Holiday Feelings: Are They Merry or Stressful?

Posted by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor @hopeful33250, Dec 18, 2018

We are in the middle of a holiday season marked by twinkling lights, music, movies and sentiments that are supposed to bring joy and cheer. What if you don’t feel those sentiments right now? Is that OK?

Perhaps you have experienced difficulties, maybe health problems, loss of a job, or loss of a loved one. Maybe it is not possible to work-up the holiday cheer that everyone else experiences.

What do we do with the holidays if we are not feeling cheerful and upbeat?

Let's share together what you are doing with your less-than-merry holiday feelings.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

suerc | @suerc | Dec 25, 2018

In reply to @lioness "@suerc Its 17 yrs but for some reason its effecting me this year.?Thanks suerc" + (show)

Merry Christmas to you

lioness | @lioness | Dec 25, 2018

In reply to @suerc "Merry Christmas to you" + (show)

@@surec Thank you it has been now saw family heard from brother so it is better Merry Christmas to you May you have a healthy New Year.

Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Dec 25, 2018

In reply to @lioness "Holiday feelings. Hope You have to be a positive person even to have hope I think..." + (show)

@lioness How do we find hope? That's a tough question. Some may answer faith that it is there, all the time, waiting for us to discover it. I admit it's difficult to recognize. For me, it is a battle most days. Most often, in retrospect is when the realization that there was hope present is how it comes to me. Being around positive people seems to help, but for my experience, it is me being open, and bask in it without making a big deal, so I can benefit a bit at a time.
Ginger

lioness | @lioness | Dec 25, 2018

In reply to @gingerw "@lioness How do we find hope? That's a tough question. Some may answer faith that it..." + (show)

@gingerw I think hope and faith are intertwined If we didn't have faith how could we hope Hope is having faith that something good will come out of a problem so we hope it does?So which comes first hope or faith? I think too being around positive people helps but if in the first place you don't have faith in yourself how can you have it in anything?

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Dec 26, 2018

In reply to @lioness "@gingerw I think hope and faith are intertwined If we didn't have faith how could we..." + (show)

@gingerw; @lioness. I have hope without the kind of faith that you are talking about. I have hope from the faith that I have in science and my connections with people.

rkleinsmith | @rkleinsmith | Dec 26, 2018

Okay, a bit from a man's perspective.
For me, the reason for the season is the birth of Jesus. My wife stopped enjoying Christmas after her mother died. I thought that she would change back to her festive self but did not. That was 39 years ago and her standard comeback when asked about Christmas is, "I can't wait until it is over". The Holiday season has been a "reason for the season" event at our home for many years. There are no decorations, no tree, no festive parties and no presents. We exchange cards and that is it. None of these things has anything to do with the birth of Christ our Savior. People have become brainwashed by corporate America to buy, party, do this and do that. Ask yourself what benefit any of this has on the meaning of Christmas. Ask yourself how you feel going into and coming out of the season. I see too much of the High Expectations, unrealistic expectations, family drama; ad infinitum. Christmas comes and I see frazzled parents. I see sad people. I see everything that goes against the meaning of Christmas. The only people that seem to profit from the experience is -- ou guessed it -- corporate America. That's my 2 cents.

Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Dec 26, 2018

@rkleinsmith I so agree with you! Even as a young child I didn't feel a pull to magnify the holiday season with commercialism. I chose to make cards or ornaments or gifts when I did it at all. For the last several decades, I make it a point to include people of all belief systems. Recently at a meeting, as I addressed the group, that was the message. It was clearly not the most popular phrase of the morning, but inclusivity was my exact message.
Ginger