Christmas is 12 days away and I am unable to muster an ounce of holiday spirit.
I tried. I baked (and ate copious amounts of) whipped shortbread. I sent Christmas cards. I ate my weight in miniature oranges. I even tried listening to Christmas music and I hate Christmas music (with the exception of Norah Jones and Willie Nelson's version of Baby it's Cold Outside. I don't care that it is the date rape Christmas carol, it's Willie fucking Nelson.)
Nothing is working, though. I remain listless and irritable.
I need a fast-acting dose of Christmas cheer. What works for you? I'll try anything (except egg nog. That shit is nasty.)
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THANK YOU! I tried eggnog again this weekend - I'd tried it a couple of years ago and thought it majorly barf-worthy, but D's taken to buying it by the carton every week lately so I thought I'd give it another go... still gross!
ReplyDeleteI'm finding it hard to be festive these days too. Major crapola going down (family drama post-wedding) - but I'm trying too. I'm going to try baking this week, and I got the tree up and a Christmas playlist made. I think the only remedy may be watching Bill Murray in Scrooged followed by Love Actually :)
Feel better soon love <3
Dude, I totally feel you. At my cousin's wedding on Saturday my dad tried to up and die on us (911, paramedics, trip to the hospital, the whole 9 yards in the middle of her reception). Sunday B and I helped my mom pack up my grandma because her alzheimers has gotten so bad that we have to move her to a new place. I've decided to just forgo all the holiday cheer this year and hope next year is better. Sometimes it's easier not to fight it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so far from any sort of Christmas spirit. I haven't bought any presents. I don't have a tree, decorations, anything of that sort. It's pathetic, and I hate that Christmas is almost here because I LIKE CHRISTMAS. I want to be happy and jolly and excited but all I do/think about is the drama on my team.
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you find some magical cure to the lack of Christmas spirit disease!
First off - try this version of the whipped shortbread - To. Die. For:
ReplyDelete1 cup Butter (do NOT use Margarine)
1/2 cup Icing Sugar (confectioners sugar)
1 and 1/2 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar; add flour and then beat for 10 minutes (so, throw it in the mixer and walk away... if ya have one!).
Drop from small spoon onto cookie sheet (the batter should be very creamy and fluffy).
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for about 10-12 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly browned (a tad bit of brown on top, not much, and the edges should be slightly brown, and mainly white on top).
Makes about 3 doz
Recipe doubles well
Second - Mulled wine. Amazing.
And http://www.accuradio.com/xmas/
Pick the type of music that doesn't make you puke. This particular station lets you pick from various other Christmas stations which is kind of fun (or at least pretend it's fun, I find it fun :))
Next - REALLY irritating lights. Put them up EVERYWHERE. It's fun and festive and you can string them through your bedroom for 'mood' lighting ;)
I'm not feeling it much this year either (the heat wave we're having isn't helping), but my go to's are smells--the smell of christmas trees (either real or in candle form), oranges w/cloves, or orange and cinnamon simmering on the stove.
ReplyDeleteLights, candles, cheesy Christmas movies, rum... Those things always help me anyway.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe!
What has recently been working for me:
ReplyDelete1. Hot chai tea.
2. Company Christmas parties filled with free alcohol and slurry stories.
3. Decorating a tree, even one that's not mine. Which is all trees, as I'm not putting up a Christmas tree this year.
4. Watching Elf; Scrooged; Home Alone; How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
5. Trader Joe's Peppermint Joe-Joes. (And now I'm sad you don't have them available to you. The horror!)
I am 100% failing at the whole Christmas thing this year. Truth be told, I just want it all to be over.
ReplyDeleteI = Grinch. :)
I'm sure some day light would help. Screw winter and it's 7 hour days.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a good remedy for some Christmas cheer except I'm lacking it myself this year. Would love it if winter would hurry on by and we could get to spring/summer already.
ReplyDeleteMaybe smacking people with snowballs? No? Just me?
Sometimes dancing to loud music in the middle of my living room helps to put a smile on my face. Nothing to do with Xmas but it brightens my mood!
It's not for everyone, but I've always found that the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers Christmas album inspires me this time of year.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually really into Christmas this year. The past 12+ months have been pretty crummy so I think I'm trying to make the holidays as awesome as possible and put the rest of the year behind me.
I'm not feeling it because it feels like there's TOO MUCH GOING ON.
ReplyDeleteNot yelling at you - I'm yelling at December.
I'm actually really looking forward to Christmas Eve and morning, but I just need to make it there alive. :)
Peppermint bark! I eat it till my lips get kind of swollen and tingly. I try to stop once they go numb. Who knew you could have too much peppermint?
ReplyDeleteAlso, a full spectrum lamp can be very helpful. And get enough Omega-3 fatty acid! I think that helps as well.
But then again, I like egg nog. Particularly when it's spiked.
i'm hosting a holiday cookie party this weekend and i've been told i'm required to have eggnog at it. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. IT IS SO DISGUSTING, PEOPLE.
ReplyDelete(also... hmm. um. decorating a christmas tree? watching Elf on repeat?)
One evening when you are taking your pups for a walk, stop by Army and Navy and pick up a bunch of warm socks and gloves to hand out to those people you pass by that may need them.
ReplyDeletelove.
I'm with you on the egg nog. That shizz is yucky. The only thing right now that's making me feel remotely Christmassy is sitting in the dark in my living room looking at my lit up christmas tree. It's pretty and it makes me happy. I kind of want a tree in my house all year round.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm making that shortbread. Thanks for the link. Yum!
Same effing boat.
ReplyDeleteSorry no help here.
I am really just looking forward to eating a shit-ton and sleeping for 10 days-my normal end of December routine.
ReplyDeleteI like the smell of trees and twinkly lights though. :)
Aw lots of shortbread didn't even help?? Lame! Honestly I've been slipping back into "down Kyla" mode again lately and the only thing that's helping is lying down and watching tons and tons of reality TV on my computer while I'm knitting. I'm in dire need of time to rest up and recharge so for me that's the most amazing thing :)
ReplyDeleteI also recommend eating a super unhealthy breakfast- I've been having eggos with tons of syrup and it makes me feel like I'm getting away with something mischievous :)
Andrew bought chocolate egg nog this weekend and I about puked just looking at it.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I'm pretty down this year too. I find that my unhappiness with my job has bubbled over and effected pretty much every other aspect of my life. I need some pep.
I bought myself "Little Women" on DVD. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend you check it out. It is helpful for promoting holiday cheer.
OX you!
Maybe you need to listen to the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack? Or play Scrabble in front of the Christmas tree? Or maybe the monsterpups should wear some Santa hats! Every Christmas my family watched "Scrooged" -- I highly recommend it! I can't believe Christmas is next week! It took me forever to get into the spirit (and I'm still kinda being a bit of a Grinch in some ways). Dang, I better get in the true Christmas spirit quick! I hope you find some joy and peace and all that goodness this season. OMG. I just glanced out the winter and I can see a teeny tiny patch of blue sky! Eeeee! It's a Christmas miracle. I haven't seen a blue sky in FOREVER! The gray skies were making me go bonkers. Now if only the blue sky would stay until Saturday when I can actually enjoy it rather than being stuck inside this office! Argh! Oops, sorry, I was supposed to be being positive on this post! Thanks for the reminder to make those delicious shortbread cookies, btw! YUMMMMM.
ReplyDeleteI made your whipped shortbread last night. It is my new favourite. I've been going through the Christmas motions too, but deep down inside I'm not really feeling it either. I think the lack of snow doesn't help. Or maybe we've been doing so much running around we aren't able to enjoy Christmasy things. Regardless, I hope we find our christmas spirit soon!
ReplyDeleteIt's probably too late, but the thing that makes me feel the most like Christmas (other than decorating a tree) is getting some of those Angel Tree ornaments from a local business and buying toys for kids that might not otherwise get them. I totally spaced on doing it this year and I'm super bummed out. Maybe some other sort of volunteer project?
ReplyDeleteThat song is my favorite Christmas song, too. It took me sooo long to get into the spirit this year, but finally getting a tree did it. We were going to skip it this year but finally broke down because it just didn't feel like Christmas! Hope it catches up to you...
ReplyDelete