Holiday 180s

[labug]

I am trying to just get through the season without too much emotion but I don't want it to be a time of sitting around wishing for what was. I still want to mark the season but do it in a different way.

We celebrate Christmas at our house and I've always made a big deal of it. Putting up the tree was a big deal. We would have chili for dinner and all help putting up the big tree with tons of ornaments, all of which have a story attached. This we got for a wedding gift, this we bought on our honeymoon, this is from the vacation in SF, this is S22 at 3 etc, etc, etc.

I've decided to change things up this year. I'm buying fewer gifts (that decision was sort of cast upon me due to financial constraints but it's still a good thing)and I'mnot sending cards. I put up one of those skinny trees and I'm using all new ornaments, some of which I'm making. At first the tree looked a bit anorexic but with the lights and ornaments, it's growing on me. We have a small house and this tree fits much better.
I'm happy with it.

What 180s are you doing for your holiday celebration?

[purgatory]

I've decided that holidays while struggling with M problems [censored]!! Christmas is my favorite time of year- I have 15 bins in the attic of only christmas decorations! I was unmotivated to celebrate this season. My H convinced me that because we have young children, we should try to keep the holiday traditions as 'normal' as possible. I agreed with that. I didn't anticipate how heart wrenching it would be to decorate the house. Putting up the tree was always special because each ornament has a story or memory behind it and we always enjoyed "remember this one" reminiscing... I found that there were certain ornaments I couldn't put on the tree ('our first christmas', 'wedding bells'...etc.) We have agreed to do christmas morning together as a family (Ill probably have to excuse myself to have a breakdown at some point)
We are taking separate trips this year- that's a complete 180. He's taking the boys to his parents, and I'm going to my parents alone. It's going to be very strange because all of our parents only live 4 hours away from each other. I'm not sure how I will handle knowing that my family is so close, but so far away from me

[WenikiTiki]

We decided to do Christmas as usual. W@e have grandkids who are a big part of our morning.

My big 180 is that I have purchased one token gift to put under the tree for my H. And that is a big bag of nuts. (I buy him some sort of nuts every year..... just this year it made me laugh so hard at the grocery store when I saw it!)

I would have gotten him nothing, but I don't want my grandkids to see him get nothing. Because as far as I know no one is getting him anything.

I expect to get nothing from him.

[labug]

"Big Bag-o-Nuts" yes, that made me laugh!

Purgatory, I had that experience at Thanksgiving. I spent the evening before and morning with my sons. We did fun things and went bowling. I drove home from my S22's on T-giving morning by myself and shed a few tears on the way. Got home and went to a movie by myself. I really forced my myself to get outside myself. I was sad and felt that but told myself this is just one day out of the year. It will be what I make it.

[purgatory]

'bag-o-nuts' really funny! It's nice that you still got him a gift so he'll have something to open.

I couldn't help but get my H a gift... because I bought it on black friday (the day before he dropped the bomb) and it was a final sale item I guess I could just keep it, but I have no need and it would just remind me of him when I see it.

Labug- you're right: "It will be what i make it". I will try to repeat that to myself throughout the day. I'm kind of looking forward to having a week alone- with no kid/house responsibilities... and if I want to sleep all day, I can! Although, that's not the healthiest mindset to have... so I have already tried to connect with old friends in the area to make a dinner date and I'm getting my hair done with my old stylist. So if nothing else, I'll look good on New Years!