The Grinch thread

[The Fonz]

I'm gonna round up a posse and come sing christmas carols on each of your doorsteps!

[HelloHockeyFans]

Really? I love everything about Christmas. I finish my shopping literally a month ahead but still go to the malls in the dying weeks for the atmosphere. Love the family gatherings and getting hammered with your uncle you see like once a year and sneaking out with the cousins after the family dinner and stuff and hanging out.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

Well, we haven't really managed to work it out yet so that no one is PO'd. We've only had two Christmases to figure something out. This year, it will be Christmas eve and day with my mom at my brothers place. Then boxing day with my other brother at my dads cottage. But moms not happy because it looks like my dad will get more time than she will. I might not even bother with this next year, I'll just stay in Ottawa with my dog.

Isn't it lame when you have to be the adult when dealing with your parents? I used to have a very similar plight. I finally tricked both my parents into dropping that whole topic by telling them that the other one doesn't make me feel crappy by bringing up that topic or making assumptions.
I went on to say that if it's not going to be enjoyable to come to their place and if they're going to talk about the other one, that I wouldn't show up.
That solved that. I'll tell you, I wish I did it years earlier. My mom was bitter for quite awhile after they split. She'd refer to my dad as "the a$$hole". To me and my sis. To our faces. Like, as she's dropping us off at his house.
Right around the same time, my sis told my mom that if she called dad that again, in front of us, that she would never come to her house again.

I'll tell you also that you'd be surprised how much happier dinner with one of your parents can be once you've trained that to NOT talk about the other one.
Lay down the law. If either of them thinks that they've got your ear to trash or complain about the other, that'll be all they ever want to talk about with you.
Like being in the friend zone with a chick.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Same here. It's hard to enjoy all the Christmas baking when you can't taste anything.

I'll trade you?

Too much damn baking/temptation around this house. Trying to lose weight is a bugger this time of year

[metallicat]

Woohoo, finally a thread for me! I don't "hate" Christmas, but I dislike it. I dislike family events, cheerful people, buying presents, and receiving presents. I guess I pretty much dislike the month of December, and it's one big relief when it's over.

[Dion]

Speaking of Grinch's and all...... I was at the gym this afternoon and this gal was angry/seething over the fact that her ex wouldn't accept the gift his 6 year old daughter made for him. From what i was told the little girl was heart broken. The SOB that did that is just mean and cruel in my books!

[Eastern Girl]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Isn't it lame when you have to be the adult when dealing with your parents? [...] My mom was bitter for quite awhile after they split. She'd refer to my dad as "the a$$hole". To me and my sis. To our faces. Like, as she's dropping us off at his house.
Right around the same time, my sis told my mom that if she called dad that again, in front of us, that she would never come to her house again.
[...]
Lay down the law. If either of them thinks that they've got your ear to trash or complain about the other, that'll be all they ever want to talk about with you.
Like being in the friend zone with a chick.

Yeah, it sucks being the adult. I used to tell them that I almost wished they had seperated when I was little cause then maybe they would have tried to shield us from all the crap they are slinging back and forth.

Originally, my mom wouldn't refer to him at all. He didn't exist to her and we officially had no father, but then that turned into refering to him as "the cheater," or "the liar," if she felt like mixing it up.

I have given the speech to both parents about them getting their acts together or I won't be seeing them. Hasn't seemed to have made a difference yet.

Anyways, sorry for the thread hijack, it's just all my friends seem to have happily married parents so I rarely vent my broken home stories.

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I'm gonna round up a posse and come sing christmas carols on each of your doorsteps!

I'm gonna hold you to that! I expect you to be in TO bright and early tomorrow morning, singing your butt off on my doorstep! I hope you know the words to "Here comes Santa Claus," cause that's my favourite!

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

I have given the speech to both parents about them getting their acts together or I won't be seeing them. Hasn't seemed to have made a difference yet.

Well then maybe your earlier idea about spending xmas with your dog is in order. If the fonz shows up and sings you a carol...

[Locke]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Well then maybe your earlier idea about spending xmas with your dog is in order. If the fonz shows up and sings you a carol...

You douse him in meat sauce and open the door.

[The Fonz]

Seasons Greetings All Of You!

[Eastern Girl]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Seasons Greetings All Of You!

Is that what you are going to do when you show up on all our doorsteps?

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

Is that what you are going to do when you show up on all our doorsteps?

But I will have my posse with me

[Ayrahb]

I don't hate Christmas, but it can get annoying because I am completely indifferent to it. My "excuse" is that I don't have religious reasons to celebrate it and I didn't grow up with any type of family tradition related to this day. Come to think of it, it feels like being the only sober person at a wild party.

I could definitely do without the commercialism, traffic jams, and stressed out people everywhere. I could also do without people from work leaving Christmas cards with religious themes in my mailbox and without having to spend money on gifts while getting nothing in return.

I take it all as a price I have to pay for living in N. America, however.

[PYroMaNiaC]

I got you all beat. I stripped my Christmas tree bare tonight and threw it on the fire pit outside. I've had it.

I hate shopping at this time of year always - but this year, there's a shortage of staff and I can feel my blood pressure rise while standing in line.

My kids have a thousand activities that they need me to chauffer for. They all have stuff they need to bring to said parties that I have to make or bake or buy. Then, of course, in my spare time, in between chaperoning, chauffering, cheffing, shopping, I'm expected to be at work on time in my own little private section of retail hell - and arrive in the holiday spirit.

My husband assumes that holiday baking should magically appear for his personal delight and that I should serve it wearing a french maid outfit in the festive colors. All the while, I should be singing Christmas carols and not drinking to excess.

For the next two weeks, I'll have to mediate the arguments between members of this family because they'll all be at home together in one small enclosed space. Cribbage games, monopoly, and Life take on a whole new meaning. Dish duty and animal care become War of the Worlds, while the last can of Fanta in the fridge turns everyone into neanderthals.

When I finally decide that I need a break, and I crawl into bed for my long winters nap, the dogs start howling at Santa's sleigh and his eight tiny reindeer and any other wild creatures that may be out there in the wilderness.

So, yeah. I've had it. I threw the damn tree out. I'd spent hours putting the stupid thing together so that it was just perfect. Because at night, when all the humans and animals are settled, I plug it in, turn on my table lamp and sit under the glow to read a good book. It settles me. Reminds me of the peace this season can bring. But the dogs knocked it over. Not once, but twice. Broke a lot of my favorite memorable ornaments. I cried. Then I salvaged what I could and threw the rest out.

Christmas sucks.

[Azure]

I seriously must be jaded, but that was kinda funny Pyro.

I mean I feel for you and all....but....

[Dion]

Feel for ya Pyro. That's a heavy burden you're expected to carry each year.

Still, you gotta find some good in the holiday season - moreso for your sanity.

[PYroMaNiaC]

Originally Posted by Azure

I seriously must be jaded, but that was kinda funny Pyro.

I mean I feel for you and all....but....

While it is true that I threw the tree out, I just reread what I wrote and it is pretty funny. At least, the grinch can't take my sense of humour, twisted though it is.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by PYroMaNiaC

While it is true that I threw the tree out, I just reread what I wrote and it is pretty funny. At least, the grinch can't take my sense of humour, twisted though it is.

Twisted indeed.

I guess that means I ain't jaded...

[Stranger]

"I find tinsel distracting." Frank Constanza

Fesivus is the anti Christmas.

http://www.festivusbook.com/
http://www.seinfeld-fan.net/festivus.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-wm9...eature=related

[JohnnyB]

Coming to Asia helps with the Christmas problem. Shanghai may well be loaded with Christmas decorations, but nobody actually acts like they give a hoot. I do miss time with my family, but I love not having to put up with Christmas. It's such a drawn out mess of being busy, bad traffic and parking, packed shopping areas, stressed out people buying useless for no reason other than to give that useless to somebody who probably doesn't need it, all the while laced with a bittersweet mixture of forced joy, forced charity and forced caring for others. I'd rather it did not exist at all, but I'm sure the void would be filled with some other commercial event. Maybe that commercial event wouldn't place fake moral obligations on people though.