tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post113488430875277696..comments2023-10-11T09:22:33.136-04:00Comments on Paperback Writer: DeStressUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1135095833796975412005-12-20T11:23:00.000-05:002005-12-20T11:23:00.000-05:00I'm a scrooge. And I'm with Stephanie--I do 80% of...I'm a scrooge. And I'm with Stephanie--I do 80% of my shopping online then I get up early and knock out the rest before teh stories get to crazy. I also make it a point to be extra nice to clerks and my fellow shoppers because EVERYONE is stressed and frankly I'm just not in that much of a hurry. I skipped doing cards this year though which I love, but I just didn't feel like it. I also took a week off of work, and sent the kids to daycare which helps.Amie Stuarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14145328243563702260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1135022478790377922005-12-19T15:01:00.000-05:002005-12-19T15:01:00.000-05:00PK the Bookeemonster:This year is a little stressf...PK the Bookeemonster:<BR/>This year is a little stressful with my husband's extended family coming over for dinner and presents. However, I am an avid reader and everyone gets books from me as gifts which keeps the price fairly reasonable since money is tight this year. For the past two years, however, I count my blessings that I'm not managing the kids photo studio anymore -- that was beyond stress!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1135016046149209102005-12-19T13:14:00.000-05:002005-12-19T13:14:00.000-05:00My family has one "tradition"--Don't have rigid tr...My family has one "tradition"--Don't have rigid traditions that you MUST do every year. Each year we pick and choose the things we want to do. So, no one gets stressed because there are no absolute expectations. We like not knowing in advance exactly what will happen and planning the combinations of old and new things to create unique holidays. It's fun to have things like singing in choirs that you do every year and new things, like going out to breakfast the day after Christmas because you can't all be there for a homemade brunch like I cooked two years ago, become something you remember. <BR/><BR/>LindaLindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04736694155016381228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1135004919572898442005-12-19T10:08:00.000-05:002005-12-19T10:08:00.000-05:00I didn't celebrate christmas as a kid so I never g...I didn't celebrate christmas as a kid so I never got into all the hoopla, and I don't find the holidays that stressful. Usually. <BR/><BR/>This year is an entirely different story.Eolandehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07184841063739371426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134998103498597262005-12-19T08:15:00.000-05:002005-12-19T08:15:00.000-05:00De-stress? Is that anything like distress?I haven...De-stress? Is that anything like distress?<BR/><BR/>I haven't quite figured out how to de-stress yet. I think that will come Friday, after I drive to my parents, herd my feline trio into the house, and collapse on the couch and never move again for the rest of my visit home. *-*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134945408471748782005-12-18T17:36:00.000-05:002005-12-18T17:36:00.000-05:00I buy all my gifts online. It's so much better tha...I buy all my gifts online. It's so much better than driving half an hour to the mall to maneuver through the holiday crowds (I hate crowds, by the way) and look for things that the stores might not even have. I was able to buy all gifts but one on Amazon.com this year, and was able to buy that last gift online as well.<BR/><BR/>Also, my family doesn't do the extended-family thing. We haven't gone to my grandparents' house for Christmas since I was about ten. So it's just me and my mom and dad (though my parents have decided they don't like doing Christmas anymore, so I'll be spending Christmas with my boyfriend's family and doing a low-key thing with my parents on the 26th). Maybe it's kind of selfish, because I know they'd like to have us there, but at a certain point it became an either/or choice - either we could make the holiday more enjoyable for them, or we could enjoy it ourselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134931076547816592005-12-18T13:37:00.000-05:002005-12-18T13:37:00.000-05:00It's been our tradition for years now to have pizz...It's been our tradition for years now to have pizza on Christmas Eve. We get a large vegetarian, mid-afternoon before our local Pizza Hut closes. At supper time we each "dress up" our slices with our favorite extras and pop them in the toaster oven. Then we eat around the tree with milk in my best crystal wine glasses--it's the only time those ever get used.Sofie Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16830230500527705589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134925184308796632005-12-18T11:59:00.000-05:002005-12-18T11:59:00.000-05:00I love to cook and I love giving presents, so the ...I love to cook and I love giving presents, so the holidays are great for me. I'm knitting scarves this year - so anyone on my list, you know what you're getting. We're going to visit friends and family, sharing laughs and good food - what's not to like?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134924031674400142005-12-18T11:40:00.000-05:002005-12-18T11:40:00.000-05:00I am SO not into Christmas this year. My family is...I am SO not into Christmas this year. My family is all in Canada so it sucks. So I'm going to visit a niece who is in Montreal for four days, beginning on the 27th. <BR/><BR/>I plan on doing lots of writing and reading. Those are my destressers.Tracy Sharp - Author of the Leah Ryan Serieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12239533451929739327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134921499517636712005-12-18T10:58:00.000-05:002005-12-18T10:58:00.000-05:00Wish I could do as nico the heathen, but I haven't...Wish I could do as <B>nico the heathen</B>, but I haven't been able to <I>opt out</I> yet. Hard to do when one has kids.<BR/><BR/>But this year the DH has done almost everything. I've done cards (which I like to do) and organized (which I always do for us no matter what) and haven't been too terribly stressed about much. I like the idea of staying away from the malls and shopping on the internet and at <I>mom and pop</I> places instead.<BR/><BR/>I spent yesterday in L.A.'s downtown fabric district with my DD and her friends looking for material to make a regency dress and spencer jacket. The real work is ahead of us, but it started out with a fun afternoon of ramen noodles and walking through row upon row of fabric stores. <BR/><BR/>I'm also knitting someone a scarf this year. I do like making things for Xmas.Gina Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100701844882701469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134909486743552162005-12-18T07:38:00.000-05:002005-12-18T07:38:00.000-05:00opt out. I gave up trying to bend myself sideways ...opt out. I gave up trying to bend myself sideways to send cards/gifts and the cost of them, even modest gifting.<BR/><BR/>A couple people get a card. a couple a letter, we drop some donations in the food bank bin and retreat till it's all over.<BR/><BR/>For me, christmas is just too amped up, too crazy, too stressful and even as a kid, I dreaded the holidays for the forced church attending, the constant socializing, the travelling across the snowblown praries in an unheated truck to cram in visits with as many people as possible.<BR/><BR/>Best "christmas". Out of contact with everyone, on venice beach in warm weather with toes in the water. It was peaceful. and calm. and happy. <BR/><BR/>i tend to keep in touch and randomly gift people thru the year and all that sort of good stuff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134908947320521242005-12-18T07:29:00.000-05:002005-12-18T07:29:00.000-05:00This year we decided we were going to make, rather...This year we decided we were going to make, rather than buy presents for people. So no fighting the crowds to spend huge sums of money on presents no one actually wants or needs. Anyone who doesn’t like a homemade gift doesn’t deserve to receive anything.<BR/><BR/>And on Christmas day it’s just She Who Must, the cat and me. No relatives (except on the phone). Nice leisurely day of hanging out, cooking, drinking, chatting and playing with the cat. Stress free with a hat on.Stuart MacBridehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12392706513278533408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134896006523830632005-12-18T03:53:00.000-05:002005-12-18T03:53:00.000-05:00Do the 'go somewhere quiet' and sip my wine. I si...Do the 'go somewhere quiet' and sip my wine. I sit on the balcony, listen to the surf on the shore, the breeze through the trees, the call of the birds and block out the shouts, whining, cries and temper tantrums of my siblings' children - and be thankful they're not mine, or by heaven I'd...<BR/><BR/>Ahem. This year, it's just my mother and me. No stress, no mess, no fuss, and a couple of bottles of the <I>good</I> stuff.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and thinking 'this too shall pass'. It's what gets me through when the relos come to visit - that and a good belt of Jack.Jaye Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05595648222196000153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134890027786292122005-12-18T02:13:00.000-05:002005-12-18T02:13:00.000-05:00I avoid the mall completely.I buy all my gifts in ...I avoid the mall completely.<BR/><BR/>I buy all my gifts in one shot early in the month (usually books and DVDs), online.<BR/><BR/>If I do have to buy something that I can't get online, or I want to window-shop, I don't go to the mall. I go downtown. I specifically visit mom n' pop stores and spend my money there. Quite often they are not nearly as crowded or hectic as the mall, their staff is friendly and knowledgeable because they aren't teenagers who were hired just for the November-January crush, and they often giftwrap for free.<BR/><BR/>Of course, it took me about ten years to figure all this out. I haven't mall-shopped for gifts once this season. It's mah-velous.Health Incognitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12988236791995040981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1134889359058167232005-12-18T02:02:00.000-05:002005-12-18T02:02:00.000-05:00Send the kids and hubby out to play (they all like...Send the kids and hubby out to play (they all like to ride). Ignore the phone/fax/cell phones (except for hubby's number in case of emergencies) and have some alone time. I'd say read a book, but I find when I'm that stressed out, I don't want to read. It always lessens the enjoyment of the book. I let my mind vegitate and watch a comedy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com