is christmas over yet?
 

can this be a freaky monday rant?
don't know where else to rant / vent, so here goes: is anyone else tired of the "chipper" office people & all their busy plans, & secret santas? I hate to be the scrooge, but, it's driving me nuts, so much work to be done to close at end of year business, but, they're annoying!!!!!!!!!
(and yet I have time to do this! ha!)



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This may be a sign of depression. Maybe you need time off work? Will your manager sign your vacation request?

I'd rather have my co-workers being "chipper" than grumbling and whining all week. Look, here are some reasons to join in the holiday spirit:

1. Three-day weekend!
2. Eggnog milkshakes at McD's!
3. Grocery stores actually have enough people working the registers!
4. You actually have an excuse to let the people you love know you appreciate them...because let's be honest, most of us are too busy/lazy the rest of the year :)
5. Did I mention eggnog milkshakes already?

While I do share the Christmas spirit, I'll admit to being annoyed with all that bad & loud piped-in holiday music everywhere and people being so darn high strung going about normal business.

Amen to the eggnog shakes! :)

ooh, eggnog shakes, maybe I'm feeling better already! i just needed some laughs. (did i say everyone around me is young (20 somethings), & I'm not! (guess I'm jealous & jaded). & yes, I am thankful for a long weekend!
thanks for the pick me up!

Lets not forget we all can see "Its a Wonderful life." AGAIN!Only this ONE time of year. Happy Holidays. Cheer up it will all be over sooner than you know!!

I'm counting the minutes. I find this the most depressing time of the year. Its suppose to be a religious hoilday that has morfed into a mass consumer gift giving dregde. Nothing wrong with gift giving but why does one have to be prompted to give and only during Christmas. I think Jesus would have wanted it year around. And who in their right mind wants to listen tothe same christmas songs everywhere you go for a month? Its maddening.
Be honest even those of you really into this bizzare time of the year must feel a wee bit disappoint on the 26th. Like why all the fuss?

Artman, you obviosuly need someone to give you the right gift so that your 26th will end up being even better than your 24th.

Dukey, what might that gift be?

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. that will get your spirits on the right track. I agree the Christmas greed, shopping craze gets me on edge. Peanut Butter Fudge makes me feel better as well.
Merry Christmas.

Hisfollower,
Well thats fine if your a christian but if your not there is no point in going other than once to see what its about. My regret isn't so much that Christmas has become a 2 month religious holiday but rather that it has become 2 onths of a loud crass commercial tacky event participated in by people who really aren't that religious in the first place.

LucieV,

I suspect that two &quot;right&quot; gifts would <b><u>NOT</u></b> be :

1. The <font color="gold"><b>gold</b></font> D&amp;G Razr

2. A private hour with Shari's girl.



:D

Why not look at this as the solstice celebration, common in pre-Christian days in the Northern Hemisphere? Enjoy the lights and trees, keep all religion private, think about the longest night of the year leading gradually back to summer.
Breathe deeply, keep focused, but remember how to smile vacantly...

Mmmm, peanut butter fudge. That's a good one too. Even if you hate the songs and the shopping and the traffic and the stress, you've gotta love holiday FOOD! ;)

LOL, Jagirl!

I try to keep the holidays relatively simple, which allows me to enjoy things more. This is a busy time of year for me with work and school, so stress levels can run high. I can see CJ's point about being annoyed with the super happy people possesed by the Christmas spirit. I get that way sometimes too. Just have to take a deep breath and take it in stride.

I agree with the others about the over-the-top commercialism, but I tend to just ignore it. I love the gift-giving, but it seems to have taken over for so many people. It is unfortunate. There is so much richness to this time of year, but a lot of people overlook it in their quest to buy zillions of gifts.

I have a good tip on avoiding the hoards at the mall - 8pm on a Monday night. We had to go last night to get a gift card for my husband's secret santa thing at work (the woman whose name he drew only asked for gift cards and only for ones that could be found in the mall - eek). But it was surprisingly nice at the mall. We found parking right away, didn't have to wait in too many lines and even did a little shopping of our own. I actually left the mall feeling - are you ready for this - relaxed and happy. Who knew? :)

J Correa, Monday nights are my favorite night at the mall. Hardly anyone there.

And if the stores are open late on Sunday nights, they are usually practically empty, even the weekend before Christmas.

I will remember the late night sunday tip for the future.

Last Saturday I drove past the mall on my way from point A to point B. What a mistake - if I had been thinking, I would have taken another route. The streets were so packed! People driving crazy, intersections gridlocked, tons of cars everywhere - everybody trying to get into the mall. I can't even imagine what it was like in the parking garages! Crazy.

'Christmas Season Hints I Practiced This Year' (or 'How I've Managed To Not Offend And/Or Kill Anyone Yet')

1. Stay out of the mall or any stores larger than your livingroom
2. If you must give presents, shop well before Thanksgiving and give gift cards wherever possible
3. Try at all costs to avoid the 'Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday' debate
4. Say no, thanks, to as many holiday parties as you can. If you feel you absolutely must go, show your (smiling) face to as many people as possible in as short a time as possible and then quietly leave
5. Bake, cook, make jam, quietly and alone in your kitchen. The 'making of something' is very soul-satisfying
6. Despite common practice, limit your time with children to the ones you really like a lot. They insist on being excited about the holiday season and will drag you in. Children you don't like are unbearable even at the best of times, so don't even think about it now.
5. Don't bother with Christmas cards. They're a lot of work and expense and they get thrown out in a week. Instead, wish people you actually see or talk to Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays -- whatever). Don't respond to a card with a card; it will just perpetuate the practice
6. Get a lot of time on your own, if that's what you need. You can always escape to a movie, and you don't have to talk to anyone at all
7. Only play the Christmas Game if and when you choose. That blank vacant smile is a great tool!

I'm only partially kidding about all of the above!

Purchase a plane ticket to go to Hawaii in January... that made me feel a LOT better
;-)