Fans of the TV show Seinfeld may remember the Costanza holiday of Festivus, which features a plain aluminum pole instead of a tree, and includes the “Airing of Grievances” and “Feats of Strength.” For some of us the relentless cheerfulness of holiday season can feel like a burden, and getting through all that is expected of us can feel like it requires superhuman Feats of Strength.
Go ahead. Just right here, right now, feel free to air your grievances with us.
I am fortunate this year I that I have not had the Christmas Blues like usual. My husband and I have focused on Advent and worried less about decorating, presents, parties, etc. There is much less gift giving in my family this year. Our family events are spread out all the way to New Year’s Eve to accommodate my newly married daughter and our extended families. This is the first time in many years I have not got the blues. It helped that my husband did some of the shopping, actually a great deal, and we did most all online. So I hope I don’t get surprised, but so far no Christmas blues
I’m glad to hear that 🙂 I hope the holidays continue to go well for you.
I’m already a relentlessly cheerful person, but I have a grievance against people who refuse to acknowledge the pagan roots of many Christmas traditions, and who reject and denigrate any good wishes other than “Merry Christmas.”
There. I don’t feel better yet … Hopefully soon!
I absolutely agree! To me, that sentiment also excludes all the other equally wonderful holidays celebrated by other religious faiths and traditions. I hear that kind of exclusionary talk at work sometimes and it really bugs me. This past week I’d had enough of it so I replied with “Happy Merry Christmahannakwanzasolstibuddhaka!” They asked me what the heck that meant so I broke it down into each holiday. So they got to learn a little about Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, and Buddha’s birthday. I then added, “And from agnostics like me, I offer a shrug and a friendly wave.” We all had a good laugh and the exclusionary talk ceased. Even though I’m sure I accidentally left other winter holidays out, at least I got to help expand a few people’s perspectives and no one got offended. So, I hope this puts a smile on your face and may you have a Happy Merry……aw heck, you know what I mean! 🙂
Amy, it’s wonderful that you were able to dissipate the exclusionary talk at work in such a positive, breezy, yet heartfelt way! Long may you wave, shrugs or no!
I’m in pain. My hands/wrists/arms have been hurting off and on, but what really bothers me is the tension headache I have. I get them often, and this one is even worse than they usually are. I took Ibuprofen, but I’m not sure why. It’s not like it helps.
I also have a cold so my nose and throat hurt, my brain is mush, and I have little energy. However, I’m too agitated to lay in bed for any significant length of time – and today is my sister’s birthday.
I’m not sure which of my regular activities I should still do, taking all that into account. I feel somewhat guilty about dropping it all, but I also just don’t feel able to do most of it.
There’s also stuff I need to figure out in terms of doctor appointments, medication refills, government assistance, health insurance, and so on. I need to figure out if I need to go to one doctor without an appointment – and if so, when her office is even open, given the holidays – or if I should wait it out until my appointment All of that is stressing me.
The funny (sad?) thing is that that I still feel better than I usually do. I’m hardly depressed and too sick to care enough to be properly anxious. I’m not sure if I’d go as far as to call myself happy – though perhaps I am – but I’m okay emotionally. I am grateful for that. I still feel absolutely miserable physically, though.
Physical pain can be so wearing and exhausting! I admire you, Martin, for maintaining a positive attitude in spite of your physical woes.
Ok, I find the phony “War on Christmas” particularly irratating. People who complain about this are either insincere and wishing to be cast as victims, or they have been duped by the right-wing media into believing it’s true. Either way, it’s unnecessary and disrespectful of our true American democratic values as a pluralistic society. What ever happened to “Peaceful Co-existence” and “Relgious Tolerance”? Thomas Jefferson is rolling in his grave right now.
Whew! I feel so much better. Happy Festivus everyone!!! 🙂
My grievance is how the PC Brigade has done their *damndest* to completely crush and destroy any enjoyment someone like me takes in holidays like Independence Day, Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving. On some levels, it also extends to Columbus Day too. I was quite literally ready to throw my computer monitor through a window right around Thanksgiving because I’m surrounded by so many people who will sanctimoniously say “I don’t celebrate that holiday because it’s Indigenous Genocide Day.” That just pisses me off in whole new ways. And it doesn’t stop at Thanksgiving, and the sanctimony is almost too much to bear. Like I said, I wanted to throw my monitor through a window and scream in towering rage, because I was so tired of hearing it all. And yes, plenty of Christians ARE perfectly aware of the Yuletide traditions that came before Christmas did, and they’re ok with that. Believe it or not, some of us who do mark those holidays are not doing so with some kind of….evil, harmful intent. WOW! Imagine that!
Traci, all I can say to your post is, Right On! I was raised as a Southern Baptist in the 1960’s and your thoughts align with that experience. My family was Fundamentalist Christian but we accepted the influence of other cultures in regards to our holidays. Nobody took it too seriously. In that sense, we were very liberal and open minded. We even had an annual Halloween party in the church basement! That same party might not happen today.
Somewhere along the line our culture took a turn for the worse with all of this over-sensitivity and manufactured outrage. I think it would be beneficial for everyone if we could begin to dial it back a few notches. That might begin to be possible if we spent more time talking to each other and less time turned into the 24 hour news cycle. I still believe that the things we all have in common far outweigh the things that separate us.
Sorry if I am speaking out of turn here. Lately I have felt like replying to some of these posts. Religious Liberals are in short supply where I live. It’s refreshing to know there are others out there like me. Happy Festivus to the rest of us!
All right, I have one…..is it me, or does is appear that Christmas is usurping other holidays? This year, I noticed that Christmas sales appeared earlier this year. Now, I don’t mind that so much as long as it’s online and it gives people a chance to stretch their gift-giving dollars a little further. HOWEVER….I got really annoyed when I saw stores (Wal-Mart in particular) being open on Thanksgiving Day for Christmas sales. So, I guess Christmas has completely taken over Thanksgiving. I was even more irked when I saw more and more stores have their Christmas decorations up on Halloween! A local radio station started playing Christmas music 24/7 on November 1st, a particular thorn in my side since that’s my birthday!! >:( I’m not against the holiday season. I actually enjoy it….in DECEMBER. Please, CEOs….let us enjoy the fun, costumes, and candy on Halloween and the family time on Thanksgiving. Quit shoving Christmas down my throat so early. It’s like you’re daring me to hate Christmas by the time it arrives due to over-exposure. I didn’t get quite there this year, but y’all got me way too close for comfort.
Germany doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving and barely celebrates Halloween, so other holidays aren’t affected as much by the early Christmas stuff. It still irritates me. Christmas cookies and decorations were in the stores in August! That’s WAY too early. I’m fine with all that stuff being available in early December and maybe even late November (after all, Advent starts in November in some years), but August?!
My birthday is Nov. 28. But I kinda like it. Makes it feel more festive.
I hate the fact that following Christmas all the stores will begin to shove Valentine’s Day down our throuts.