I've been a grump about Christmas this year; resenting going to perfectly nice parties with people I like, stressing over buying presents for people I love and getting a sick knot in my stomach about sending Christmas messages out to people I care for. I'm trying to see the good side I really am, and trying not to alienate my friends by relentlessly acting the put-upon martyr, but to be quite honest I'll be glad when the many things we have to do are over and we are home again with nothing to do and no-one to see. Because maybe then I will relax and bloody well cheer up. At the moment, even I'm bored with my attitude. My fuse with the kids has been less than a centimetre I reckon, one word out of line this week and they've been confronted with a wild-eyed screeching hag, no warning, no build-up. Poor little boys. And them so tired and hyped up with party food and presents-anticipation.
My mum and Cherub inspect the Myer Christmas windows
We are off to Canberra tomorrow, to stay at my sister's house. Joining us round the Christmas table will be my mum & my brother (unless his wife goes into labour!! Which I'm almost hoping she will, selfishly disregarding her Christmas feast expectations in the hope of meeting my new nephew-to-be) . We three siblings have not had a Christmas together since I dunno how long, so it is exciting. Or it will be once we get past all this business of packing and driving......Are we there yet?
Fixit and Climber at the Fixit Family pre- Christmas party
Before we go, I thought I should mention that Climber received an excellent school report, so good that he was rewarded with instant lego from my emergency present stash. His effort and class behaviour could have needed attention, could have been acceptable, could have been very good but were in fact excellent. Fixit and I are so proud. Hope it's not all downhill from here. Can you imagine us in VCE/Year 12, begging him to apply himself and wailing but you were SO GOOOOOD in Grade One!Anyway, despite my grouches & grumbles, I do intend to have fun being with my family and especially with my boys on Tuesday. Watching their delight on Christmas morning will surely make this bad mood disappear.
From all of us in the Stomper Household we wish all who visit here a
very happy Christmas.
xxxx
Wouldn't it be nice to be a kid again, to just look forward to Xmas and not have all the running around stress crap. Hope you have a great time with your family
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous break... enjoy!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Stomperooni.
ReplyDeleteI will miss you.
Ditto dy!
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas, Stompers!
ReplyDeleteI've been pretty good, in the fact that I only get snarly when it comes to my IL's and seeing them, and trading gifts with them, and wishing they'd leave already, or we could possibly get going from their house of darkness and gloom.
ReplyDeleteAnd i've been ranting in every combox available.
Which is me every Christmas basically, seeing they only live a couple of burbs away, but I manage to keep them to twice-yearly visits basically.
Thank God i'm not catering this year, or there would be trouble.
Hope you get to meet the new babe !
Enjoy Christmas with the sibs !
Congrats to the talented boy !
And the other talented boy !
Merry Christmas, Stomper :)
Merry Christmas to you and all your boys! I'm sure once you leave Melb you'll be in the holiday/Christmas spirit. (I do know exactly what you mean though: I've learned a lot from this year's experiences and next Christmas will be different and better!).
ReplyDeleteLove L
xxx
Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! Hope the drive is better than you expect and that you find that inner Ho, Ho, Ho.
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe a new nephew?
Gorgeous picture of the boys.
Heidi
Congratualions to a well-raised boy for an excellent report card.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to all of you. Your boys will have a ball, that's what really matters!
There's nothing wrong with you. You're not a grump. Even "good" things can be a source of enormous stress. The weight of expectations at Christmas can be enormous, and trying to ramp the operation back a bit can be darned near impossible.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping you get to have some peace, and that your kids eat/play themselves into a stupor then collapse into quiet, contented heaps on Christmas day and sleep around the clock while you sip your favorite tipple.
And a very Merry Christmas to you too, Stomper. Enjoy your break in Canberra.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Stomper Girl!
ReplyDeleteand to you, SG
ReplyDeletex
Oh I thought this was going to end in "Merry Frickin Christmas!" to quote the soozadoo. I'm with you on the stress.... we should all get together, donate to charity for the adult gifts and just shop for the kids. I LIKE all the food goodies, though, so I'm not voting for less cooking. Merry Christmas Stomper and family. Hope its lovely
ReplyDeleteP.S. I would kill to have Cherub's lovely hair and Climber's gorgeous eyes.
Hope you have a fabulous Christmas with your family, Stomper.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you All.
Have a great time stomper, I bet you feel better when you get in the car for the drive. It's something about being home and seeing everything that needs doing, I reckon. When you get driving, control of what you haven't done yet is taken away, so you think "ah, bugger it, nothing I can do about it now".
ReplyDeleteOoo you mean you too have an emergency stash of 'prizes.' Ooo I feel so much better just for that one note.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Christmas overload =
A few years ago I read a book called 'unplug on the Christmas machine' [or something like that, rapidly going senile] but I'm sure it applies equally well to all faiths.
[I'm not really plugging a book but bear with me] Anyway, the reason that I liked it was because it helped me to focus on what was important and what was just so much 'hype and pressure.'
Also it pointed out that it tends to be the women / mums who call the shots [nice use of colloquial Americanism there!] and that the Dad/men's traditions tend to be trampled. [by me at least]
Hence, when you whittle it down I learned to chuck out the unimportant stuff and focus on what really matters. I think it should work for everyone.
There, now you don't even have to buy the book!
Cheers
This is my calling card or link"Whittereronautism"which takes you straight to my new blog.
merry christmas caroline - hope the christmas cheer finds you and it is a stress free one! xx
ReplyDeleteHope you have heaps of fun!!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas :)
ReplyDeleteBelated Merry Christmas to you as well - hope it was relaxing and fun :)
ReplyDeletelet's play duelling bad mother grinch
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling less grinchy by now! Christmas puts too much stress on everyone. I love Christmas day and the day after, when you can relax and enjoy! Good luck in the New Year!
ReplyDeleteGlad to read Climber received a generally excellent report!
ReplyDeleteIt seems a lifetime ago now, but I'm sure I could have given you a run for your money in the mother-grinch pre-Christmas stakes too.