So how's everyone celebrating? My partner is Jewish, so we've dusted off the menorah and have that going in the evenings. We have a living tree in the living room that my little girl and I decorated on the Solstice with a sun garland that we made together. On the Solstice we stayed in our jammies (because what's the point of getting dressed on such a short day!!!) and played in the snow (slipping our snowsuits over the jammies). I even went to the store in my jammies!! We have very little money for gifts this year, so we are giving our daughter little things and the only other gifts I gave are to my grandkids in California. The munchkin discovered "Santa Claus", much to our chagrin, so now she expects a full stocking on Christmas morning, and of course, we'll comply -- she doesn't ask for much, and she is a very good little girl. Hubby and I are giving each other the gift of a paid mortgage. We are having a couple of friends over for dinner tonight and going to his parents tomorrow -- Christmas with a Jewish family -- Mazel Tav!!! Should be fun.

Have fun on your blended holiday, Sundancer! I think it's wonderful to hear about people combining the best attributes of their respective traditions peacefully and respectfully. World, take note!

P.S. I am nursing a cold, so shall be celebrating baby Mithras's birthday tomorrow with a pitcher of astragalus tea, whoo!

Alone,drunk,and without family.
@#$%& it.
who cares anymore
I had a life but when you drink it away,you are DEAD!!!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/25/2008 12:32AM by Raw1228.

OH
HAPPY GIFTS EVERYONE

could be worse Raw1228 , im sure if you dig deeep you can find something to be gratefully/thankfull for

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

hey raw1228--

I'm feelin' your sadness.


Hope you're feeling better tomorrow. <<HUG>> The future will be brighter, especially since it's pretty clear that you want this to stop. Just keep going toward that brighter, happier, love-filled future in your mind. It'll happen.

Hey raw1228,

Hope you find your inner happiness. Alone is not a bad thing, we are our own best friend. Drunk is just a temporary state, it does not define who you are, or who you will or can be. Family is important, and can take many forms. Open your heart to the avenues that you think will make you happy, and your family will be a large one.

Best wishes to everyone,
J

One of my best Christmases was spent alone, though I didn't know it at the time. I had just separated from my ex, my two younger kids were with their dad and the oldest took off with his friends, and I was alone. I didn't even have money for gifts for my kids. I cried and cried, then just WAS. The quiet was actually what I needed in order to really listen to my soul. My son showed up at two in the morning on Christmas with a tree he had cut down.

This year I had very little money, and my daughter wanted three things: a pretty, "fuzzy" (velvet) dress, a Potato Head set and a high chair for her dolls. I really wanted to give these things to her, but no $$. We found all three of those things at the two Salvation Army stores in my area yesterday!! The dress is actually a shirt and long skirt -- purple velvet with sparkly hearts!! Actually, we were at the Survival Center trying to find her a cheap pair of snow boots because spacy Mommy forgot hers at school, which is closed for two weeks. The people there must have felt sorry for the poor little girl with no boots (no one had boots I could afford), so they let her pick a gift -- she picked the Potato Head set. So my little angel got what she wanted, miraculously!!

Hey Brian -- We love ya; hang in there!

Brian,

This is my first Christmas without my mom, who died in July. I figure I can make it dreadful and painful, or I can make it a psychic housecleaning opportunity. Christmas is an arbitrary celebration when it comes down to it--millions of people all over the world don't observe it. "Tomorrow" is the only true Holy Day, the only true Celebration Day, if you make it so. And it's a fresh chance every 24hrs. Good luck in getting through this wee valley of darkness and back up into broad sunlit uplands. I will all good things to you, son.

Sundancer--
I love your 'miraculous demonstration' shopping tale-- especially the part about the two-piece purple velvet outfit with sparkly hearts! How fun that must have been.

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

i was going to say merry christmas
but then i remembered that it wasn't kosher to say that anymore
so happy holidays from me here as well

i'm off to a party
made some very greenish green salad
it will probably be scarfed up in a heartbeat ( my salads are always scarfed up real fast cuz its probably the only fresh food on the table LOL

anyhoo

christmas is a lot different from all the ballyhoo it was when i was a little kid
friendships mean a lot more to me now
and i feel more grateful for people
and very little use for "knick knacks"

kisses and hugs to everyone here

especially those who feel

1. very lonely
2. very loved
3. very sad
4. very grateful

hey... i don't discriminate LOL

Hey Kwan, I thought about you when my daughter showed me the outfit!

Tamukha -- condolences, and great attitude!

LaV -- Back atcha!!

sundancer, awesome story! very, very beautiful and an inspiring example of the true spirit of the holidays.

we had the flu, wow a doozy, for four whole days. all of us, the two kids and i and even my mom. we all bunked down in the house and held each other up through it all. wow, it was interesting.

better just in time for the big day though and it was very sweet and simple. me, kiddies, gramma, my bro, all gathered for the presents in the AM and then some breakfast. packed up the car and drove over to gramma and grandpa's house where i am pretty much forced to relax some more (oh, poor me eh? heh). it's been gorgeous so far. really, i'm feeling so mellow and lovely with a wee baby girl squirming in my lap as i type this.

we're off to see more relatives for new year's and then friends in the big city for a couple of days. then my little sis is coming home from overseas (yay!) and my bday. i love the holidays.

the best part? my family finally, Finally (after years of asking) honoured my request for no or very few gifts for us. it was such a blessing to only have a few choice items to unwrap and enjoy. the kids got things they really love and weren't overwhelmed by mountains of junk that we haven't got room for and i got just a couple of small items (i am a minimalist so this is Really great for me).

it's funny when people say that they think the holidays are so commercial these days. it doesn't seem that way to me at all but i think that's because i don't go shopping. the stores must really push it but i hardly ever even enter that world so the joy and novelty of the season stays fresh for me. it's nice.

Hi everybody! (Waving back at all who come to this thread): \O/ Seeing waves of Christmas/Quanza/Solstice love, joy and peace washing over all of us in a big tsunami of Light. WHOOOOOOSH!!!!!!!

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

I really like Dec. 26 -- the day after all the craziness, busyness and too much food and stuff. It's calming and peaceful. I like to get my next year's goals together in the last week of the year and reflect on the past year. I plan to fast starting today, probably just for a day or two because I have a lot of shifts coming up and need the energy, but I'll play it by ear. I'm also planning a house organization overhaul and a time overhaul -- figure out what I waste time on and what I don't spend enough time on, and tweak my schedule accordingly. I know that the time I spend on this computer will lessen and I will spend more time at the Y. I also need to spend more time in quiet reflection and meditation.

Thanks, everyone, for participating in my little thread! It was fun reading about your days.

Lo and behold......raw foods are once again helping me out of my depression.
Folks,dont ever give up on raw foods.
now if i could ONLY mainting this feeling long enough to have some kind of a life.

bain