How the f*ck does anyone manage this?

[cybermule]

Christmas, I mean.

I quite like it. It's a nice idea to have a holiday in the depths of winter. I celebrate the turning of the tide of light, rather than the nativity, and a few days off with some brightly wrapped presents and some good company brings light into the drudgery of the winter months.

Each year, I buy one small gift for each of about half a dozen close friends and family, either something they definitely need, or something intangible, or something quickly consumable. I send cards to around a dozen people, less close friends and family, telling them how special they've been to me over the year. Nobody gets both a gift and a card.

I've written my cards, bought my presents, and wrapped less than half of them.

And I'm already exhausted and bored.

How do those people cope who buy lots of presents, send lots of cards, have a huge family celebration with mountains of food that lasts for days?

It would kill me.

I admire them, but I maybe also despise and dislike them. If they seem happy, exclusively the former. They deserve admiration for their energy and hope. But most people are martyrs to the velvet gloved ironfist of Consumer-mas. They stalk the malls like zombies, relentlessly chewing over every bit of tat, only casting it aside if they really can't think of any more people to buy (for).

Celebrate the solstice, celebrate Yule, hannukah, Christmas, or just celebrate having a few days off work. But do it simply and happily, for all our sakes :)

Comments

[amiga500.livejournal.com]

I've bought things online for the inlaws (it's nice to have someone else ship them), and my family's decided to skip gifts, and just have a good big meal together. Most of what we're doing is my husband's idea -- he was raised Jewish, so now he wants to try Christmas.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

That all sounds very sensible. I just want to enjoy CHristmas, rather than being too burned out when I get there. Must be weird to be trying Christmas for the first time :)