NEW YEARS EVE..ARE YOU HAVING A QUIET OR BUSY ONE?

[blondguy]

Hi Everyone!

• How will you be spending your time this Christmas and/or New Years Eve?
• With family...friends..relatives....partner?
• If you are spending this festive season alone...your thoughts are just as valued and appreciated!
• Readers of the forums can post too! Joining the Beyond Blue forums is easy and your thoughts are very welcome 🙂

my kindest wishes for the season

Paul

[blondguy]

Hi everyone

My mum is 89 and frail...so I will be spending Christmas with her. Otherwise I am going to order a seafood platter and enjoy it 🙂

Just thinking about what to give my rescue dog for Christmas lunch! (Chow Chow/German Shep cross)

What is everyone else doing?

(and if you dont like Christmas...you are welcome to post too!)

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Katyonthehamsterwheel]

Hi Paul

Seafood platter sounds yum! My staffy loves a pigs ear for a treat, so might wrap one up for her 🙂

My adult son will be coming home for Xmas. I don't see him much, so that will be really nice. I'm still dealing with some stuff, so hoping that won't impact too much. But I did read a good Buzzfeed article (can I mention that here?) about prepping for the holiday season when you're "not ok", and I found that helpful.

Best wishes to you, Mum and pooch - Katy

[blondguy]

Hey Katy

Good on you for thinking about your Staffy at Christmas 🙂 It would be nice to see your son of course...There are many people on the forums that are also dealing with issues at Christmas too Katy.....me included!

Yes you can mention the Buzzfeed article of course..What is the exact name of the article?

Love your profile pic Katy!

Great post and thankyou heaps

Paul

[Quercus]

Hi Paul, Katy and everyone reading,

I was quietly hoping you would begin a Christmas thread Paul, I find it has always been a comfort and something I look forward to at a time of year I feel lost. So thank you.

Last year BeyondBlue published an article I really found helpful and if it's ok I'd like to share the link here...

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/personal-best/pillar/supporting-yourself/coping-with-christmas

One thing that always stands out to me at this time of year is how guilty I feel. Guilty for dreading Christmas. Guilty for wanting to be alone. Above all guilty for wanting to enjoy Christmas and do what I want not just rush about trying to cater for and please everyone else.

Somehow I think we forget we are allowed to have wants and needs of our own. It is ok to do what makes us feel good and to say no.

This year will be my first ever Christmas I am staying home and doing what I want to. Our kids are 4 and 6 and we've never had a Christmas where we haven't travelled from one family to another. So this year is OURS.

We will go to carols in the park, are marinating pork and doing a webber BBQ and kebabs. Are asking both lots of parents to visit if they want to and whoever comes can come. And we're going to spend lots of time at the beach over the holidays.

As for presents we've got stuff all money so I've been slowly making gifts with the kids. Lolly wreaths and potted plants and I'm sewing some dresses. Nothing fancy.

In a nutshell I miss enjoying Christmas. Usually the stress is self inflicted. So for once I'm letting go of trying to please others. I want to just relax and enjoy being with my husband and kids.

Hope you all have a peaceful Christmas exactly how YOU want to. ❤

[blondguy]

Hi All! Everyone's thoughts about Christmas are welcome...New members too 🙂

Hey Quercus ....Thankyou for your kind and heartfelt post Nat ! I do hope you have been traveling okay 🙂

Quercus mentioned "This year will be my first ever Christmas I am staying home and doing what I want to. Our kids are 4 and 6 and we've never had a Christmas where we haven't travelled from one family to another. So this year is OURS" This is wonderful Quercus and good on you 🙂

Christmas can be a difficult time for sure. Your well being (and your childrens) come first....all other considerations are secondary Nat. You are an amazing person that deserves a decent Christmas...Nice1 x

Hugs and my kindest

Paul

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi,

Thanks for starting this article Paul - you've got a knack for thinking of topics right when people need them the most!

Personally - no plans yet! Unfortunately even though I need plans everything is always left to the last minute. Nobody ever knows what they are doing! Our NYE is usually very exciting in that we watch a little bit of the fireworks on tv and try to stay awake until midnight haha.

One of the things I really like about NYE though is the idea of a new year - not so much the NY resolutions or anything, but just that little sense of how 'things could be different this year', like we get to start again, even though technically it's just another day! I get a bit excited finding diaries too!

Paul and Katyonthehamsterwheel it's so sweet that you're thinking about what to get your rescue dog for lunch! Mine just likes leftovers! Also Katyonthehamsterwheel, I did try and find the article but I think we need the name of the article since Buzzfeed has posted lots related to Christmas!!

Quercus, please don't be hard on yourself. I know that's so much easier said than done but I think that there's so much pressure from society to feel a certain way and act a certain way. Maybe if you can think about it as 'society and consumerisms fault' rather than yours it might take away some of the burden! I know that Christmas is so hard for lots of people and that's okay too.

rt

[Katyonthehamsterwheel]

Hi all 🙂

Quercus - sorry you feel guilty at Xmas, I bet a lot of people do! I'm glad you're going to please yourself this year, it sounds lovely.

Hey rt - I always hate new year's, so thanks for sharing a different perspective on it. I like the focus on the possibility of a new year, rather than on looking back (yuk!).

Paul - thanks again for this thread, and for always being so welcoming and uplifting here on the forums x

The buzzfeed article I came across is called:
37 Holiday Self-Care Tips For Anyone Who Is Kind Of Not OK RN

Kind wishes, Katy

[blondguy]

Hi everyone....Whether members like or dislike Christmas....all posts are welcome 🙂

Hey Romantic....Thankyou for your wonderful caring post! I find it difficult to have any high expectations at this time of year...Great to have your thoughts on New Years Eve too! Good1 🙂 Always a bonus to read your posts!

Hey Katy.....I have posted this thread in 2016 + 2017....and it was always huge. After my mum has been ill this year my time on the forums has been limited...You are more than welcome to reply to others on this thread ...(only if you wish to and if convenient of course!)

Katy mentioned the article from Buzzfeed for everyone's information....the google search is below

Google.....37 Holiday Self-Care Tips For Anyone Who Is Kind Of Not OK RN

May the Santa be with you 😉

my kindest always

Paul

[CMF]

Hi all,

for us it is dinner xmas eve with my partners family, lunch with mine and nye at my partners again. If it is hot we an swim in his pool. I haven't really been in the mood but my spirits are lifting i think.

cmf x