Be gentle with folks around the holidays. Most people are unduly stressed out with a whole lot more added to their plates than usual around this time.
I can only speak for myself as a woman, but I am sure that men feel more pressure in December as well.
But, that said, many women take on extra things like baking, shopping, entertaining, mailing stuff out, wrapping, decorating, and interacting a lot with extended family (yikes), many of whom are OTHER WOMEN. Throw in the the usual child-rearing, cooking, cleaning, working, PROGRAM, organizing, and bouts of PMS..... and it really is a LOT for each person. Guys, I am sure you have your share of stressors too, not to exclude you all. I am sure fellows here do many of the things I mentioned.
My point? Patience, Love and Tolerance is our code. Just a friendly reminder.
Joni
__________________
~~"It's hard to be hateful when you're grateful."~~
Choosing not to be stressed out! All shopping done online, no baking(everyone in my family makes way too much) and plan on keeping it simple!!!! Anyone want to go caroling!!!! Lani
__________________
"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
Thanks Joni, if it weren't for women we probably wouldn't have Christmas. It's taken a long time for me to become willing to enjoy the season, but I came home from my last trip of the year to see the house all decorated and felt all the love that my dear Wife put into it. Thanks girls for all that you do.
No stress here! Christmas Day is pretty much a regular old day around here, I have to always work.
I, too, shop online and only for a total of 6 people. Since I got sober, they now only get ONE gift each. The days of trying to make up for my drinking by going into debt are long gone... Not much cooking done either. My son & I will exhange gifts on Christmas Eve and he will cook a couple steaks out on the grill!
These (sober) days, I only put up a small tree, hang the stockings and put a wreath on the door. As apposed to having to have the whole house lit up, inside and out!
How grateful I am to be sober for another STRESS FREE Holiday!
(Oh! and joni, as for the PMS - don't have that anymore either - woo hoo!!! LOL)
__________________
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
Well, I have to admit, too, that thanks to AA, and Melody Beattie, and MaryAnn Williamson, and a few other fine authors... I have scaled back my "Holiday Hooplah" quite a bit too. I do not have festivities here, as a few "key" relatives are allergic to my pets. Anything I buy for gifts, I buy at TJ Maxx or TJ Maxx Home, or Target. Giftcards are also a lovely stress-free gift.
Doll, I too have a smaller tree, about 4 feet high, which sits atop an antique dresser in the dining room. (again, animals... lol) The lights are permanently in the tree, so there is another stressor removed. No decor outside, it would just get rained and snowed on all year.
So I suppose I too have begun to learn the valuable lesson of dialing it back a bit for the holidays.
And you know what? Me being sober lights this house up brighter than any lights or trinkets ever could.
Joni
__________________
~~"It's hard to be hateful when you're grateful."~~
Thanks Dean WOMEN RULE!!! But seriously, I do have to thank my husband for "going crazy" with the outside lights this year! God love him...I managed to talk him into getting out the 30 (?) foot ladder and decorate our second story! It looks fab , yet tastefull....We did have fun doing it (I helped) until he was standing on top of the roof waiting to hand me down the staple gun and I disappeared in the house for a few mins!!!!! A picture would have said a thousand words!!!! Lani
__________________
"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
