new boyfriend is obnoxious so now she definitely doesn't want to spend the holidays as a family group type thing. Thanksgiving was really stressful and awkward. So now I have to feel weird that my mom doesn't want to be involved this year and I just know no one is going to understand. Then again I barely want to be involved because I don't like this guy either because he takes advantage of her. I finally got my girl's homophobic uncle to warm to me and we get along great now, but he doesn't like the guy so now he won't be there either.

And there's just so much to do. We have errands planned for literally the entire weekend. I'm jamming shopping and visiting my mom into the same day because I just don't have time to see her separately and deal with my girlfriend's family and stuff at home too. Plus a coworker of hers we both became friends with has cancer, and since it isn't looking good we felt like we should go see him so we're also doing that this weekend.

On top of that, we both just quit smoking (we're vaping though), and our anniversary is just a few days before Christmas as well. I hope I'll be able to enjoy it if we can stop moving for a second.

Someone else rant now lol

 

i'm not a big fan of oldies radio anyway, but if i was it wouldn't be available from november 1st until after christmas because every oldies station on the planet switches to nothing but christmas music during that time.

also, the 47 work christmas parties that all expect me to buy a generic $10 gift. for one thing, i'm not loaded with money and a million cheap gifts does add up. and more importantly, i don't have the time or the inclination to go gift shopping before every party i'm expected to go to.

 

Oh I know. I managed to find affordable gifts for everyone but it still adds up. I feel like as you get older, you have to keep up pretense even when you personally don't give a shit. Like with work parties and people who are technically in your "family" that you don't like but you'd be an asshole if you don't buy a gift.

 

The office Christmas party

They're nice and all but make me anxious. Of course I dont have to attend but feel I should because this is my first year working here and it makes a good impression to make an appearance.

And the traffic. My office is near the mall and traffic has been ridiculous the last few weeks.
And it amazes me how many people think its okay to drive over raised medians and to make u turns on red lights.

Shopping doesnt bother me as much anymore because I do it all online

 

this is what i need to do, but i always put it off until it's too late to get it shipped in time, so i have no choice but to go out and do it the old fashioned way.

 

Agree about the office Christmas party @Meliai - Didn’t have that this year since I work remotely, now.

I don’t miss it.

 

Nooooo
Well fuck
Mine is tonight, I already said I'm not coming
But in my defense, I was sick and am still recovering

Also, I didn't want to go.

 

Well you do have a valid excuse, you have been sick!

I don't want to go at all but I do look forward to dressing up. My plan is to walk in, grab some food and a drink, say hello to my boss so she knows i've done my due diligence, and slip out 15 minutes later to go somewhere more fun in my cocktail dress finery

 

that shit is every day here.. at least some people act a little better around the holiday.. some dont.

 

Next year do it on Cyber Monday. Plenty of time to get it shipped and wrap it. I swear it's so much easier. You can stay in your underwear lol

 

It's funny the weird kind of stuff I see here. They have Salvation Army santas collecting donations outside the stores. Most people donate and think they're hot shit, then they walk in the store and trample anyone in their way lol I think a lot of people have this idea that they can be as shitty as they want if they just donate once in a while or buy a homeless man a cup of coffee.

 

The same 2 or 3 movies over and over.

A Christmas Story and the Peanuts are SO over rated. All personal taste I guess.

 

And yet they never play The Santa Clause when I want to see it. Not that I watch TV anyway. I don't know when things are on and lately I never have time to wait around for a movie to come on. I mean they should just put all the old classics on Netflix so I can watch Rudolph at 3 in the morning lol

 

I get annoyed over people's lack of patience around this time of year.

*I like to go tot he stores on Thanksgiving night and just walk around and actually get out on T-Day but I just do better going by myself because I'm always with somebody who just wants to "hurry up" the entire time I'm trying to enjoy myself

*People just drive crazy around this time of year, more so then usual.

 

i don't hate the holidays, or the eating. I've always been an eater. But I do resent the consequences of my holiday indulgence. This will be the first year I've been in diet mode for the holidays, thus not letting Thanksgiving day become Thanksgiving week. Same with Christmas. And the sweets! They are always on my mind more. Especially for Christmas, though not as much for Thanksgiving.

It is a little sad to say that I'll be glad when they're over. I'll miss them when they go though. The way some folks act for the holidays restores my faith in humanity a little.

 

I'm an eater too. I'm actually kind of sad about Thanksgiving. I didn't eat all day planning to stuff myself, but my girlfriend's mother's boyfriend shoved in front of everyone to get his food first. He was eating before we even finished cutting up the turkey. When we went to take my mom home, he literally ate the entire dessert that was supposed to be for 7 people, none of whom even had any. We didn't even get a to go plate.

I was barely full. I just didn't want to take too much and leave everyone else with nothing because he had taken so much of the food already. All I know is nobody better ask me to cook jack shit for Christmas. I'll be damned if I'm going to make three dishes and sweat in the kitchen all day if I'm barely going to get to taste the food. He didn't even help clean up.

 

Neighbors trying to one up each other with their outdoor decorations

 

Did you ever watch Tim Allen's Home Improvement? There were a couple of episodes devoted to just this phenonenon...

 

Lol I know of that show, that’s funny!!

I like understated simple decorations. A few lighted wreathes, the tree peeking through the front window and we have two reindeer in the front yard. But I like seeing the contests

 

You have this near Congress and High Streets in Portland, ME.