Author Topic: Merry Stressmas article in the WaPo  (Read 3128 times)


NinetyFour

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Re: Merry Stressmas article in the WaPo
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2013, 05:15:23 PM »
Hoping the fact that there are no comments about this article doesn't mean that everyone is too stressed out!!

nikki

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Re: Merry Stressmas article in the WaPo
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2013, 08:08:35 PM »
Hoping the fact that there are no comments about this article doesn't mean that everyone is too stressed out!!

Bahaha.. I just read it.

I don't live near family, and my cat really doesn't give a crap about Christmas, so all I've done is hang lights. It took me less than five minutes.

So I don't have much personal experience on this one.

However, I do want to point out that what this article is suggesting is very much in line with Mustachianism: constant optimization of our lifestyles and choices.

Rural

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Re: Merry Stressmas article in the WaPo
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2013, 12:09:22 AM »
I see a lot of it around me, and some rubs off on me by way of feeling some obligations at work and the (multiple)extended family "command performances" involving gifts and way too much travel at the worst possible time to travel. All the more reason I don't bring it home with me. Home is a haven from Christmas.

NinetyFour

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Re: Merry Stressmas article in the WaPo
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2013, 08:00:23 AM »
Home is a haven from Christmas.

What a nice sentiment.

SunshineGirl

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Re: Merry Stressmas article in the WaPo
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2013, 08:07:14 AM »
Home is a haven from Christmas - love it!


melalvai

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Re: Merry Stressmas article in the WaPo
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2013, 08:14:30 AM »
It's hard not to freak out about the various Christmas expectations. Someone gives me a present and instead of being grateful, I feel guilty because I didn't get them something and stressed because now I should get them something.

I fight that!

What's the worst possible outcome? They might be offended and they won't get me a present next year and then I won't have that stress. Whew!
What's the best possible outcome? They receive joy from the giving and have no expectation of receiving a present back. Whew!

It's not easy to shut up that nagging voice in my head.

Take a deep breath, remind myself that a gift isn't worth it if it isn't a pleasure to give.

Then my daughter texts me: her boyfriend's parents just gave her a gift. I knew what she was going to say next.
I tried to head it off with, "Aw, that's so sweet!"
She says, "Yeah!"
Then she says, "I should get them something."
"No," I told her, "It's not traditional or expected."
"If I come up for New Years, I'll bring some food," she compromises. Good choice.

I tell her Dad about it. "It's not traditional or expected," he says.
"They're a unit," I start to say that a gift from him is a gift from her.
"I'm not ready for that," he says. I laugh. I am!

TrMama

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Re: Merry Stressmas article in the WaPo
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2013, 12:12:47 PM »
Everything in that article rang so true. As a kid, I grew up both loving Christmas and hating what it did to my mom. For the other 11 months of the year she was reasonable, loving and pleasant to be around. However, during December she had some serious grouchy, complaining moments. They mostly revolved around anything to do with our extended family. My dad was always trying to get her to scale back and to care less about the extended family's expectations.

There were a couple Christmas where we "escaped" to Mexico specifically so we could avoid Christmas. I loved those years since they were so much more relaxing and I didn't have to deal with the crazy woman my mom became. I don't think this is the kind of "family making" she intended . . .

Now as an adult with my own children, I've tried to consciously avoid putting all those expectations on myself. I don't do many of the "required" Christmas traditions. No cards, no family photo, no lights on the house (most years), no travel, very little decorating, very little baking, no extra entertaining, gifts only to the immediate family and some of those are donations made in their name so no actual shopping is required.

It's very in line with mustachianism since most of these activities cost money and energy that I'd rather direct elsewhere.

 

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