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Christmas as an Adult
14 years ago
General
Its amazing how views change as you get older. When I was a kid, Christmas could not get here fast enough. Now that I'm older, I'm like "oh look its Christmas." Now I'm not saying I hate Christmas. Christmas is awesome, I just wish I still had that excitement and anticipation that I once had. It might be kind of hard for me now because I have done a complete 180 on receiving gifts.
As a child I used to go ape shit on getting presents. I will admit, I was a spoiled brat growing up. I know family and friends meant well getting me things when I was a kid. They we just trying to show they loved and cared for me. But I watch the VHS tapes of me in the 80s and it kinda makes me sick watching them. The sheer volume of presents was staggering! There is video of me actually getting tired of opening presents. Of course I'm happier than shit in the video but when I watch it I don't show any appreciation for the gifts. I don't know if this is just a little kid thing, maybe I didn't understand how to show it at the time. I'm not upset by what everyone did for me growing up, I had an amazing childhood and I'm deeply grateful, but I feel kinda guilty I guess.
I wish I could go back and say thank you to everyone back then. Show them more appreciation for thinking of me and caring for me. What makes me feel the most guilty of all, are the family members who passed on, giving me no chance to say thank you. Today I'm deeply grateful and appreciative of gifts that I receive. I also do not ask for or anticipate any gifts. When someone asks what I want for Christmas I feel very guilty telling them something. Its like commanding someone to spend their hard earned money on you. A simple gift like cookies or chocolates is fine or just even ones company is a perfect gift for me. It makes me feel guilty when people buy me things even though it was thoughtful. Ironically I enjoy giving gifts and some of those people might be in the same boat as me ha ha.
I think its this lack of anticipation and desire of gifts that has changed my view of Christmas and what causes it to sneak up so fast. It is no longer a day where I see how many presents I get. It's a day to relax and enjoy time with my family. I just wish I could have knocked some of that sense into my younger self.
As a child I used to go ape shit on getting presents. I will admit, I was a spoiled brat growing up. I know family and friends meant well getting me things when I was a kid. They we just trying to show they loved and cared for me. But I watch the VHS tapes of me in the 80s and it kinda makes me sick watching them. The sheer volume of presents was staggering! There is video of me actually getting tired of opening presents. Of course I'm happier than shit in the video but when I watch it I don't show any appreciation for the gifts. I don't know if this is just a little kid thing, maybe I didn't understand how to show it at the time. I'm not upset by what everyone did for me growing up, I had an amazing childhood and I'm deeply grateful, but I feel kinda guilty I guess.
I wish I could go back and say thank you to everyone back then. Show them more appreciation for thinking of me and caring for me. What makes me feel the most guilty of all, are the family members who passed on, giving me no chance to say thank you. Today I'm deeply grateful and appreciative of gifts that I receive. I also do not ask for or anticipate any gifts. When someone asks what I want for Christmas I feel very guilty telling them something. Its like commanding someone to spend their hard earned money on you. A simple gift like cookies or chocolates is fine or just even ones company is a perfect gift for me. It makes me feel guilty when people buy me things even though it was thoughtful. Ironically I enjoy giving gifts and some of those people might be in the same boat as me ha ha.
I think its this lack of anticipation and desire of gifts that has changed my view of Christmas and what causes it to sneak up so fast. It is no longer a day where I see how many presents I get. It's a day to relax and enjoy time with my family. I just wish I could have knocked some of that sense into my younger self.
makes it the most introverted holiday of them all for me.
I was such a brat in my home movies.
ANYWAY...my focus went to enjoying Christmas for my siblings and other children in the family. I get excited for them and enjoy watching them open things (so long as they aren't brats about it) Excitement for myself is pretty much gone but I still get a warm toasty feeling when the tree goes up :D I much prefer giving than receiving and showing my appreciation for everyone in my life. INCLUDING YOUUUUUUU
Yeah I know what you mean about getting joy out of watching kids opening the presents. Hmm but they don't act like spoiled brats I was when I was a kid. Which is a good thing!
It's not a taste you soon forget.
Don't forget Green Beer for St Patty's day.
this probably the first year where someones asked me "what do you want for Christmas?" and i honestly said i dont know, just having their company (and snuggles :3) is about all i want, mind you at my house its always a 'who has the biggest box' thing. but i was mainly talking about friends outside of my house :P
maybe its just realizing whats more important, or something.
It was also a boom for credit cards and loans plus some good 'ol fashion money savings so people spent and spent hence the problems of 2K now !
I too feel sick when my MOM asks me for what I want for Xmas (notice I said mom) only they ask gahd L.O.V.E ! :) but growing up we quickly learn too get a job and pay your way and then we notice how hard life & money is and understand what our parents did for us !
The real most fun I did understand is being close together with & joy with families and friends !
So all I gotta say is " Game of Charades anyone...?"
Hope your Xmas is a good one for you Tom and ALL !
Wolfie.
And don't forget food :) Eeeeeee... My grandma is supposed to be visiting from 3000 miles away this January. I haven't seen her in about 3½ years!! I really hope my granny can get out here with us... that will be the best Christmas gift.
I wish I could get that back yet for different reasons then when I was a kid. Christmas is great, I have the lights, tree, music, movies etc... still always feels like something is missing. And I agree it can be a bit awkward when asked what I want as a gift, I do not buy all that much these days and what I do buy is something I would really have to pick out, plus I like being surprised yet that makes it hard for people to know what I want. Overall I am perfectly fine with making gift giving simple with all involved. I do love it when I can find that perfect gift for another.
And IMO, you shouldn't feel guilty about being a brat as a kid. It's all a part of the American experience.
I did ask my Mom for a broom as I actually need one, otherwise I will be happy with just being with loved ones for the holidays.
Any who this got off topic to the point where i forgot what i was saying...so Hope your christmas Cooper is filled with Joy and happyniss and all that good stuff. :) Marry christmas
Christmas just doesn't get me excited much anymore, unlike when I was kid, as I counted the days back then, laying up in bed on Xmas eve, unable to sleep from the anticipation. Now, I can't wait to get it over with so I can go back to sleep. Doesn't help that most of my presents are opened up on Xmas eve, as that's when my family gets together. I only open the gifts from my parents on Xmas, since I live with them. We didn't even put up a tree this year.
Still wish i could recapture that wonder at the world that every thing held back then
This year, I bought gifts for people I care about because I want to. Friends and my parents. Didn't spend more than $20 a person, but getting something I knew they'd enjoy. That was the feeling I've been missing. And damn, it felt good.
I don't get nearly as excited for xmas, but I do still get somewhat excited. I also love giving my own gifts and seeing the happiness on the receiver's face (wtf that's DIRTY) when it's something they really like/wanted.
I think 2 years ago I spent about $2,000 on everyone I bought gifts for. I forgot how to manage my money, because I was making so much at the time. XD Spent several hundred on that bitchy (now ex) bf alone! God, I want those swords and that beautiful fossil watch back....He doesn't even wear it! D: lololol
Back when you were little, Christmas and birthdays were the only way to get new stuff! You were helplessly left with your old stuff the rest of the year. Now we can go and buy whatever we want, so there's really no reason to look forward to Christmas, besides hanging out with your family. My family is not very exciting, personally, and my grandma has since ditched us all for her boyfriend in florida.
Also, i HATE buying gifts, it's super stressful, and i hate shopping. When it comes to buying people things, I'm so NOT creative. My mind turns to shit in stores and i end up just running around freaking out about how stupid merchandise is. I also don't like getting gifts because i feel mega guilty.
I guess the main good thing about Christmas is that there's a positive energy that goes with it, almost like a convention but for the entire world.
Yeah, also, Kids toys are SO COOL now, i almost want to have kids just so i can play with their toys.
me and my sister have also eaten dog food out of a dog bowl because my brothers convinced us they were cocoa puffs.. is that why im a furry? or is it because me and my sister are secretly retarded?