So, how did everyone do?

[OldBaldy1701E]

My holiday was completely bland and almost nonexistent. I suppose that is my lot in life from now on.

It is always funny to me when I get the gifts from my mother. She always sends both of us a gift card in addition to presents. She always tells us to 'use them for something fun!' And, every year, I have to tell her the same thing.

"Well, I find being able to eat 'fun'. I find having clothes that are not rags 'fun'. So, believe me, they are being used for 'something fun'... survival!" (And, then I don't hear from her for five months. My mother's side of the family has this thing where, if you hear from someone, there must be something wrong. If you don't, everyone is doing a-okay!)

Here, however, we can let it out, or let it in.

So, how was everyone else's holiday? No worries? Great fun? Small issues? New joys? Earth shattering destruction?

[wcmagumba]

1. My holiday was fine as usual. I have no family and only a couple of internet friends...

As PeeWee Herman said, "I'm a loner, a rebel Dottie"...Me very happy as is...hope you had a good one too...

[OldBaldy1701E]

6. I am glad yours was quiet. That is always one of my goals at this time of year. (n/t)

[PikaBlue]

2. Grateful that my daughter survived

Her second bout of cancer in the past 3 years,, two major surgeries since July 2025, and was here to laugh and hug and enjoy the holidays.

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. That is great.

I am very glad that she was there and had a great time.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. From Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve, my retail grocery store was

unrelenting with the parade of customers. We were closed on Xmas Day. I slept 10+ hours from exhaustion.

All in all, I did rather well, as far as not allowing the difficult customers move me off my spot or make me rattled. And yes, some did try.

I had needed down time with quiet, good food, good coffee, my DU family.

I don't need a lot of people. In hindsight, "celebrating" Christmas with my family was no celebration. Glad I don't have to endure and pretend anymore.

[OldBaldy1701E]

8. Retail is on a par with herding cats.

I am glad you managed to find a little time.

Yeah, I don't like the pretending either. That is one of the reasons I am glad I am not near my family. That would be... difficult.

[Freddie]

4. It was nicer than last year

My daughter’s on the other side of a nasty divorce and docs seem to have finally figured out the cause of her various health issues - psoriatic arthritis, which has many symptoms besides joint pain. Her kids are doing well and she has a fairly new boyfriend, who we like way more than the Ex. Son in Florida and family (wife and 2 little boys) are doing well.

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. That's good. I am glad it was. (n/t)

[Siwsan]

5. This was a rough holiday season for me

I'm not a fan of Christmas but host the at least century old traditional family dinner, every year. This year started to spiral when I attempted to make the pea soup with gluten free flour. What a disaster. My brother worked his culinary mojo to save it, which included using some actual flour. It wasn't my idea to use oat flour, but my niece's.

Then my niece brought out some videos of past Christmas Eve gatherings. They were full of me and my sister, who died in 2015, laughing and joking around. We were very close and I've never really gotten over my grief. I've always questioned why she was taken and I'm still here, enjoying watching her kids grow, marry, and become parents. It's a bad case of 'survivor guilt' that I can't shake. She was such an amazing sister, wife, and mother. I had a raging anxiety attack/emotional break down and sobbed for a long stretch of time. It was like 10 years of suppressed feelings exploded, all at one.

The thing that finally snapped me out of it was a visitor from a VERY ancient tradition, the Mari Lwyd (Grey Mare). It's a Welsh tradition that includes (and I know this sounds VERY creepy) someone beneath a white sheet carrying a decorated horse's skull. The Mari Lwyd knocks on the door and engages in a sort of rap battle with whomever is in the house, demanding entry, food and drink. This is followed by lots of singing, eating and drinking. I was NOT expecting this to happen but it lifted my spirits up to the stars. Of course, only a few knew about this tradition and were pretty startled but then they got in to the spirit of the tradition. I'm so immersed in my Welsh blood and try to share traditions with others in the family. Even though I've talked about the Mari Lwyd, this was the first time everyone actually participated in a tradition as old as this.

The topper was anticipating the birth of my sister's first grandson. He arrived on the 27th, and that triggered a whole new round of guilt. Since then I've just been in a funk that I'm trying hard to shake.

[OldBaldy1701E]

10. I am so sorry about all that.

[get the red out]

11. OK for me, but

I am all alone now. But a friend and I (who met through dog agility years ago) have a tradition of getting together to train our dogs on Christmas and New Years (her parents live a long way from here and she visits them at other times). That really helps. My 2 dogs and cat demand my attention to distribution of lovin's when I am home too, I don't know how I could make it without them, and not just during holidays.

I accomplished things last week though, I put together a plant stand I bought for my "plant room", where I grow hydroponic lettuce and greens, and completely rearranged everything to provide more space. I also worked with the plants, cleaning out containers. I call my small hobby "Hillbilly Hydroponics", since I don't have big systems (think Red Romaine growing in a plastic coffee can, LOL), but I have had really good salads all fall and winter pretty much whenever I want them.

I have one close relative remaining in this world, and they moved to Europe to protect their child, who is on the Autism Spectrum, from whatever RFK, Jr may be hoping to do to people on the spectrum. He obviously despises them, along with horrors that he has voiced support for previously. I don't know if that was a necessary decision or not, but I finally decided that it didn't matter since piece of mind for both of them goes a long way in protecting their mental health.