Is this Christmas causing you stress?

Myself, I don't really have anything to do and the Christmas presents I got should be arriving from eBay because I'm a cheapo. I hope you feel a bit better soon, don't be afraid to reach out for help. If you really can't handle it, I'm sure your family will be willing to help this year so you can relax a bit!

In all actuallity it is not causing any more styress then previous years even with the economy as bad as it is. I am and always have been a giving person so this is my time to shine as usual. I love this toime of the year for various reasons and giving of gifts, time, and cash etc is my thing I love to do. Be it helping at a food shelf, a kitchen for the homeless, giving to charities in their collection buckets etc, I love to give. There have been times where I did everything including cooking and cleaning for about a dozen people and loved every minute of it actually. Just me I guess, but I loved it. I say take a break be it a day or three and just get away from lifes stresses. Be it a nice walk or relaxing bath. Do something you TRUELY love doing and don't do much. Try to rest at least to releive some of the stress. HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~

In one way it is, and in another it isn't. The easy thing this year is for my family (siblings, nieces and nephews) we only buy one gift and put it into a pile and play the Chinese Christmas Game. I was having trouble thinking of gender neurtral items to buy but I came up with two things... until they upped the dollar value from $20-$25 to $30. I'll just add a little something to the $16.00 item. My biggest trouble is my two girls. They are 12 and 15. 12yo wants an ipod and a digital camera (big ticket items - they're not kids anymore). 15yo says she will be mad if her little sister gets a digital camera, even if I give HER, say, a laptop. Add to that, 12yo wants a very specific ipod - green, third generation. Why she wants something that's a couple of years behind the times, I'll never know. I'll probably get the digital camera for the 15yo. After that it will just be clothes and stuff. But I have been struggling between these big ticket items (including a Wii). I suggested we skip Christmas this year since we won't be seeing anyone on Christmas Day for the first time ever. My mother is going with one of my sisters to the States to be with HER daughter and kids. So I will actually have to cook a turkey for the first time. I'd say this Christmas is causing me quite a bit of stress.

Hi Hildas, This Christmas is causing me stress. My husband has been in hospital for the past 3 weeks, congestive heart failure and kidney failure. So no money, my income only just covers the basics! But I am so grateful that my husband is okay and with medication and diet change he should recover somewhat! He is only 47 so all this is rather shocking!! I think you should talk to your family and ask for help. If I were you I was ask them to do certain things, maybe they can bring a dish for the meal, do your daughters have a specail dish or dessert they could prepare. And with the cleaning after again give them jobs to do. Sometimes people don't know what to do so don't do anything. Hope you are feeling better and that the stress doesn't get to much for you. By the way I saw on ebay that they are doing gift certificates, I konw it is not as personal as buying something but an idea. Take care Jacks

I know how you feel i am trying not to get too stressed about Christmas as at the moment my partner is doing it for me as he is disabled and suffers from serve depressions so everything seems worst for him. So i try to remain upbeat and tell him that we will manage. We also have our son birthday he will be 8 on 21st December and i have told him that we just can't afford a party for him this year. He was fine about he said as long as he spends time with just his family on his birthday that will make him happy. My elder kids who are 11 15 and 17 are very good as well they understand the difficulty we are having and have been good and have not asked for a lot. My 2 and 1/2 year old will be happy with anything he gets. But i can understand about the cooking i am very lucky that my partner and i always do it together (although before i was with my partner i had to do everything myself). Then the kids do the clearing up and washing up. We always insist that if they want Christmas dinner that everyone has to help out. Could you talk to your husband and see if you could get everyone to pitch in as it seems unfair on you it is suppose to be your day as well. Would he understand if you explained to him how you are feeling?.

christmas do not cause me any stress because i don't let the holidays stress me out at all when christmas comes around you should always be prepared for the stress that comes with it and yes there are going to be surprises but that comes with the package

yeah it is...i actually don't know what to give for my godchildren when the christmas comes...i haven't decide yet what to buy for them...i love christmas season because it is a long holiday and more time to spend with my family...

I am sorry for you and your stress. Christmas does not stress me. I don't even think of Christmas. There are so many things to do in my life, exciting things. I have so many discoveries being opened up to me.What's there to stress about? Cheers!!

Not yet! But I'm sure that it will soon be stressing me the sooner the nearer it gets here.

No more than usual. My stress during Christmas comes from finding money to buy gifts, especially for my son. I don't have people over at my house on Christmas (for a reason) and I don't do a huge fancy meal so I'm in the kitchen all day. If you feel like this, you really should do something about it. Ask everyone coming over to pitch in by doing some things to help out while they are there. Do this ahead of time. If anyone has a problem with it and refuses to do something, just leave some things out that you normally would have done in previous years. I'm sure you could think of some ways to minimize the amount of things you have to do for Christmas this year. If anyone asks why you haven't done a certain thing, tell them that you weren't feeling up to doing it this year.

You must tell your family how you feel right away. Tell them you really need some help this year. It's ok to ask for help. You will feel so relieved to have the truth out in the open. Maybe they will help you decide what is really essential and what is just extra work. A simpler Christmas may be what everyone really wants anyway. Tell them what happened last year when you had to do all the cleanup yourself. Tell them that that really actually hurt your feelings. Like you didn't matter to them. Tell them calmly. Tell them how much you love them and want to make everything special for them and how you are just not sure that you will be able to do it. Am I right in thinking that COPD makes you very exhausted because your lungs are struggling? It's ok to explain your illness to them. Remind them that things are going to be more difficult this year. Don't be a martyr. Ask for help. They should not be allowed to take advantage of you anymore. I hope that your holidays are wonderfully low stress this year! Take care!

I'm pretty stressed out this year too but my reason is because of the economy and not being able to buy the normal amount of gifts. After reading your discussion I realize how blessed I am to have good health and be able to fix Christmas dinner for family without it tiring me out. I hope your family will step in this year and help with all that cooking and preparation for dinner. Many people don't realize how much time and effort it takes to get that meal on the table. My heart goes out to you and I hope somehow you will find the strength to get through Christmas!

I am not to sure what that is but I should guess it is some sort of exhaustion , tell them you cannot cope and tell them you need help , because unless you let them know they will never stop,you might be very pleased with the results.No I don't get stressed because unlike you Mine know I get easily tired and help me out at stresful times.xxx

I am so sorry about that. To tell the trurh, most Christmas is a kind of "being in war with the circimstances". I mean a have not enough time to do my things, the whole holiday (especially before it) is a great rush and hurry for me. I would not like to do that this year... I am determined that I succeed.. Lol. Maybe you could somehow talk about your feelings with your family. I am certain, you can solve this, a human being IS very powerful indeed. Take care!

Well, unfortunately, there are more and more people out there feeling this way for sure. You are far from the only one. With the Economy the way it is, it does not take long to feel stressed and know that there is not much you can do about it. The price of things continues to rise and if you have a lot of people to buy for, that can be quite expensive as well. And when it is always you having to do all of the work, I can see how it can be hard as well. I will be Praying that somehow you can get some Peace and solice and the help you need to have an enjoyable Christmas season this yr. as well.

I love Christmas. Lucky for me, I don't have to cook. My mom does all that stuff; I just show up, eat, open presents, and share time. Lucky me; I would help if I were able, of course, but I'm in a wheelchair so that's hard.

Hi Hildas, Like you I have an illness that no one really sees and because of it, I find it very difficult to do all the things that everyone expects of me, especially now that I am the main one to be doing all of the cooking, preparing, dishes, gift shopping and giving etc. I have severe osteo arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Because of these I live with constant chronic pain, and trying to do much usually leaves me feeling very stressed out, as well as in pain after the effort of trying to do things so that I can't even enjoy the holiday, or hardly be civil to the rest of the family. Christmas used to be one of my favorite holidays but now I dread the thoughts of it coming. I have two teenage daughters at home, who in the past have felt that they shouldn't have to pitch in...a husband who is the same and an elderly father who is almost blind and needs assistance around the house when we bring him here. I also have a son who is married, with four kids, and if we go to their place they keep busy doing all of the work, but I don't hardly get to visit with them, and the place is too small. If I have them all here, my place is also not very big and I don't have the room to sit everyone down, and can't keep up with them all.I do it all because I want us all to get together, and because they all expect this big meal, but it's too much. As for gifts, I have trouble walking about the malls, and usually leave because of the pain, and exhaustion, and this year to add to the frustration of this all, finances are also a problem. If it wasn't for disappointing my father, I just feel like telling them all that we aren't having a Christmas meal together any more, unless they are all going to pitch in and help out with ALL of the various jobs. I feel they are all old enough to understand and to be helping. This year I think there will also be boyfriends to add to the numbers which will put the number of people here up to 13. I hate the thoughts of it...and yes, it's causing me to stress out and hate the thought of Christmas coming. I also do not want to plan it all and have my family say it's ok they will help, only to have them forget what they've said when it atually comes down to doing it. Have you tried speaking to your family and telling them how you feel?? Somehow, I think that is the only was we are going to be able to get through this, and get some help. Giving them an ultimatum might be the only answer...either they promise to help of there will be no more family Christmas dinners. What do you think??

Hi Hildas: Don't feel bad you are not alone in this I count the days until all the holidays are over with, I am moody, I am depressed, I will be fine, then really "nasty tempered"...and on and on and on...I have mega health issues myself, and trust me I too have an idiot family they forget that old Jan here has neck and back injuries and tons of other things wrong they don't care they just want their food that I and my 81 year old Father prepare for all of them, personally I wish they'd all just stay away once; He stresses out MONTHS before it even is time and this month its every day he is complaining and going on and on about it all, GEEZZ! GALGON TAKE US ALL AWAY PLEASE!!!! I love to cook and bake too but I enjoy it more when I feel like doing it, and I dislike it when the stupid ninnie's in my family throw a "tiff" cause they maybe didn't get their favorite dish or pie , they are all OLD ENOUGH to do it themselves but do they? NoooOOOO! Ok I'm gonna shut up now, I'm thinking I forgot to take my (nerve pill today) LOL! My bad!! Good luck to you !!!!!!! I feel for you I really do!!!

Stress aint the word for it . i have a 14 year old who wants all the electronic stuff and a 5 year old who wants to be like the 14 year old and we have a newborn so yeah i could say i amstressed . but i have been working selling thigs on ebay and trying to make a lil extra money ... i hope prayers are answered so we have a good christmas

you can just order stuff so its not a pain