A little down...

[haerbob3]

For us it is getting together that is the most important. Being unable to spend as much as you once did is a rough feeling, Phil. You feel like you are letting everyone down. The hard part for the giver is to realize that that is not the case. It is us that is making everyone happy.

I am having the same problem as you this year too Phil just can not get into the swing of the season this year. For me my health issues have ruined Christmas this year. Not being able to going down to A^2 to see the grandson's concert yesterday was what did me in. As long as our son makes it up from Tennessee for the holidays everything will be alright.

[brewin bull]

Sorry to hear your feeling down Phil. Sadly I can't offer much advice with this mess I am in right now, but know you have friends that care.

[Kealia]

I can get like that sometimes, too. For me, it's sometimes the opposite. I have enough money to buy things for people but not enough time to....

What I've done over the past few years when I feel down to help all circles around others. Sometimes I've just made time to go shopping, and the buying of gifts for others has made me feel better and more "in the season". Sometimes, it's been getting together with people. And sometimes it's been volunteering for a few hours at a local place helping collect blankets, presents, food, etc. that helped kick in the Christmas spirit.

Last year right at this time is when I lost both my Shepherds (today was exactly one year ago for the second). Last year, Christmas was really hard. This year it's a bit better (and Bodie has helped!) but I still need to find that magic. Sometimes when I feel like this, I just find myself going for a long hike and getting my head straight with some "me" time.

Whatever it is for each of us- I hope we all find it.

Cheers boys and girls.

[Rebel_B]

I sympathize with you Phil. I'm feeling it too.... The holidays always seem to be mix of extremes; people dying, and people celebrating good times. My dad with stage 4 cancer and my daughter, pregnant with her first child, my first grandchild.

[berryman]

Sorry to hear you are feeling a little down right now Phil, this time of the year does have that effect on people sometimes. Things always get better eventually. Hey, we all made it though a Friday the 13th today. That's a good start.

[ssorck]

I can relate to the mixed feelings on the holidays this year as well.

On the good side my brother from the West Coast is coming in for XMas for the first time in 20 years or so. Really looking forward to hanging with him for a few days and sharing some homebrew over XMas, he is a home brewer as well. I've also got my stepson coming in from Atlanta for a week.

Down side is the reason he can come is because he is in the middle of a divorce so his schedule is more flexible. As others have said $$ is tight this year, business has been slow the last quarter and to complicate things further I was in an accident this week which totaled our one car.

But could have been worse, somehow I managed to not have any injuries thank god.

[jimjohson]

I can relate to the mixed feelings on the holidays this year as well.

On the good side my brother from the West Coast is coming in for XMas for the first time in 20 years or so. Really looking forward to hanging with him for a few days and sharing some homebrew over XMas, he is a home brewer as well. I've also got my stepson coming in from Atlanta for a week.

Down side is the reason he can come is because he is in the middle of a divorce so his schedule is more flexible. As others have said $$ is tight this year, business has been slow the last quarter and to complicate things further I was in an accident this week which totaled our one car.

But could have been worse, somehow I managed to not have any injuries thank god.

+1 in the long run, a car is easy to replace!

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

This is the single best set of phrases in this topic and RickBeer, I thank you for sharing them:

Your gift is you - your relationship, your kindness, your helping out when they need help doing something. If it's all about material objects, then seek other relationships I say.

As for me, I've been fine approaching the Holidays this year until yesterday. I went into a website where I was preparing to send a gift to my Grandma in Michigan and when I went to the address book in my online account, it was there staring me right in the face. I had to edit my Grandfather's address entry and change it to my Grandma's info as my Grandfather passed away last year right about this time. My voice caught and I teared up as it hit me once again. But hey, it's all about how we remember our loved ones who have passed on so I felt good, in some strange way, that I felt bad.

[DaYooper]

For those that are a little tight, I find a gift of beer that you have made always brings smiles to ppl. For the little ones, try to make them something with your own hands. Or buy them something that requires interaction, ie NOT video games or movies. Remember GI Joe or Barbie? Cabbage patch kids, OR, a deck of cards? I hate the electronic baby sitter generation.

That is so true. We usually go to the dollar store and other "cheap" places and load up on silly and goofy stuff for the nephews. It almost makes me feel bad since the grandparents go all out but the arsenal of little things tends to keep the happy for most of the night. And proper be damned, they are little boys so they always get some type of thing they can shoot at each other.